COFY

Editor: John Ota Advisors: BOSTON: Managing Editor: Julian M. Low Siu-wai Anderson, songwriter/musician; Eric Donato, graduate Production Director: Deborah Lowe student, MIT Suzanne Lee, Chinese Progressive Association; Art Director: Leon Sun Ramsey Liem, associate professor, psychology, Boston College; Carlton Sagara, administrative director, Asian American Resource Layout Designers: Sonny Kim, Pam Matsuoka, Leon Sun Workshop; Wen-ti Tsen, painter, moralist, community graphic Staff: Bruce Akizuki, Anthony Cody, Gina Hotta, artist Denise Imura, Leslee Inaba-Wong, Don Misumi, David Monkawa, Janice Sakamoto, Ken Yamada BOWLING GREEN, OHIO: Typesetting: Paul Lew R. Errol Lam, librarian at the University of Ohio, Bowling Green Photo/Darkroom: Perry Chow, Ben Ferris, Gary Kozono EUGENE, OREGON: Advertising Business and Circulation: El Lee Misa Joo, teacher and Asians Together

EAST WIND Representatives: BOSTON: Vivian Wu; L O S A N G E L E S : HONOLULU: Mark Matsumoto; LOS ANGELES: Richard Marion Fay, attorney; Lloyd Inui, director of Asian American Katsuda, Meg Thornton, Evelyn Yoshimura; NEW YORK: Studies at California State University at Long Beach; Akemi Sasha Hohri; SACRAMENTO: Elaine Lew, Diane Tomoda; Kikumura, Ph.D., author; Mike Murase, California executive SAN DIEGO: Luke La Roya, Anson Hisao Pang; SAN director of the Rainbow Coalition; Joyce Nako, Pacific Asian FRANCISCO: Ernestine Tayabas; SAN JOSE: Duane Kubo; American Women Writers' West; Bert Nakano, National SEATTLE: TVacy Lai Spokesman of the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations; Roy Nakano; Megumi Dick Osumi, attorney and former Editor of Amerasia Journal: Dean Tbji, curator, National Japanese Contributing Editors: American Museum, Los Angeles

ASHLAND, OREGON: NEW YORK: Lawson Inada, writer, poet and professor of English at Southern "Charlie" Chin, Asian American musician, songwriter, poet and Oregon College bartender; Mutya Gener, Filipinos for Alternative Media;

BOSTON: Morgan Jin, delegate to Newspaper Guild of New York and secretary-treasurer of Minority Caucus of the New York Times; Peter Kiang, lecturer, Asian American Studies, UMass Boston; Aichi Kochiyama, Asian Women's Editor of Ethnic Women and Fred Dow, executive director, Asian American Resource shop steward of Local 1930 of DC 37, AFSCME; Virgo Lee, Workshop chairman, Chinese Progressive Association and shop steward of American Postal Workers Union; Renee Tajima, Third World HONOLULU: Newsreel, National Asian American Teleconununications Associa Puanani Burgess, Hawaiian community activist; tion Board of Directors, and writer Richard Hamasaki, poet and lecturer of literature at Hawai'i, University of Hawai'i, Manoa SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA: George Kagiwada, associate professor of Asian American Studies L O S A N G E L E S : at the University of California at Davis Bruce Iwasaki, attorney and former staff of GIDRA; Miya Iwataki, National Coalition for Redress/Reparations; Linda SAN DIEGO: Mabalot, executive director. Visual Communications; Alan Nishio, Dr. Yosh Kawahara, professor of psychology at San Diego Mesa National Coalition for Redress/Reparations; Philip Vera Cruz, College and San Diego Chapter of the National Coalition for Filipino labor organizer and past vice-president of the United Farm Workers Union; Evelyn Yoshimura, Little Tbkyo Service Center Redress/Reparations; Virginia Hom Fung, editor of the Pan Asian and California Rainbow Coalition Express: Pat Justinani-McReynolds, writer, art history teacher and program director of the Filipino Cultural Resource Center; Lorna Moon, poet and teacher of Honors English, Hoover High NEW YORK: School; Leilani Sauter, poet and instructor of sociology, San Diego Rockwell Chin, attorney; Sasha Hohri, Concerned Japanese Community College Americans; Fred Wei-han Houn, musician, writer, political

activist; Yuri Kochiyama, activist in the Asian and Third World SAN FRANCISCO: people's movements Mars Estrada, poet, founding member of PILAC (Philippine Arts SAN FRANCISCO: in the Communityl, Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo, singer/songwriter; Bill Sato, professor of history, Peralta College District and Tble Virginia Cerenio, writer and member of Bay Area Filipino Lake Pilgrimage Committee; Pam Tau, business agent, Local 2, Writers: Wilma Chan, founding member of the Chinese Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union and Chinese Progressive Association; Gordon Chang, Asian American history instructor at Stanford University; Antonio De Castro, Progressive Association; Mabel Teng, co-chair of Chinese Progressive Association videographer and founder of Human Ties Productions and Philippine Arts in the Community (PILAC); Jon Jang, jazz SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: recording artist/producer of Are You Chinese or Charlie Chan?: Masao Suzuki-Bonzo, graduate student in economics, Stanford Steve Doi, attorney and instructor of Asian American Studies at University; Ranko Yamada, attorney San Jose State University

SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA: SEATTLE: Duane Kubo, director of Hito Hata: Ray Lou, coordinator/ Bob Santos, director of the International District Improvement professor of Asian American Studies at San Jose State University Association

STORRS, CONNECTICUT STOCKTON, CALIFORNIA: E. San Juan Jr., professor of English at the University of Nelson Nagai, instructor at University of the Pacific, High School Connecticut and Philippine Resource Center Equivalency Program

TbgetherE^WIND: Publications. Pbhtics and Copyright Oillure of • Asians 1989 Getting in the U.S., Tbgether is published Publications. by Getting All rights Tbgether reserved. Publications. Reproduction Inc. in Signed whole or articles in part herein without reflect permission the opinion of the of publisher the author is prohibited.and not necessarily Single copy those price of of Getting current issue . $4.00 plus $1.25 postage and handling. Send all remittances and correspondence about subscriptions, back issues, contributed articles and advertisements to: EAST WIND PO Box 26229 San Francisco, California 94126. EAST WIND P O L I T I C S & C U L T U R E O F A S I A N S I N T H E U . S . Vol. VII, No. 1 Spring/Summer 1989

2 I n t r o d u c t i o n 4 Asian American Political Clout, The Defeat of Redress Foe Rep. Dan Lungren by John Ota 7 Asian Empowerment and Jackson, Moving from the Background to the Political Foreground by Eddie Wong 12 Celebrating 15 years of Progress and Service by Mabel Teng 16 The UConn Incident: Responding to Racism by Hei Wai Chan and Marta Ho 17 Racial Harassment at University of Connecticut 21 Karl Akiya: My 50 Years Working for Democracy by Karl Akiya as told to Leslee Inaba-Wong

FOCUS

26 Reparations: Our Historic Victory by Bert Nakano 30 The View from Congress: Interview with Congressman Norman Mineta by Susan Hayase Interview with Congressman Robert Matsui by Diane Tomoda 33 Redress/Reparations: The Grassroots profiles of activists 41 The Achievement of Redress by Clifford Uyeda 43 Time of Remembrance, Images from New York and Washington, D.C. photo essay by Corky Lee 46 Redress and Asian/Pacific Unity by Meg Malpaya Thornton 47 A Step toward Empowerment by Jerry C. Yu 48 From New Denver to Freedom Day, A Personal Reflection on the Japanese Canadian Redress Movement by Terry Watada 30

CULTURE

51 Pilipino Cultural Night by Ted Benito and Meg Malpaya Thornton 55 Asianlmprov Records: Alternative, Innovative, Revolutionary by Francis Wong 57 "Now It Is Broccoli" poem by Jeff Tagami 1. 59 Aleskeros — Filipino Cannery Workers oral histories and portraits by John Stamets 63 "Letter to M." poem by Thelma Estrada 64 Winter Place poetry by Genny Lim 66 October Light book review by Ernestine Tayabas 67 The Color of Honor film review by Denise Imura 68 In Release new books, records, and films

Cover Art: Concept and design by Pamela Matsuoka; photography by Curtis Fukuda Laying the groundwork

of an ugly incident of anti-Asian violence at the Univer sity of Connecticut last year and the organizing carried out by students and supporters in response. We also s t h e A s i a n A m e r i c a n a n d P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r m o v e include excerpts from an account of the incident by the ment prepares to enter the 1990s, it is a good time to A s i a n s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d i n i t . review significant victories and advances that were T h e c o l d - b l o o d e d m u r d e r o f fi v e S o u t h e a s t A s i a n achieved in 1988. Last year was an eventful year in school children at Cleveland School in Stockton, Cali which we witnessed the historic victory of Japanese fornia, in January 1989 underlines the seriousness and American redress and reparations. That victory, won urgency of confronting the challenge of anti-Asian after a decade of hard struggle, is the focus of this issue violence. Authorities have denied that the killings were of East Wind. racially motivated, but the fact that all the fatalities and most of the wounded were Asian, speaks for itself. Fur Asion/Pacific empowerment thermore, a former co-worker of the gunman revealed Major advances in Asian/Pacific empowerment were that the killer has expressed his hatred for Southeast achieved in 1988. By impressing on the powers that Asian immigrants. b e t h a t A s i a n / P a c i fi c A m e r i c a n s h a v e t h e w i l l a n d t h e This issue of East Wind is dedicated to the five inno power to rally sufficient forces to block an appointment c e n t v i c t i m s o f a n t i - A s i a n v i o l e n c e a n d r a c i s m . by a powerful governor, the defeat of Rep. Dan Lun- Asian-American culture gren as California treasurer constituted a breakthrough and a major upset victory for Asian/Pacific Americans. In the cultural section we would like to call atten The article, "Asian American Political Clout" examines tion to the article on Filipino Cultural Nights by Ted the political fallout from the successful, redress-related Benito and Meg Malpaya Thornton of Los Angeles. This campaign against Lungren. a r t i c l e e x a m i n e s t h e r e n a i s s a n c e o f t r a d i t i o n a l c u l t u r e The Asian/Pacific community also had, at all levels taking place among Filipino college and university of the political process, a much higher profile in 1988 students. At a time when Filipino students are being than in any previous election year. Former East Wind cut from affirmative action programs and Filipino stu editor Eddie Wong, who served as National Field Direc dent college enrollment is falling dramatically, cultural tor in the Jesse Jackson '88 presidential campaign, re nights are an important source of unity and strength. counts his experiences and reflects on the significance We are also pleased to present poetry by three tal of the Jackson campaign for Asian/Pacific Americans ented Asian/Pacific poets, two of whom recently pub in his article. The article reviews the growing Asian/ lished collections of poetry: author Genny Lim, from Pacific support for Jackson and Jackson's outspoken her first book of poetry. Winter Place] Jeff 'Tagami from support on issues of concern to the Asian/Pacific com his book, October Light] and poet and Philippine sup munities. port activist Thelma Estrada. Asian/Pacific political power, however, rests ulti Focus on redress/reparations mately on our strength and organization at the grass roots level. In her article, Mabel Teng reviews the Forty-six years after their mass incarceration in U.S. accomplishments of the Chinese Progressive Associa concentration camps, Japanese Americans won an his tion, a community-based organization in San Francisco toric victory when President Reagan on August 10, that celebrated its 15th anniversary in 1988. 1988, signed into law the redress and reparations bill known as the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. Once widely Alarming rise in onti-Asion violence believed to be unwinnable, the bill was passed by the However, in 1988 anti-Asian violence also continued U.S. Senate on April 20, 1988, by a 67-27 vote and passed to grow at an alarming rate. It has become an increas by the House of Representatives on September 17, ing concern on many U.S. college and university cam 1987, by a vote of 243-141. The bill calls for an official puses. In their article, Hei Wai Chan and Marta Ho tell apology, payments of $20,000 each to surviving former for the 1990s

internees, and other measures. Its enactment into law was greeted by joyous celebrations in Japanese Amer ican communities around the country. The redress/reparations focus section begins with a speech by Bert Nakano, Spokesperson of the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations (NCRR), one of the organizations that had worked for passage of the bill. In his speech, "Our Historic Victory," Nakano discus ses the significance of the victory and the critical role played by the grassroots. He also points out the impor tance of redress supporters continuing their efforts in order to win appropriations, so that former internees can be paid as quickly as possible, before many more pass away. This is especially critical since the outgo ing Reagan administration proposed no money at all in its 1989 budget and only $20 million in its 1990 bud get. Redress forces have already mounted a major let ter writing campaign to press the Bush administration for maximum appropriations of $500 million per year. East Wind is pleased to present interviews with Reps. Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui, two of the key Cleveland School, Stockton, Calif. Congressional movers behind the redress bill. The con gressmen discuss how the victory was won and where the movement should go from here. won redress and monetary reparations for their war time incarceration, which was even harsher than that Profiles of grassroots activists in the U.S. The centerpiece of the focus section is a series of pro files of grassroots individuals, most of them former in Acknowledgement and notes to our readers ternees, who are an active part of the redress East Wind gratefully acknowledges the generous finan movement. Their stories help explain why redress and cial donation by the people who formerly published Gidra, reparations are important and how the movement was a pioneer Asian American newspaper that was published sustained all these years. in Los Angeles from 1969-1974. With its progressive politics Former National President of the Japanese American and innovative style, Gidra was an inspiration to many ac Citizens League (JACL) Clifford Uyeda reviews the tivists and other publications, including East Wind, and development of the redress movement and the role of we are proud to include many former Gidra people among various redress forces such as the JACL, NCRR and Na our writers, staffers, contributors and support network. tional Council for Japanese American Redress (NCJAR) A note on the new East Wind masthead: we updated in his article. A selection of redress-related photos by it to give it a more finished and modern look while retain noted New York photographer Corky Lee is presented ing an Asian/Pacific feel. Many thanks to East Wind Art in the piece entitled, "Time of Remembrance." Meg Director Leon Sun for the new design. Malpaya Thornton and Jerry C. Yu of Los Angeles ad A note on terminology: Japanese words, such as Nisei dress the issue of redress/reparations and the broader (second generation Japanese American} are explained in Asian/Pacific movement. parentheses the first time they appear in the body of the We close the focus section with a personal reflection issue, rather than in each article. on the Japanese Canadian redress movement by Terry Watada of Toronto. In 1988, Japanese Canadians also John Ota ASIAN AMERICAN Inaction would

have meant that you can do political clout what you want A look at the defeat of to Asians. ^ ^

Don Tamaki redress foe Rep. Dan Lungren

his outspoken opposition to repara opponent of redress. As Vice Chair of tions for Japanese Americans, Asian the Commission on Wartime Relo By John Oto A m e r i c a n s t o o k t h e l e a d , a n d i n a cation and Internment of Civilians few weeks built a broad and winning (CWRIC), he was in a sensitive posi statewide alliance. The victory over tion, one he exploited to the limit. Lungren drove home to the political Lungren was the only dissenter when fter the vote, the word went establishment, says Miya Iwataki of the CWRIC voted to recommend o u t : D o n ' t m e s s w i t h A s i a n A m e r i Los Angeles NCRR, "the political $20,000 in individual payments to cans," says Maeley Tom, special assis clout of the Asian/Pacific community." Japanese American incarcerees. The tant to California state Sen. David C W R I C r e c o m m e n d a t i o n s b e c a m e t h e A right-wing demagogue Roberti. She is referring to the 21-19 basis of the reparations bills in vote on February 25, 1988, in the Lungren, a right-wing ideologue Congress. state Senate rejecting Gov. Deukme- from Long Beach, was not just any Even at the 1981 hearings, when jian's appointment of Congressman the CWRIC was just beginning its Dan Lungren to the powerful post of work, Lungren made it clear he op state treasurer. posed reparations. Not bothering to Lungren's defeat, upheld by the attend most hearings, he had one of state Supreme Court on June 23, was t h e w o r s t a t t e n d a n c e r e c o r d s o n t h e a major political upset. At the start, CWRIC. Lungren's confirmation was consid Yet during the Sept. 17, 1987, ered a "walkover," according to San House of Representatives debate on Francisco attorney Don Tamaki, the bill, Lungren reminded colleagues spokesperson for Californians for that he was the only sitting member Responsible Government (CRG), a of Congress who had been on the coalition formed to oppose the CWRIC. Worst of all, during the de appointment. bate Lungren demagogically ham But when Deukmejian completely mered away at the "Magic Cables," disregarded those who were outraged California Gov. George Deukmejian with secret wartime cables of the Imperial at Lungren's appointment because of Dan Lungren (left). Japanese government which referred

4 E A S T W I N D (Above) The fast-growing Asian American communities are increasingly making their political influence felt. (Below) Alice Bulos, of the Filipino American Democratic Club, San Mateo County, and others helped change state Sen. Kopp's mind about voting for Lungren.

to alleged use of Japanese Americans s t a t e , a f t e r L a t i n o s . I n a l e t t e r t o as spies for Japan. He raised this sen Deukmejian on Sept. 24, 1987, the sitive issue of loyalty even though he NCRR said that most Japanese Amer knew that thorough investigations by icans would consider the appoint the FBI and military intelligence ment a "pointed slap in the face." agencies during the war turned up T h e N a t i o n a l D e m o c r a t i c C o u n c i l o f not a single Japanese American spy Asian/Pacific Americans (NDCAPA| o r s a b o t e u r. and others also expressed their op Under fire during the confirmation position. But Deukmejian went ahead period, Lungren would later claim and announced the appointment by that he supported the redress hill — Thanksgiving, after Lungren assured except for one small part: the mone him that Asian opposition would not tary compensation. But the compen be a problem. sation, while symbolic, was the very A concerted campaign to stop Lun heart of the redress bill, the part that gren's confirmation was not a given, however. Redress forces already had i kept it from being a token apology that would have been forgotten as their hands full. The House of Repre soon as it was passed. sentatives had passed the redress bill In September and the Senate vote leaders, such as then Executive Di was expected soon, although it was rector Ron Wakabayashi, acting as A pointed slop in the face delayed until April. Also, several Japa individuals, actively opposed his When rumors of Lungren's appoint nese American and Asian American n o m i n a t i o n . C o n s e r v a t i v e s i n t h e ment surfaced, many Asian Ameri Republicans, including some redress JACL argued that if JACL took such a cans were appalled that Deukmejian supporters, such as Rep. Pat Saiki of stand, the Reagan administration would consider appointing him to Hawai'i, publicly endorsed Lungren. might retaliate by vetoing the redress such a high post in complete disre The JACL, the largest and best bill. Lungren hinted at this threat in gard for Asians, who, at close to 10% known Japanese American organiza a discussion with Rep. Robert Mat- of the population, are now the sec tion, did not take a public position sui, who came out publicly against ond largest minority group in the on Lungren, although some JACL the nomination.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 5 but to a broad cross-section of A new generation of activists o n t h e S e n a t e fl o o r t h a t h e h a d Californians. planned to vote for Lungren, but had But fortunately, a new generation CRG also met with and lobbied received an unprecedented number o f A s i a n A m e r i c a n a c t i v i s t s h a d state lawmakers and, with help from of letters and phone calls opposing emerged who were willing and able Sacramento insiders, identified swing the nomination and felt compelled to to take risks to show that Asians and votes. Supporters then mobilized change his mind. Having won his Pacific Islanders will stand up for their networks to lobby legislators first term in a close election, Kopp their interests. "If we didn't do any and flood their offices with phone "couldn't afford to offend the many thing," explained Don Tamaki, "it calls. NCRR and others, drawing on Asians" in his San Francisco district, would have sent the wrong message: their experience and network from says Tamaki. that you can do anything you want the redress campaign, organized to Asians." some 3,000 letters to legislators. A force to be reckoned with In the San Francisco area, a core Deukmejian had put his prestige The vote was one of the first major formed, comprised of Tamaki, Henry on the line, and surprised observers political defeats for the governor. D e r o f C h i n e s e f o r A f fi r m a t i v e A c by even offering political deals to Many observers believe that Deuk tion, Ron Wakabayashi, attorney win Lungren's confirmation, but in mejian was grooming the slick and Karen Kai, Steve Arevalo of Filipino the end he had underestimated his up-and-coming Lungren to succeed American Democratic Club, Hoyt Zia opponents. Lungren was defeated in him as governor. In fact, despite the of Asian American Bar Association, a c l o s e v o t e i n t h e s t a t e S e n a t e o n defeat, we probably have not seen Mari Matsumoto of NCRR and February 25. The key swing votes the last of Lungren. But meanwhile, others. In the Los Angeles area, Miya were state Senators Quentin Kopp Lungren gave up his seat in Congress Iwataki, G. Akito Maehara, Kim Hee and Rose Ann Vuich. Kopp explained in his bid for the post of treasurer. and Mike Yamada of NCRR, Filipino Lungren's fate was watched closely activist Royal Morales, George Ko- in Congress, according to Miya Iwa

dama and Kaz Umemoto of Japanese 5 O taki, a former aide to Rep. Mervyn American Democratic Club and Fred 5 Dymally. She says "everyone in Fujioka of Japanese American Bar O Washington was watching this. For Association and others took up the UJ t h e m , t o o , A s i a n s a r e n o w a f o r c e issue. cr they have to reckon with." From Sacramento, Maeley Tom To Maeley Tom, the defeat shows and Georgette Imura of Sen. Roberti's "that the Asian/Pacific community is Office of Asian and Pacific Islander not as fractionalized as people think Affairs, with their political experi it is. We'll always be diverse, but ence and contacts, provided invalu when there are issues that unite us, able direction and guidance. such as Asian college admissions, CRG researched Lungren's voting anti-Asian violence, etc., Asian/Paci record, documenting his ultra- fics can respond as one community." conservative stands on a wide range But despite the victory over Lun of issues. Publicizing a record that gren, there is still a long way to go. made him, as Tamaki put it, the The Asian/Pacific For instance, not a single Asian or "Jesse Helms of the House," with P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r s i t s i n e i t h e r h o u s e something "to offend just about community is not as of the California legislature, and there every group in California," CRG was are only a handful of Asian elected able to win support from Black, La fractionalized as people o f fi c i a l s i n S a n F r a n c i s c o a n d L o s tino, civil rights, labor, environmen Angeles together, despite the high tal, women's, seniors, housing and think it is. proportion of Asians in those cities. other groups, in addition to a seem While savoring this as a major suc ingly endless list of Asian/Pacific Asian/Pacifics can cess, Tamaki believes that "the next organizations and individuals. campaign and the one after that will Support from non-Asian groups, be more telling" for Asians and especially in the Assembly and Sen respond as one P a c i f i c I s l a n d e r s . □ ate hearings, was critical to Lun gren's defeat. It showed that Lungren community. ^ ^ was unacceptable not only to redress John Ota, East Wind editor, is active supporters, as depicted in the media. Maeley Tom in the NCRR and was part of CRG.

6 E A S T W I N D Asian Empowerment and Jackson

Moving from the background to the political foreground

By Eddie Wong

In the 1988 election year, more Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders got in volved in local, state and national politics than ever before. Many Asian/ Pacific Americans ran for political of fice and many more took part in voter registration, active political campaign ing and voter mobilization. Asians also had a much higher pro file in the presidential race. Reps. Nor Jackson won 46% man Mineta and Robert Matsui were two of the national co-chairs and Dr. of the Asian vote An Wang was a major fund-raiser for in the California the Dukakis campaign. In California, individuals such as Maeley Tom, Ron primary. Wakabayashi, Ed Lee, Steve Arevalo, Alicia Wang, Deborah Moy and others were on Dukakis' campaign staff. Many Asians were also on Jesse Jackson's na tional staff or in top state campaign posts. The Dukakis, Jackson and other campaigns had, without a doubt, more Asians in staff positions and organizing in their communities than in any other election. In this article, Eddie Wong, Jackson's National Field Director and the first Asian American to hold such a post in a presidential campaign, offers thoughts on the Jackson campaign and Asian/ Pacific Americans.

L. n 1988, Jesse Jackson made his tory as he astounded pollsters and pundits by finishing second in the Democratic presidential primaries, defeating U.S. Senators and Con gressmen funded and favored by the "It's time for more Asian American legislators. You don't need a leader, you need empower establishment. ment!" Jackson said. Above, Korean fund-raiser in New York. Jackson's campaign built bridges

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 7 across race and class, bringing to gether uncommon allies — farmers, students, African Americans, Ameri can Indians, Latinos, Asian/Pacific Americans, women, gays and les b i a n s , e n v i r o n m e n t a l i s t s , l a b o r a c t i v i s t s a n d o t h e r l o c k e d - o u t e l e m e n t s of society — into a common effort around a message of economic dnd social justice. He offered a message of hope and a vision of a more just society based on equality. Jackson did not win the nomina tion, but he did set the agenda for the debate, making drugs the number one issue, putting the issue of rein vestment and job creation on the table and advocating a foreign policy based on respecting international law and self-determination of nations. His were among the freshest and boldest Asian Americans for Jesse Jackson committees formed in nine cities, from Honolulu to ideas of the campaign year. Boston and Seattle. Above, Los Angeles. Asian support for Jockson I felt proud that so many Asian A m e r i c a n s a n d P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r s responded to Jackson's message. In the primary, Jackson got 46% of the A s i a n / P a c i fi c v o t e i n C a l i f o r n i a . I n Hawai'i, Asian/Pacific supporters gave Jackson 49% of the vote in the 1st Congressional District (Honolulu), just eight votes shy of first place. O v e r 2 5 A s i a n / P a c i fi c A m e r i c a n s w e r e elected or appointed as Jackson dele gates to the Democratic National Con v e n t i o n f r o m C a l i f o r n i a , N e w Yo r k , Washington, Hawai'i and Oregon. Jackson also came to Asian com munities several times, drawing enthusiastic crowds. He got a signifi cantly wider spectrum of endorsers, including many Asian elected offi cials, and a larger vote in Asian/Paci fic communities than he did in 1984. Much of Jackson's support among Asian/Pacific people stemmed from the fact that he was one of the first major candidates to take Asian/Pacific issues seriously. In October 1987, Jackson addressed the National Dem o c r a t i c C o u n c i l o f A s i a n / P a c i fi c A m e r icans convention in Los Angeles and received several standing ovations. Jackson spoke out against Asian bashing amid growing U.S. economic nationalism, supported reparations for Japanese Americans interned in 1942, advocated family reunification and immigration rights, spoke in fa-

8 E A S T W I N D Jackson was one of the first national political figures to take Asian/Pacific issues seriously and actively campaign in Asian/Pacific communities.

vor of bilingual education and against nities, which netted $70,000. A San Training for future efforts English-only laws, and called for ap Francisco Chinatown event cleared pointments of Asian/Pacific Ameri As the campaign got underway, $40,000. Equally important were the cans to every level of government. Asian Americans for Jesse Jackson hundreds of volunteers recruited by Jackson struck a nerve in the (AAJJ) committees formed in San AAJJ to run precinct operations and crowd as he zeroed in on the ques Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, get out the message and the vote. tion of Asian empowerment and San Diego, San Jose, Boston, New Within his campaign, Jackson representation. "1 didn't just show up York, Seattle and Hawai'i. New York made good on his commitment to today for the first time," he said. AAJJ organized fund-raising events Asian/Pacific representation at all "We've stood together many times in the Korean and Chinese commu- levels, including top policy and before . . . I've learned from you and decision-making posts. May Louie expect to learn much more. It's time became Northeast Regional Coordi for more Asian American Congress- n a t o r a n d l a t e r E x e c u t i v e A s s i s t a n t t o people and Senators and legislators. Jackson. Mike Murase was California You don't need a leader, you need em Campaign Director, Mabel Teng a powerment. You can lead yourself!" California Co-Chair, and Tracy Ta- Later, Jackson put his words into Jackson had kano the Hawai'i Campaign Coor action as he campaigned for Dela A s i a n s a t t h e dinator, to name just a few. ware Lt. Gov. S.B. Woo, who made Due to the experience they gained history by becoming the first Asian highest levels of and what they accomplished in the to win the Democratic Party nomina his campaign Jackson campaign, these individuals t i o n f o r a U . S . S e n a t e s e a t o u t s i d e have become recognized players in Hawai'i. Woo fell short in November, structure. their respective political scenes. For but his candidacy, in a state with a example, Mabel Teng became a Cali population less than 1% Asian, is f o r n i a C o - C h a i r o f t h e D u k a k i s c a m sure to herald many more Asian paign and other Jackson supporters A m e r i c a n c a n d i d a c i e s o n a l l l e v e l s . also took up posts in the Dukakis

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 9 campaign or in the Democratic Party h i m a s " u n w i n n a b l e . " a s A s i a n D e m o c r a t s w o r k e d t o w a r d What the campaign lacked in re common goals after the primaries. sources was compensated in large Hundreds of others joined the Jack measure by two things: Jackson's son campaign serving as press spokes message of hope and his vast na persons, field organizers, advance tional network of supporters. Jackson and scheduling aides. They picked has the ability to reach into the up invaluable experience and train depths of his experience as a Black ing in putting together campaigns, American and draw out a universal registering voters, mobilizing support message. networks, and organizing political He understands that a new pro operations and fund-raisers, which gressive electoral majority can be will serve them well in future politi built, because diverse people face cal efforts. common problems and will turn to I was Jackson's National Field each other for solutions if they are Director, responsible for overseeing brought together. Jackson is able to state campaign organizations and the get to the essence of complex issues national get-out-the-vote effort, and and convey them in a down-to-earth involved in developing the campaign's way. All across the country as I overall strategy. t a l k e d w i t h v o t e r s f r o m f a r m e r s t o Delaware Lt. Gov. S. B. Woo. urban professionals the refrain was Keeping hope alive the same: "Jesse makes sense." But Jackson, of course, reached out to all Americans, and Asian/Pacific Standing with the locked-out A m e r i c a n s c a n l e a r n m u c h f r o m h i s I'll never forget a freezing February overall achievements, won against 8 in Sioux City, Iowa. It was the day all odds. of the Iowa caucus and Jackson had Despite having only a fraction of flown in from New Hampshire. After the money other candidates had, the four hours of sleep, Jackson began campaign overcame huge obstacles, his day at 6:30 am with a briefing. such as lack of support from the After a speech to senior citizens at party establishment and racist media t h e N a t i v e A m e r i c a n C e n t e r a n d a coverage which constantly discounted radio talk show, Jackson sped off to an icy field behind the feed and sup Mabel Teng of San Francisco. ply shop on the edge of town. The sun was shining, but it was only 30 degrees and cold seeped up f r o m t h e f r o z e n e a r t h . B u t 2 5 0 s t r i k ing meat packers and their families, virtually all white, stood there wear ing Jackson '88 buttons, and listened as Jackson denounced economic vio lence and called for changes to pro tect the rights of trade unions. A s h e p r a i s e d t h e m f o r t h e i r Asian/Pacific valiant, seven-month strike, tears came to the eyes of many workers. A m e r i c a n s a r e Jackson was not just the only candi date who agreed to address them, underrepresented they could see that Jackson under stood the pain of poverty and dis at all levels of dain, and the sting of adversity. government. Jackson gave the workers a vision of hope, a sense that they were not alone in their fight. After the speech, workers came up t o t h a n k h i m a s a f r i e n d a n d b r o t h e r. Many Asian Jackson supporters actively supported the Dukakis ticket after the Jackson didn't win Iowa that night, primaries. Above, an Asians for Dukakis but he won the friendship of thou rally in San Francisco. s a n d s o f l o w a n s . I n a fi e l d o f s e v e n

10 EAST WIND candidates, he took 11% of the vote Americans, while the fastest growing in a state which is only 2% Black. population in the U.S., are not nu Because of his 25 years in the Civil merous enough to win on our own. Rights Movement, Jackson could The question is who shall we ally c o u n t o n a b u i l t - i n n e t w o r k b a s e d i n with. Jesse Jackson represents the every African American community political force that is most receptive in the country, to anchor his effort. to input and inclusion of Asian/Paci There were campaign contributions fic Americans alongside other previ from Black businesses and profes ously disenfranchised groups. sionals, political networks offered by In California, where people of color B l a c k e l e c t e d o f fi c i a l s , v o l u n t e e r will become the majority by the year recruitment and fund raising from 2000, Asian/Pacific people must build the Black churches and a variety of s t r o n g e r c o a l i t i o n s w i t h A f r i c a n community and student organizations. Americans, Latinos and progressive The power of this base was dem w h i t e s a r o u n d c o m m o n n e e d s s u c h onstrated dramatically on Super as empowerment, housing, jobs, Tuesday. The Jackson campaign health care and education. Issues could afford to buy only $100,000 in such as affirmative action, racial vio a d s i n t h e S o u t h b e f o r e t h a t 2 0 - s t a t e lence and education have been the contest, but he still won Virginia, basis for past coalitions and need to Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Asian/Pacific be expanded. Louisiana. He placed second in c a n d i d a c i e s w i l l On another level, Jackson's cam Texas, Washington, Hawai'i, Tennes paign imparts a fundamental lesson: see, North Carolina, Maryland, Mis stimulate voter you cannot win if you do not run. Be souri, Florida and Kentucky. bold. Stand up for your ideas and W i t h h i s b a s e a s a f o u n d a t i o n , registration make sure what you say has mean Jackson reached out to broaden his and action. ing and depth. As Jackson says, even support. The seven million votes he if you run and lose, you still become received represented Jackson's suc part of the political equation. Asian/ c e s s i n w i n n i n g s u p p o r t f r o m P a c i fi c c a n d i d a c i e s w i l l s t i m u l a t e farmers, workers, students and others voter registration and political action, of all nationalities. By the end of the Learning from the campaign and the resulting networks of voters primaries, Jackson was getting 25% F o r A s i a n / P a c i fi c A m e r i c a n s t o s u c and supporters become factors in the of the white vote and 49% of the 25- ceed, we must also follow the path political mix. to 45 age group vote. of coalition building. Asian/Pacific It is impossible to predict the future of Jackson or Asian/Pacific politics, but one thing is clear, U.S. politics will n e v e r b e t h e s a m e a f t e r 1 9 8 8 . Jackson's supporters will continue to be a progressive force on the local, state and national levels as they step up their participation in various cam paigns, in the Democratic Party and run for office. Together with other political activists, they will help to o v e r c o m e t h e b a r r i e r s t h a t h a v e resulted in gross underrepresentation o f A s i a n / P a c i fi c A m e r i c a n s a f a l l l e v e l s of government. I n 1 9 8 8 , A s i a n A m e r i c a n s a n d P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r s m o v e d f r o m t h e background of politics into the fore ground, out of the shadows as silent financial contributors to positions as policymakers and leaders. It's a welcome change and it's only the beginning. □ Hundreds of Asian/Pacific Americans received invaluable political training in registering, educating and mobilizing voters, and these experiences will help them continue to be a force Eddie Wong is a former editor of East in the political scene. Wind Magazine.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 11 Celebrating By Mabel Teng

TJL here is a Chinese saying, "It takes ten years to grow a tree, a hundred years to nurture a person" I S Y e a r s o f ( + tffl 7k , W ^ A )• Fifteen years of growth for a community organization is a great milestone. We have grown in strength and numbers despite Rea gan's cutbacks and infringements on civil rights. Early history: Bold approach in a changing world Progress & The Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) is part of the Asian movement, born of the civil rights strug gles of the '60s and '70s. We formed in response to the many issues and concerns in our community. We Service worked with Asian American lawyers to establish the first free bilingual legal clinic in Chinatown. We The emergence of the Asian/Pacific Movement in helped the Loh Wah Que (longtime immigrants) the late 1960s sparked the development of grass qualify for legal status and oppose unfair deportation roots Asian community organizations around the u n d e r t h e s o - c a l l e d C h i n e s e C o n f e s s i o n l a w. country. C P A ' s fi r s t o f fi c e w a s i n t h e b a s e m e n t o f t h e h i s toric International Hotel (I-Hotel). The struggle to Unique in its ability to unite immigrants and s a v e t h e I - H o t e l w a s a l a n d m a r k b a t t l e f o r c o m m u American-born, the Chinese Progressive Associa nity control on land use. We helped to develop a tion of San Francisco has played an important role broad strategy that united Pilipino and Chinese ten in key struggles the Chinese and Asian/Pacific com ants as well as built coalitions with many citywide munities have faced in the 1970s and 1980s. CPA housing groups. This 10-year battle brought forth celebrated its 15th anniversary in 1988. many new Asian American activists who are still

12 EAST WIND active in the movements today. out the discriminatory nature of the bill. The Com In the early '70s, the People's Republic of China mittee collected over 15,000 signatures, organized (PRC) inspired the world as a leading third world educational workshops and lobbied members of country struggling for self-determination. To us, sup Congress against this provision. These broad-based port for China meant self-respect and pride. CPA efforts eventually led to the defeat of the proposal. worked with pro-China organizations in Chinatown With continuing economic problems, Asians and and the U.S.-China People's Friendship Association in other minorities have once again been made the celebrating October 1, China's national day, and film scapegoats. Along with Blacks, Latinos, and other showings to promote education and friendship. people of color, Asians are victims of racist abuse When the two countries normalized diplomatic rela and physical violence. The murder of Vincent Chin tions on January 1, 1979, thousands rejoiced in Ports in 1982 was the most glaring example of this injus mouth Square. t i c e . V i n c e n t w a s a C h i n e s e A m e r i c a n b e a t e n t o CPA has always supported the labor movement death by two unemployed autoworkers accusing and the right of Chinese workers to unionize. Gar "Japs" of "stealing jobs from Americans." The two ment workers' protests at Jung Sai, Naline, and murderers were fined $3,000 and did not spend one Sierra Designs highlighted the key issues Chinese day in jail. Asians across the nation responded in and other immigrants face; low pay, racial discrimi outrage. CPA worked with Asian Americans for nation, plant closures, and lack of union protection. Justice to organize protest marches and rallies. We W o r k e r s a t N a m Y u e n a n d t h e M a n d a r i n r e s t a u r a n t s helped sponsor a memorial for Vincent and a West waged similar battles in the early '70s. Our members Coast tour for Mrs. Lily Chin, Vincent's mother. are active unionists who have walked literally hun Although justice was not fully achieved and the dreds of picket lines in support of Local 2, the Hotel killers are still free, the struggle for justice for Vin Employees and Restaurant Employees Union. We cent Chin has inspired renewed commitment against a l s o w o r k w i t h t h e A s i a n A m e r i c a n F e d e r a t i o n o f racial prejudice of all forms. CPA is part of this cur Union Members (AAFUM) in building community rent effort with the Chinese for Affirmative Action, support for labor issues. Japanese American Citizens League, Asian Neighbor hood Design, and the Asian Law Caucus. Reaganism: A race between conseryotism As an outgrowth of the movement against the con and activism servative tide, Asian Americans have become more The Reagan administration ushered in some of the active in electoral politics. 1984 proved to be a turn most conservative social and economic policies. Civil ing point with the historic Jesse Jackson for Presi rights have been challenged. The huge military bud dent campaign. The tremendous response to Rev. get has meant severe funding cuts in public educa Jackson's Chinatown rally reflected the Chinese com tion and social services. Organized labor has been munity's desire for progress and democracy. under attack and workers' rights to organize have In 1986, our members were part of the statewide suffered setbacks. The last eight years have brought effort to oppose Proposition 63, the "English Only" tremendous hardship to the grassroots people, who have responded with grow ing resistance. One of the first issues w e t o o k u p w a s t h e struggle to retain the 5th Preference. The Simpson - Mazzoli immigration bill threatened to eliminate the immigration of brothers a n d s i s t e r s o f U . S . c i t i z e n s by cutting back on the 5th Preference category, which is most heavily used by Chinese, Pilipinos, and Mexicans. Working with the Chinese American Citi zens Alliance, the Chinese N e w c o m e r s S e r v i c e , Cameron House, and im migration lawyers in the Committee to Retain the CPA united the Chinese and Pilipino tenants of the International Hotel with small shop owners 5th Preference, we pointed and citywide housing groups, in a ten year battle for community control.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 13 Above, CPA member like latej Harry Chan with Jesse Jackson, San Francisco Chinatown, 1984.

In addition to voter registration campaigns, CPA also holds The political participation of immigrants will forums on election issues to encourage people to vote. help empower the entire community.

initiative. CPA felt that this proposition, intended to Alliance (A/BSSA), and Movimiento Estudiantil Chi- make English the official language of California, cano de Aztlan (MEChA). would create more discrimination against people whose native language is not English, and lead to Changing demographics and a new era more attacks on bilingualism. Our members worked Starting in 1987, progressive people set new mile w i t h t h e A m e r i c a n C i v i l L i b e r t i e s U n i o n a n d t h e stones in defeating conservatism. Congress turned Mexican American Legal Defense and Education back Reagan's nomination of Robert Bork for Su Fund in Californians United Against Prop. 63. preme Court justice. In 1988, Californians rejected Another front in the struggle against Reaganism Deukmejian's appointment of Dan Lungren as the has been the right to education. We worked with state treasurer. 'The people of San Francisco elected a parents, students, educators, school counselors and more liberal mayor. Art Agnos. Most recently, Jesse other community organizations to voice our con Jackson won the Democratic primary in our City. cerns and demand our right to quality education. In CPA is extremely proud to have been part of each April 1987, we organized one of the largest con of these developments. Our experience in the last tingents in the March on Sacramento for Education. decade tells us the Asian movement will grow when The rally, 7,000 strong, was initiated by three cam we unite with Blacks, Latinos, and other sectors of pus networks — the Asian/Pacific Islander Student society who are fighting for progressive changes. Union (APSU), the African/Black Student Statewide Asians and Pacific Islanders now make up close to

14 EAST WIND forty percent of San Francisco. This growth is pri We also see the importance of bridging the gap be marily due to new immigrants from China, Southeast tween immigrants and American-born, young and Asia, Korea, and the Philippines. Our English as a old. We work with Asian students from SF State Uni Second Language (ESL) program and citizenship versity, University of California (UC) Berkeley, Stan classes have already helped thousands of people pass ford, San Jose State, and as far as UC Santa Cruz. We naturalization examinations, obtain better jobs, and provide Chinatown tours to help students see the participate more fully in society. As more immigrants real conditions of Chinatown and find their cultural become naturalized, they will be more conscious in heritage. We run an internship program for those demanding full partnership in shaping the political who want to work as volunteers in the community. future of our city. We have done a lot and are proud of our accomp With this understanding, CPA has emphasized lishments. We are not just a political organization, working with immigrants. Their not just a service organization, nor political participation will lead to just a social club. We are all of the the empowerment of the entire above. We are a true grassroots community and progress for our organization built by and for the city. Working with the San Fran people. cisco Rainbow Coalition and the On our 15th anniversary, we C h i n e s e A m e r i c a n V o t e r E d u c a t i o n r e n e w o u r c o m m i t m e n t t o m o v e Committee, we have launched an forward boldly and work even aggressive campaign to register h a r d e r i n a t i m e o f e c o n o m i c h a r d new voters. We also hold educa ship. We rededicate ourselves to t i o n a l w o r k s h o p s o n e l e c t i o n serve the people and to expand issues to encourage people to vote. our ties and friendship with all We strive to build CPA in an all- liberal and progressive people in rounded way. We believe cultural the City. □ and social activities are an impor tant part of fighting for self- Mabel Teng is currently the co- respect. The community enjoys chair of San Francisco's CPA. She our annual picnic and fruit-picking was a California co-chair for the Jesse trips. Thanksgiving and Christmas Mrs. Lily Chin tells CPA co-chair Mabel Jackson '88 presidential campaign dinners are popular events for peo Teng about the racist murder of her son, a n d i s a c t i v e i n t h e R a i n b o w C o a l i ple to meet new friends and to un Vincent, by 2 unemployed Detroit auto- tion. She has been an ESL teacher in derstand the society around them. w o r k e r s i n 1 9 8 2 . San Francisco for ten years.

CPA carries on a variety of social, service and political activities.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 15 The UConn Incident: Responding to Racism

Organizing for Justice, Respect

and Basic

Student Rights

Asian students should be able to study and learn on campus without having to worry about violence, threats and intimidation from racists.

from UConn football players. The assistance from the university and the harassment was witnessed by school l o c a l a u t h o r i t i e s w e r e m e t w i t h b u By Hei Wai Chan and Marta Ha authorities who stood by and did reaucracy, insensitivity, and indiffer nothing. The evening (see sidebar) is ence. No one seemed willing to help. painful to recall but the story must The UConn affirmative action office be told again and again until the abdicated responsibility because "the o.n December 3rd, 1987, eight university takes stronger measures harassment did not involve faculty A s i a n A m e r i c a n s t u d e n t s f r o m t h e t o d e a l w i t h i t . T h i s a t t a c k a n d t h e and students." The campus police University of Connecticut (UConn) ensuing failure of the university ad claimed no responsibihty since it hap started out for an off-campus semi- ministration to take action prompted pened off-campus. Three other local formal dance. The evening turned U C o n n A s i a n A m e r i c a n s t u d e n t s t o p o l i c e d e p a r t m e n t s i n t h e a r e a into a nightmare during the 45- organize and seek outside help. claimed to have no jurisdiction. The minute bus ride to the dance as they campus paper was closed for the were spat upon and subjected to Silence na more! winter break, and the local newspa racial slurs and physical intimidation Initial efforts by the students to get pers showed no interest in the inci-

16 EAST WIND d e n t . F r a n k A r d a i o l o , D e a n o f S t u of this case, the university must dents, was apparently more con publicly acknowledge that racism ex cerned with the offenders' football ists on campus and take all necessary careers than the well-being of the vic actions to deal with it." With that, tims, which outraged the students. the students fought on. T h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n ' s s i l e n c e a b o u t Despite the delays, runaroimds, and this incident could only be inter Together, attempted cover-up by the adminis preted as tolerance of such behavior. s t u d e n t s l e a r n e d tration, the students' persistence The victims were expected to be the eventually led to the identification " M o d e l M i n o r i t y " a n d n o t m a k e that justice can and prosecution of two of the at waves. Many of the victims were led tackers, Sean Doyle and Mark Lan- to believe that pursuing the matter be gained only dolfi. Doyle was suspended for one would get nowhere, and that they year. Landolfi received two years should drop the matter. But this inci through unity probation. Dissatisfied with the ad dent cut at their very sense of self- and struggle, ministration's "slap on the wrists" respect. "We were being treated solution while ignoring the deeper worse than animals," said one stu not silence. problem, Asian American students dent. "The university must be held sought help from the Asian American accountable to ensure a safe learning Resource Workshop in Boston. Upon e n v i r o n m e n t f o r a l l s t u d e n t s . N o t its suggestions, students began out only should it review its mishandling r e a c h t o o t h e r s t u d e n t s o f c o l o r o n

Racial Harassment at University of Connecticut

The following is an account by the when it hit her face she finally The situation got worse and the victims of the December 3, 1987, realized that someone had been guys in the back now wanted to incident spitting on her. It was all over her fight. There were two main in hair, jacket, and face. In her stigators from the rear group who defense, she got up and demanded were doing most of the harassing. O. the evening of December to know who was spitting on her. (Later we were told their names, 3rd, 1987, at 9:30 pm, eight of us, No one knew what was happening Mark Landolfi and Sean Doyle.) Feona Lee, Marta Ho, Lenny Chow, or what had happened because it People around us tried to calm Tina Chin, Heidi Hara, Daniel w a s s u c h a c h a o t i c s i t u a t i o n . F e o n a both groups and we did finally Shan, Ping Szeto, and Ronald s t a r t e d t o s c r e a m w h e n n o o n e calm down. The group in the back Cheung, gathered outside Belden responded to her. We all realized consisted of very large football dorm waiting for a bus to take us what had happened at this point. players who were just dying to get to a semiformal. The semiformal The guys in the back of the bus us to fight them. They knew that was sponsored by Belden and Wat had been spitting on us for a few we had no chance if an actual s o n H a l l a n d w a s t o b e h e l d a t t h e minutes, and only when it landed physical fight developed, so they Italian American Club in Tolland, o n F e o n a ' s f a c e d i d w e b e c o m e kept throwing insults at us to make Gonnecticut. Eventually we got a w a r e t h a t o u r b a c k s h a d b e e n us angry. Mark Landolfi called Dan onto a bus with a large group of covered with spit. an "oriental faggot" with numerous people. We found seats towards the At this point, Daniel got up and other bad names and asked him to b a c k o f t h e b u s w i t h t h r e e t o f o u r went to Feona's side. He was trying fight outside. The people on the people on each bench. to find out who was doing the spit bus wanted to get going and the We sat quietly waiting for the ting and wanted them to apologize bus driver would not move unless bus to leave when Feona suddenly to us. As Feona was yelling at the everyone was seated. There was felt something land on her hair. At group, one of them spat on her really nothing we could do since first she thought it was some sort again. This made Dan furious but we did not want to fight, so we put of leakage from the bus. It landed before he had time to do anything up with the degradation. o n h e r s e v e r a l t i m e s m o r e a n d his face was also covered with spit. By the time the bus began to

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 17 c a m p u s , Ya l e ' s A s i a n S t u d e n t the appointment of an Asian Ameri Association, and the East Coast can Dean of Student Affairs, and Asian Student Union (ECASU), an courses on Asian American history A s i a n s t u d e n t n e t w o r k o f 4 0 c a m and experiences. "It created momen puses throughout the East Coast. tum here . . . ," said Maria Ho, presi Asian students were outraged. Many The UConn dent of the newly formed Asian s t u d e n t s f r o m B r o w n , H a r v a r d , American Association. Hunter, MIT, Wellesley, and others administration identified with the UConn students' Organize and build broad support frustration. Plans were made to send learned that The March 26th ECASU meeting the UConn administration the mes Asian American marked a major turning point in the sage that Asian American students struggle. Students learned that to will not tolerate such treatment. At s t u d e n t s a r e n o t gether they could make a difference. an ECASU meeting at UConn on Dean Ardaiolo, who had been avoid March 26, 1988, Asian American stu to be taken ing the student leaders, in an about dents from 16 campuses joined 50 face contacted Maria to get assurance UConn students in a highly charged lightly. that the gathering would not result meeting with Dean Ardaiolo and in a campus takeover similar to those demonstrated overwhelming support at the University of Massachusetts, f o r U C o n n s t u d e n t s ' d e m a n d s f o r a n Amherst, and Hampshire College A s i a n A m e r i c a n A c t i v i t i e s C e n t e r, o v e r r a c i a l i n c i d e n t s t h e r e . T h e o n c e

racist comments. They called us "oriental faggots" and sang "we all live in the yellow submarine" the whole way. The situation was hopeless. There was no authority in charge or anyone willing to help us put an end to the abuse. Was there anything we could do? They o u t n u m b e r e d u s a n d w o u l d h a v e also overpowered us in physical strength. We thought to ourselves that since there was nothing we could do about those jerks and their subhuman behavior, we would not give them the satisfaction to ruin our entire evening. Thus, when we arrived in Tolland we went our separate ways. We naively thought t h a t i t w a s t h e e n d o f t h e h a r a s s ment and they would leave us alone. As one of the girls on the bus commented to us, "Relax, they Maria Ho (far left) and Tina Chen (third from leftj were two of the Asian American are just drunk, trying to have some s t u d e n t s i n v o l v e d i n t h e i n c i d e n t . fun." We were hoping that it was t h e e n d o f t h e i r " f u n , " b u t h o w can anyone possibly justify racial drive off toward Tolland, we had problem. Our coats and hair were h a r a s s m e n t a s f u n ? been on the bus for more than half covered with their disgusting We walked away from them. We an hour. We thought that maybe slime. Some guys did eventually enjoyed about fifteen minutes of they would stop harassing us since get up to stand between us and the fun and relaxation before one of we had already asked them to stop, spitters to block them. Even then, t h e m s t a r t e d t o c o m e t o w a r d s o u r but the spitting only got worse. We spit still managed to hit us. side of the dance floor. We knew could do nothing to stop them and Throughout the bus ride they h i m a s o n e o f t h e m a i n t r o u b l e no one really cared about our continued to spit on us and make m a k e r s o n t h e b u s a n d a l s o o n e

18 EAST WIND disinterested Hartford Courant sent a other acts of racist violence, affirm reporter to cover the meeting. ing that the December 3rd incident F o r h o u r s , s t u d e n t s b l a s t e d t h e was not isolated but part of the con administration's mishandhng of this servative trend in society. The gath incident, the lack of an adequate ering of Asian American students mechanism to properly handle harass Now I know how from 16 campuses sent a powerful ment complaints, and the lack of statement to the UConn administra support services and programs to ed to deal with t i o n a n d o t h e r s t h a t A s i a n A m e r i c a n ucate the UConn community about students are not to be taken lightly! campus racism. When it became racial harassment The students left the meeting in c l e a r t h a t D e a n A r d a i o l o h a d l i t t l e high spirits and recharged. A sense a u t h o r i t y t o m a k e fi r m c o m m i t if it ever happens of camaraderie was forged among ments, the students requested a writ t h e U C o n n s t u d e n t s a n d A s i a n A m e r ten proposal with a timeline from again. ican students from other campuses. the administration outlining its plan The UCoim students were inspired t o a d d r e s s t h e s t u d e n t s ' c o n c e r n s by the showing which reaffirmed and demands. t h e i r s t a n d . E C A S U i n t u r n d r e w i n The success of the meeting was spiration from UConn students' de due primarily to its broad character. termination and spirit, learning how The meeting allowed other students the network can be effectively uti to speak out and give examples of lized for collective action. Together,

of the main spitters. He came from arouse Ron's anger to make him t h e o t h e r s i d e o f t h e d a n c e h a l l fight. He wanted Ron to hit him with two women. They began to first. Dan walked up to them to deliberately dance into us and prevent a fight when Sean also spat elbow us. It happened too many o n h i m a n d c a l l e d h i m m o r e t i m e s f o r i t t o b e a n a c c i d e n t . names. This happened in front of a When we asked him what his prob group of students including three lem was, he made animal-like noises R.A.S. Again we were told to calm a n d h o r r i b l e f a c e s a t u s . H e down and stay away from them. s c r e a m e d l i k e a m a d m a n f o r m o r e This was the last straw. How long t h a n a m i n u t e . A s w e t u r n e d t o did they expect us to tolerate this move away from him, he took his kind of behavior? They did not see pants off, exposing his private the gravity of the situation. They parts to us to insult us even more. did not realize that our human and We wanted to leave at this point civil rights were being violated by since nothing was done to control those who incessantly kept o r t o r e s t r a i n t h i s l u n a t i c . W e a s k e d degrading us with mental and a n R . A . w h e t h e r w e c o u l d l e a v e physical abuse. They promised to and he said no because they jthe send the troublemakers away on R.A.sj are responsible for our safety the first bus, yet it was not done. off campus. We were shocked at We were left to fend for ourselves his answer; our safety was much until we called the police. When more in question inside the dance the police came, they got caught up hall than outside, yet nothing was w i t h a n o t h e r c a s e a n d s o w e done to protect us inside. The received no help from them either. R.A.s could only tell us to stay Finally, Lenny noticed a bus driving away from the troublemakers, but in and we quickly got onto it, and we did stay away. We felt helpless that was the end of an unforget and worried. table and unbelievable evening. Another fifteen minutes passed O u r c l o t h e s a r e s t i l l s t a i n e d w i t h The 1980's — a decade of rising anti- from our initial request to leave tobacco spit, but that can be re Asian violence. (Top) Vincent Chin when Sean Doyle and Ronald m o v e d . O n r e m o t i o n a l s c a r s a r e clubbed to death in Detroit, 1982; Cheung got into another argument. much deeper and harder to (Above! Vandy Phong murdered in They were arguing when Sean spat remove. □ Lowell, Mass.. 1987. b e e r o n R o n ' s f a c e . H e d i d t h i s t o

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 19 students learned that justice can be of campus racism and caused several statement openly "supported" the achieved only through unity and trustees, administrators, and faculty student and faculty efforts, his ad struggle, not silence. to wear the pin "Please Reduce m i n i s t r a t i o n d o e s n o t s h a r e t h e s a m e In the months that followed, stu R a c i s m a t U C o n n . " sense of urgency and commitment. dents, the community, and the media The proposed year-long systematic eagerly monitored the progress of Results, not promises self-evaluation offered no meaningful UConn. Letters of support poured in. While President Casteen's public input from students and community A A A ' s fi r s t A s i a n A w a r e n e s s W e e k l e a d e r s . S t u d e n t s a n d c o n c e r n e d f a c was successful in raising awareness ulty were frustrated, meeting after about Asian American issues. About meeting, by university bureaucracy s i x s t u d e n t s f r o m U C o n n a t t e n d e d on all levels. the annual ECASU conference at Cor Asian students T o d r a m a t i z e h i s d i s s a t i s f a c t i o n n e l l w h e r e o v e r 6 0 0 s t u d e n t s f r o m 4 0 with the lack of progress, UConn campuses voted unanimously to sup are feeling Professor Paul Bock staged an eight- port UConn and form a task force on day hunger strike in August. The stu racial violence. As graduation ap empowered. dents dug in to build and strengthen proached, the idea to stage a protest their AAA, the power base from during commencement prompted which their struggle can be sustained, UConn President John T. Casteen to with new leadership and active issue a belated public denouncement member participation. The struggle at UConn for justice, respect, and basic student rights represents the very fighting spirit of the Asian Stu d e n t M o v e m e n t . T h e c a l l f o r t h i s year is empowerment. Record num b e r s o f A s i a n A m e r i c a n s t u d e n t s throughout the East Coast are ex pected to converge at Hunter College TOP on March 24-25, 1989, for the 11th ) ECASU Conference, entitled Empow erment Through Unity. The UConn administration's prom V)\0L6NC6 ises to implement changes are still unfulfilled. Mark Landolfi continues to play football. Students and faculty gathered this December 3rd, the first anniversary of the incident, in r e n e w e d u n i t e d e f f o r t s t o m a k e t h e UConn administration accountable and responsive to the needs and con c e r n s o f s t u d e n t s a n d t h e A s i a n c o m munity. The students are feeling empowered. As Tina Chen, one of t h e v i c t i m s w h o i s n o w a c t i v e o n t h i s issue, remarked, "I have become aware of my own identity. I was b o r n h e r e , b u t I w a s h a r a s s e d b e cause I am Asian. At first, I was in shock and very angry. Now we've formed the Asian American Associa tion. And I know how to deal with racial harassment if it ever happens again to me or anyone else." □

H e i W a i C h a n i s o n t h e E C A S U E x ecutive Committee and a student at M I T. M a r t a H o i s a s t u d e n t f r o m UConn, involved in the December 3rd incident and active in the Asian Demonstrator at a march to protest violence against Asians in Boston, January, 1987. American Association.

20 EAST WIND The Japanese American contingent at the May Day demonstration in New York, 1948.

An oral history KARL AKIYA My 50 Years Working for Democrocy

Karl Akiya of New York is one of a militaristic power (was) becoming number of Japanese Americans long ac By Karl Akiyc as told to stronger and stronger. Many of my tive in progressive movements, in Leslee Inaba-Wang friends and I myself were arrested cluding the campaign for redress and for participating in anti-militaristic reparations. The account of his ac demonstrations. t i v i t i e s i l l u s t r a t e s t h e f a c t t h a t t h e I came back to visit my family in redress and reparations effort has been 1928. At that time, anywhere along part of a long history of struggle by West Coast, Japanese could not get Japanese Americans for democracy and We said, jobs in factories, the unions — partic equality. His story also sheds light on ularly the A.F.L. — were so discrimi the experience of the Kibei, those ''Remove all natory, so I worked in small store Japanese Americans who were born in a n d a s f a r m w o r k e r i n W a t s o n v i l l e the U.S. and returned here after grow racial barriers (Calif.). I worked together with Fili ing up in Japan. pino and Mexican and some Chinese to naturaliza farmworkers, and at that time, no tion" affecting union existed, so we had to fight I.a m K i b e i . I w a s b o r n i n U . S . a n d against cheap wages, hard condi lived in Japan for 16 years before the all Asian tions. I saw migrant workers from war, and returned to America, so I Dust Bowl, and saw those miserable had dual citizenship. During the time Americans. conditions with my own eyes. I I was growing up, Japan was going found out what kind of country through democratization, but the America was like. If you tried to

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 21 fornia. We had quite a big conven tion (in 1939). We agreed to some fundamental democratic things, and they elected me chairman. Before evacuation everybody thought only Issei would be target, so when evacuation came, it was big surprise that those Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) and Kibei who were American citizens will have to be evacuated, too. I thought it very important to go with community to camp and continue to b u i l d d e m o c r a t i c m o v e m e n t , e v e n though it sound kind of funny, that kind of idea. At that time camp authorities dis couraged speaking and writing of any Japanese, so the Issei and Kibei h a d n o a c t i v i t i e s . S o s o m e o f u s h a d idea to have adult education citizen ship classes held in Japanese. Finally they gave OK. We had session on Citizenship class in camp — from sketch by Karl Akiya. American history and history of Utah, American law. We had to translate everything into English first organize the vigilante thugs hired by for approval. the bosses, together with the police, I thought it important to fight suppressed it so viciously. My own We formed a fascism, so I signed up for 442nd (an f r i e n d w a s t a r r e d a n d f e a t h e r e d . army unit), but because of my lan Such a thing that the Filipino writer human chain guage skills, they sent me to Univer C a r l o s B u l o s a n w r i t e s a b o u t a l l t r u e . s i t y o f M i c h i g a n M I S ( M i l i t a r y (After Japan invaded Manchuria) I around Paul Intelligence Service) school to teach told some people that anti-Japanese Japanese to American soldiers. forces might utilize the crisis for Robeson to pro (After the war when he moved to ousting the Japanese. At that time tect him, so he New York) there were quite a few people who were talking about such progressive minded Japanese Ameri things were not so many, whenever \vas able to sing. cans and they formed Japanese we talk about such thing, they call American Organization for Democ us subversive, anti-Japanese and racy. So in 1948 we all participated a n t i - A m e r i c a n , a n d " r e d " a n d w e in Japanese American contingent for had hard time. But gradually some May Day demonstration. At that began to understand what we are time the May Day demonstrations s a y i n g , b u t t h o u g h t o n l y I s s e i were quite big, about 7,000 or 8,000 (Japanese immigrants) would be vic people march down 7th Avenue. t i m b e c a u s e o f t h e i r s t a t u s . A t t h a t Since quite many 442 veterans time all Asian immigrants not al coming back to rejoin their families, lowed to become American citizens. we made the point, "Why can't pur After I came back (to the U.S.) ple heart parents get citizenship?" about over 10,000 Kibei came back. a n d " R e m o v e a l l r a c i a l b a r r i e r s f o r The Kibei didn't know what to do, naturalization," because it was affect for a long time separated from their ing all Asian American people. families, the lack of English. They W e c a r r i e d b a n n e r : " F o r a f r e e were completely isolated. So some Asia; No military aid to Japan," and idea came to mind, we have to or we were also getting information ganize them into JACL by organizing about the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Kibei section. But some of the lead bombings, and I felt so strongly this ership JACL conservative so they re is such a fundamental peace issue, sist my idea. So I proposed, let's have so I work, even to current times, on a K i b e i c o n v e n t i o n i n n o r t h e r n C a l i - Karl Akiya as furniture maker after the war. this question.

22 EAST WIND (In the late 1940s) Paul Robeson During this time, I was riding on am not so sure about the money had concert in Peekskill (New York) bus and reading a liberal newspaper. business, but gradually I understood that was attacked and disrupted by Not a radical or communist or that that kind of symbol of the civil some racists. So Robeson proclaimed sort of thing, just liberal newspaper, rights struggle. we should fight against that kind of and this man says, "Why you read I have worked for civil rights for thing and planned a second concert. ing this communist propaganda!" many years and I was honored with We formed a human chain around and grabs the newspaper out of my Martin Luther King Award. I was in the whole grounds to protect him, so h a n d s a n d t h r e a t e n e d m e l i k e t h a t . vited to speak in Japan about Dr. he was able to sing quite beautifully. I am so against red-baiting. People Martin Luther King and the Afro- But on the way out, the racists at say red-baiting just against the com American movement, and they were tacked all the buses and they over munist but that just excuse they use. so interested to hear about the long turned one car. Glass was flying all Red-baiting is fundamentally anti struggle of Afro-American people for o v e r . I t w a s m i r a c l e n o o n e w a s democratic. We have to fight red emancipation. killed, but some quite seriously hurt. baiting because everyone becomes I am getting older so it is not so I got some cuts. victims. easy for me to participate so freely, During McCarthy period there was (Around 1980) I came to work in but I try and do whatever I can. I another kind of danger when Un- Concerned Japanese Americans and talk with other Kibei, not so many A m e r i c a n A c t i v i t i e s C o m m i t t e e fi r s t in that was joined the redress/ now, and I tell them the redress/ said they were investigating subver reparations movement. When Com reparations is such a political victory sive ideas, then they started attack mission came to New York City, I for civil rights, but it is not over. We ing the Communist Party, then all testified along lines of Kibei, to must continue to join with the the civil rights groups, and finally at clarify them because they were Sansei (third generation Japanese tacking Eisenhower. I myself was always the most accused and Americans) who worked so hard for threatened many times when the suspected. this, and with the Nisei, and Issei FBI came to my house and asked me I see the redress/reparations move still alive. It was so important for old so many questions in front of my ment for Japanese Americans as a timer of civil rights movement like kids. Some Japanese active people fundamental question, how the Japa myself can join with the new genera got deported, in such way McCar- nese Americans can regain justice tions, the Sansei and Yonsei (fourth thyism was connected to immigra and democracy. When the redress/ generation Japanese Americans) to tion agency. reparations movement first started, I get such an important victory. □

A meeting in the camp at Topaz, Utah.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 23 \ FOCUS:

REDRESS/ REPARATIONS HCRI^ VICTORY

'1 always felt we could win If we persevered and stuck together H. R- ^ as a community. If the bill didn't pass, I was ready to continue

on until we won. • 1 " ■ , ' i > V " I w o u l d h a v e n e v e r T l l K ' given this up."

Stt. »: 'llr.' fir:hi. Tsuyako "Sox"Kitashima • . ■U y ( ' A t t K - ■ U K o t > u .

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 25 FOCUS

Reparations: Our

By Bert Nakano

' elow is the text of the keynote ad dress delivered before close to 1,000 people in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, on Aug. 27, 1988, at the redress celebra tion organized by the National Coali tion for Redress/Reparations (NCRR).

Thank you. This is very exciting, and it is a great day of celebration. A s I r e c a l l , w h e n t h e c a m p s closed, there weren't any parties. There was certainly no community celebration. Many of you here today, and your parents and grandparents, had no idea what the future held. Over 120,000 Japanese T h e i r b u s i n e s s e s h a d b e e n r u i n e d , Americans, two-thirds of them some had no homes to go back to, no U.S. citizens, were rounded up employment, their property stolen, in 1942 and sent to remote, even their family burial plots van barren concentration camps. dalized. And signs everywhere say ing: No Japs. So there was no c e l e b r a t i o n w h e n t h e w a r e n d e d a n d we returned home. Well my friends, today we cele brate. We can finally celebrate, because we've made history! O n A u g u s t 1 0 , 1 9 4 2 — e i g h t m o n t h s a f t e r P e a r l H a r b o r — a l l o f the Japanese Americans on the West Coast had been rounded up. They were either in Assembly Centers or Pilgrimages to former the concentration camps. On August camp sites helped set the stage for the 10, 1988, we achieved what we have reparations move been fighting for for decades. The ment. Right, a camps were our nightmare. August poster from 1979 10th marks the beginning of our Title Lake Pilgrimage. d r e a m — a d r e a m m a n y o f u s

26 EAST WIND FOCUS

H i s t o r i c V i c t o r y

and me, an apology on behalf of the thought would never come true. the property and the lost years. In HR 442 provides individual repara that respect, the redress payments entire nation. But passage of the pay tions to each Japanese American sur can only be a token gesture. ment of reparations will be a deter v i v o r o f f o r c e d r e l o c a t i o n a n d And with sadness and bitterness, r e n t a n d r e m i n d e r t o t h o s e w h o imprisonment. But it does more. Our we recognize that more than half of would commit a similar injustice victory strikes a direct blow against those who were imprisoned had died against other targets of racism and racism and against governmental before the law was enacted. They national hysteria, whether they are disregard of the constitutional rights n e v e r r e c e i v e d r e d r e s s a n d n e v e r s a w Arab Americans, Iranians, or new im of all people. We recognize that repa the day when the president and Con migrants from Asia or Latin America. rations cannot bring back the homes, gress finally offered to them and you As a monument to equal justice.

JUSTICE flh.'W I . r k

|vlUST/Cj I NOW lEPARATtOl

Old and young, women and men, the Japanese American community united and organized for over a decade to win reparations.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 27 FOCUS

winning redress is a tremendous achievement. Even more significant to those of us in NCRR, is how this victory was won. The National Coalition for Redress/ Reparations arose from the com munity. It has no paid staff. It has no lobbyists. It doesn't contribute to po litical campaigns. We are not a pow erful special interest group. When we first set up our little folding tables with petitions and leaflets on the streets of Little Tokyo, San Fran cisco, San Jose, San Diego, Sacra mento and New York, almost every one we met said we were right. But almost no one believed we could win. How did it happen? Ours was a grassroots movement. O u r s t r e n g t h c o m e s f r o m t h e community. NCRR's demands came out of the overwhelming sentiments of the community for individual restitution t o t h e v i c t i m s o f t h e c o n c e n t r a t i o n camps. NCRR also believed very Grassroots Japanese Americans were the backbone of the reparations movement. Above, strongly that the necessary com Charles Hamasaki testifying at Los Angeles hearings in 1981. ponents to achieving victory were: 1) to involve the entire community be hind the struggle and 2) to insist upon and strive for UNITY in the for all of us, is here with us today. In community. NCRR exists because of the history of Japanese America, he the courage and conscience of peo is a true hero. Please greet Fred ple like yourselves. We have in Korematsu. herited a history of struggle for W i t h s a d n e s s a n d We in NCRR always believed that justice. the courage of a united community We salute today the Japanese bitterness, we would bring us victory. And that is A m e r i c a n s w h o s e r v e d i n t h e m i l i how it happened. tary with courage and distinction at recognize that Of course, we are deeply indebted Anzio and Cassino and the Philip more than half of to the many members of Congress pines. We salute the conscience of who worked to make this victory those who resisted the draft and those who were possible. We are especially grateful went to prison and fought injustice to Congressmen Norman Mineta and in the camps and said No No as a imprisoned died Robert Matsui and Mervyn Dymally, statement of principle. We salute the and to other key members of the people who returned to build our before the law House: Jim Wright, Tom Foley, Peter communities, and those who, after w a s e n a c t e d . Rodino, Barney Frank and Pat Saiki. decades of pain, finally shared their In the Senate, special praise must go anguish and anger at the Commis to Spark Matsunaga, as well as sion hearings, which led to the Robert Byrd, Ted Stevens, John redress bill. We thank all those who tributing to our lobbying campaign Glenn and Daniel Inouye. have contributed to the redress last year. We especially honor those This campaign has taught us much. movement over the years, attending who challenged the relocation and I t h a s a w a k e n e d f o r a l l A s i a n / P a c i fi c the Day of Remembrance celebra detention in court, even up to the Americans our tremendous potential tions, signing petitions, donating Supreme Court of the United States. political power. Our numbers are money, sending letters and con- One modest gentleman who did it growing and we will never again tol-

28 EAST WIND FOCUS

erate anyone violating our rights. But Third, we need to ensure that will move. We have moved America. we know this power cannot be used community-minded people are ap A n d a s w e c o n t i n u e t o s t a n d selfishly. Having suffered deeply pointed to the Board of Directors of together and struggle together for from injustice, we must take the the $50 million education trust fund, justice and democracy we can all higher ground and speak out force so that the intent of the legislation is look forward to a brighter future for fully against injustices inflicted upon carried out. all people. others. T h i s w i l l m e a n m o r e w o r k . W e We opposed the nomination of need your continuing support. We in W E H A V E W O N R E P A R A T I O N S Dan Lungren as Treasurer of Califor NCRR call on you to stay involved. - W E C A N W I N T H A T F U T U R E ! nia, and he was defeated. We pub Without support, organization and, □ licly deplored statements of Japanese yes, your monetary contribution, we government officials that reflected c o u l d n e v e r h a v e a c h i e v e d w h a t w e Bert Nakano of Gardena, California, racism toward Black people. We, as have. It must continue. is NCRR National Spokesperson. many groups who value our civil W e h a v e w o n a t r e m e n d o u s v i c rights, opposed the nomination to tory for justice. But we know that in the Supreme Court of Robert Bork. the struggle for justice, there are We protested and rallied against the many more battles to be fought. We ouster of Native Americans from Big know that the struggle against anti- Mountain. Asian racism, for respect, and for We must still Some believed that these outspo full empowerment, continues. k e n s t a n d s w o u l d h u r t o u r c h a n c e s But we can forge ahead, full of organize to ensure of winning redress. We disagreed. We hope and confidence. We are were true to our highest principles. strengthened by the lessons we have Congress provides We took the path of conscience. And learned in the campaign for redress/ w e f o r m e d a l l i a n c e s w i t h o t h e r c o m reparations. We can hold our heads funds to carry out munities in the demand for justice. high, knowing that we stood up for the reparations This made the Reagan administra what's right. When we, as a com tion take notice. Reagan's signature munity stand up together, united payments. was no gift. His Justice Department and determined, we can win. As had been fighting the bill since the Jesse Jackson said, when those on beginning. But the political unity of the bottom stand up, all of society the community, the historical record established by our own testimony, r\Liv\c.i*v o u r a l l i a n c e s w i t h o t h e r c o m m u n i t i e s a n d t h e c r u c i a l w o r k o f o u r f r i e n d s bem in Congress made it politically im AWftN AILIAWEI OCtlDfNrAt COI. possible for him to veto the bill. 5CAPSN And that is why, now, we can celebrate. But after tonight's festivities, when the chairs are folded up, there will b e m o r e t o b e d o n e . E v e n a f t e r v i c tory, we cannot afford to slow down. Those of our older generation are slowly passing away. ffffllii m First, the appropriation of funds. Each year, Congress must pass an appropriations measure to make the payments. We are pushing for the lllliwnn " maximum appropriations — $500 m i l l i o n — i n e a c h o f t h e f i r s t t w o years, and the rest of the funds in the third year. S e c o n d , w e n e e d t o m o n i t o r t h e payment program to be sure it is im Asian American students played a vital role in the movement, infusing it with energy and a plemented QUICKLY and FAIRLY. forthrightness about demanding their rights.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 29 FOCUS

The View From Congress Interviews with Congressmen Norman Mineta and Robert Matsui on the redress victory and beyond

Reps. Norman Mineta of San Jose and Robert Matsui of Sacramento were two of the key Congressional architects of the redress bill In 1974, Mineta be came the first Asian American elected to Congress outside of Hawaii. Matsui was first elected to Congress in 1978. B o t h o f t h e m w e r e i n t e r v i e w e d i n D e c e m b e r 1 9 8 8 . Mineta Interviewed by Susan Hayase

EW: Tell me about the vote in the House of Representatives. Mineta: The night before the debate I remember calling Carol Stroebel (his legislative aide) and re Rep. Norman Mineta. Rep. Robert Matsui. counting the afternoon meeting with the Speaker (Jim Wright). He said, the call is yours, do we go tomorrow or train as we were leaving San Jose (in groups in Seattle, Chicago, New York, not? And I thought, well, we don't 1942). But after the vote was taken it wherever. At the Congressional level, have the votes to really pass it. I was just exhilarating. we were open to all groups and wel t h i n k o n t h e D e m o s i d e w e h a d comed everybody's support. something like 183 votes for sure, EW: What was the role of grass The work of NCRR, for instance, and we didn't know how many Re roots efforts and groups such as in July '87, coming to lobby — I publican votes we'd be picking up. I JACL, NCRR, veterans, etc. in the thought it was very effective. All 120 thought if we let this thing go 'til redress victory? o r s o w h o c a m e f a n n e d o u t a c r o s s next week, it gives the opposition the Capitol. It came at a good time, more time. So I said. No, we're going Mineta: what went on to get HR before the voting in September, so it to go. That night about 1 am I called 442 passed was really this broad was very good to have everybody in Carol and said, I don't know if I coalition of groups, whether it was Washington, B.C., for that. made the right decision. She had to Nisei VFW posts, or NCRR, or JACL People like Arthur Morimitsu of pump me up a little at that point. (Japanese American Citizens League), Chicago, who's active in the veterans And so we did it the next day. It was or NCJAR (National Council for Japa groups. He got the American Legion an emotional experience and it was nese American Redress), specific and the VFW (Veterans of Foreign very difficult giving my statement groups like Nihonmachi Outreach Wars) to put into their convention recalling my dad's experience on the Committee here in San Jose, or continued on page 32

30 EAST WIND A group of over 120 grassroots redress supporters went to Washington in July 1987 to lobby Congress.

whole notion (of the Commission). whole effort. At the same time we Matsui They thought we were passing the had the fortune of getting Grant Uji- Interviewed by Diane Tomoda buck by saying we'll study it, in fusa, who was very close to (conser other words, we'll bury it. But I vative Republicans) Jack Kemp, Dick think it was very critical to what Cheney and Alan Simpson, whom he EW: What did you think when the ultimately happened. Once the Com met with. We didn't have problems idea of a redress bill first came up? m i s s i o n c a m e o u t w i t h i t s r e c o m m e n with the Democrats, it was Republi dations in 1984, we had to prepare c a n s a n d c o n s e r v a t i v e s . A n d o f c o u r s e JVIcitSUi: The first time it officially conforming legislation and that is continued on page 32 came up was back in 1978 at the Salt where I think the effort really began. Lake City JACL Convention. There At that time, I think almost all of us was some talk about it prior to that, said that passage of the bill was but it wasn't really what you'd call really remote. Everyone was talking substantive. At that stage there was about how we were going to cut the still a question of whether or not we deficit, not expand programs. We need to really wanted to bring this issue out into the light in America. I think EW: What elements came together deep down inside, we always had to get the bill passed? get involved in this fear that by bringing up the in ternment, we would bring up the Matsui: The heavyweight work other political specter of disloyalty. And many of didn't begin until I think it was '86 those feelings and memories were a n d ' 8 7 . T h a t ' s w h e n t h e m a s s l e t t e r campaigns, go just too painful for us to deal with. writing campaign began. Grayce Uye- There was always that fear that this hara came in at the right time. Prior beyond redress. issue could play against us. I believe to her there was not the kind of ef that that attitude prevailed until the fort that was needed. (Lobbying Con first hearings were held. gress in July 1987) was very helpful. A lot of Sansei were upset by this It was a very important phase of the

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ble for U.S. citizenship. I authored to the extent it proved we can do t h i s b i l l a n d w e h a d a b o u t 1 7 5 this, it gave us an insight into em Mineta . . . cosponsors. I'm in the process right powerment, what it means. □ from page 30 now of contacting those 175 because platforms statements on the injustice I'm going to reintroduce it. The Chair Susan Hayase is a member of Nihon- of the evacuation. Things like that man of the Immigration Subcommit machi Outreach Committee (NOC) in were very helpful. tee, Ron Mazzoli, has indicated early San Jose, California. The letter writing efforts without a hearings on the bill, and that's what doubt had a big impact. I thought the I'm preparing for right now. letter writing efforts to President Rea gan were very effective. A petition EW: Do you think the redress came in from Bruyeres, France, with v i c t o r y h e l p e d e m p o w e r A s i a n I w a n t t o m a k e about 10,000 signatures, because Americans? they were liberated by the 442nd sure the Issei, who R.C.T. (an all-Japanese American unit IVlinetCL: I think this shows that are really old, get in the U.S. Army in World War II). I you don't have to be a large voting sent the petition to the White House. bloc to be able to show what you can their money as Frankly, when I got that thing, I do. It showed that by working to started crying, it was so moving. gether in concert with other groups, soon as possible. you can get these things done. I think EW: What's the outlook for the bills to fund the redress payments? Mineta: I've already started a Matsui . . . c o n v e r s a t i o n w i t h m e m b e r s o f t h e from page 31 Appropriations Committee on putting Norm (Mineta) and I were buttonhol gized for Lungren? That was outra in maybe an initial $100 or $200 mil ing individual members and asking geous. Here we had help from other lion, if we can get that much, in the them to sponsor the bill. Spark (Mat- groups and all of a sudden we closed Spring 1989 (federal budget) supple sunaga) on the Senate side was mov our eyes when we got a right-wing mental, to at least start paying the ing ahead in 1987 with his effort. conservative like Dan Lungren who Issei, who are really old. I spoke in almost became a statewide office Seattle and met a woman who is 104 EW: Where do we go from here? h o l d e r i n o u r s t a t e . W h o e v e r w r o t e years old. I want to make sure she t h e e d i t o r i a l — I d o n ' t k n o w w h o i t gets her money as soon as possible. JS/LdtSUV If the Japanese American was — obviously doesn't understand So even if it's $50 million, I'd like to community does not parlay this new the whole concept of redress and the get some money into the Spring sup political strength and awareness, take meaning behind it. plemental appropriations bill to get part in other political activities, such payments started in 1989. as getting involved in political cam EW: What about the appropriations paigns — and even thinking of run for the reparations payments? EW: What future issues do you see ning for political office themselves — Asian Americans making gains on? or lobbying their legislature or Con Matsui: We want to get the ap gress — if they don't take that next propriations as quickly as possible. J^inctClI Well, bills on hate crimes, step, build upon this, this whole ef That is where Senator Inouye will be increasing violence against Asians. fort would not have the significance very critical because he is very high The issue of admissions to universi I t h i n k i t s h o u l d h a v e . I n o r d e r t o on the Appropriations Committee on ties. Generally speaking, issues relat have a continued impact, we will the Senate side, and his involvement ing to education, job opportunities, have to use this knowledge and ex w i l l b e e s s e n t i a l t o t h i s e f f o r t . I t r e a f fi r m a t i v e a c t i o n . I t h i n k w e h a v e perience and go beyond this. I am m a i n s t o b e s e e n h o w m u c h t h e fi r s t to work more broadly with Chinese really concerned that we may see this year appropriations will be. We are American groups, Korean American, as our only issue and not get in going to have a tough year with a Vietnamese, Laotian, Filipino Ameri volved in other things as well. We n e w P r e s i d e n t , b u t w e ' l l s e e k t h e can groups. I just got a memo from can't just sit back now and say it's m a x i m u m a n d s e e w h e r e w e a r e o n my staff on the reintroduction of the over. this. □ bill that relates to Filipinos who were I think the Lungren issue is a good recruited by the U.S. Navy and even example. Did you see the Pacific Citi Diane Tomoda of Sacramento, after they served, they are not eligi zen editorial in which they apolo- California, is a member of NCRR.

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REDRESS/ REPARATIOKS;

Fred Korematsu: I knew it was wrong. I was an American and this is my country. Diane Tomoda: It's like we felt we had to write a new chapter in our history. Sox Kita- shima: I was ready to continue till we won. I would have never given this up. Frank Emi: All the minori ties need to work together against in justices caused by blatant racism. Rudy Tokiwa: Thinking of the guys that died gave me the strength to finish what I started. Alan Nishio: Many felt that there was no 'group that really spoke for them. That's where the NCRR came in. Sue Tokushige: The government could never make up for what was lost. George Yoshioka; Sometime in your life only you can do what has to be done. Kathy Nishimoto-Masaoka: W e a r e n o t d i f f e r e n t f r o m o t h e r groups that are fighting racism. Bill Kochiyama: We were expendable, especially in the campaign to save the Lost Battalion. Leslee Inaba- Wong: We now have the respon sibility to build on this victory to strengthen democracy for all.

THE FOCUS

Fred Korematsu San Leandro, Calif.

F r e d K o r e m a t s u i s f a m o u s a s o n e of four individuals who challenged the constitutionality of the intern ment all the way to the Supreme Court. Why did he do it? "I knew it TThefoundation of the redress was wrong," he says. "I was an victory was a grassroots movement American and this is my country. made up mainly of former internees They were looking at us as enemies, and daughters and sons of those who as spies, as foreigners. I thought it were interned. Their determined efforts w a s r a c i a l . " F r e d v o l u n t e e r e d f o r t h e to rectify the enormous injustice of the army, but they refused him, classify m a s s i n c a r c e r a t i o n o v e r c a m e t r e m e n ing him 4-C, an enemy alien al dous obstacles. Out of the thousands though he was born in Oakland. who made up the movement, each After refusing to be evacuated, Fred with a unique story, we offer a look at w a s a r r e s t e d a n d l a t e r i n t e r n e d a t 11 individuals. Topaz, Utah. The following profiles were written Today, at 69, he takes out time by Robert Suyeda and Jenny Thai of f r o m h i s w o r k a s a d r a f t s m a n t o San Jose, Calif; G. Akito Maehara speak or receive awards all around of Los Angeles; Leslee Inaba-Wong the country. He is widely admired of New York; and John Ota of now, but in 1942, his stand was a Oakland, Calif. lonely one. Other Japanese Ameri cans "figured I was a troublemaker. They tried to avoid me as much as possible. At that time there was m o r e f e a r a n d d i s t r u s t . " As the reparations movement was getting off the ground, Fred decided to press an unusual challenge of his wartime conviction. In 1983, he won his case when a federal court agreed with Fred's lawyers that the govern ment had deliberately covered up evidence showing that Japanese Americans did not pose a security threat. Fred says that his case "proved that what the military and government did was wrong and un necessary." Fred's victory foreshad owed the passage of the bill five years later. "The court case and the redress movement worked together," he says. After his case was won, he and his wife Kathryn got involved in the repa rations campaign. "We wanted to do whatever we could to help out," ex plains Fred. He has spoken at Day of Remembrance programs and in July 1987, he and Kathryn lobbied Con gress as part of the grassroots lobby Fred Korematsu, left, and Ted Kojima, lobbying aide to Rep. Ed Boland in July 1987. ing delegation organized by the NCRR.

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Could the camps happen again? Fred thinks the bill will help prevent it, but points out, "You never can tell. There's still racial problems in this country. That's why we should always be alert about this."

Rudy Tokiwa Sunnyvale, California

"How many times do you see a group of people put into a concentra tion camp, then asked to volunteer to fight for America?" asks Rudy Toki wa. He should know, because he was incarcerated in Poston camp in A r i z o n a w h e n h e v o l u n t e e r e d f o r t h e Army and wound up in the segre ^^■t^b^:^':*'y-'^ir--^''3^i-^' '' ' ;-. .^-V ■" - ■■• ' gated, all-Japanese American 442nd Rudy Tokiwa leading a group of captured German soldiers in World War II. Regimental Combat Team/100th Bat talion. He was only 16 at the time, although he told them he was 18. The fierce fighting in Europe left A n d w h i l e m o n u m e n t s t o t h e 4 4 2 n d / him with a permanent injury, but he 100th have been erected in Europe, was one of the lucky ones: many there are none in the U.S. Rudy never returned at all. Japanese Amer would like to see that change. "So ican soldiers were often deployed in much more needs to be taught, to the most dangerous missions and fight prejudice," says Rudy. they sustained casualties at over five t i m e s t h e o v e r a l l U . S . r a t e . He got involved in the reparations Tsuyako "Sox" movement because "I couldn't let Kitashima the guys who made the supreme sac San Francisco, California rifice down." Rudy has toured the country, showing the film, "Yankee Tsuyako "Sox" Kitashima is an ex Samurai," which tells the story of ample of the kind of Nisei fighting t h e 4 4 2 n d / 1 0 0 t h . I n 1 9 8 7 h e w a s o n e spirit and determination that pro o f s e v e r a l 4 4 2 n d v e t s w h o w e n t t o pelled the reparations movement. A Washington, D.C., as part of the retired Veterans Administration Rudy Tokiwa today. NCRR grassroots lobbying delega employee and member of the San tion. His stories deeply moved both Francisco NCRR Coordinating Com members of Congress and other mittee, she has worked tirelessly for lobbyists. redress. "I was never one to speak in front Why has this issue been so impor of people," says Rudy. "But thinking tant to her? "I wanted the same equal Thinking of the of the guys who died gave me ity, justice and liberty as others," she guys who died strength to finish what I had started says. "We didn't do anything wrong out to do." and yet they trampled over us." To gave me the Now that the bill is signed, Rudy her the compensation is symbolic says, "The job is not done." He and cannot adequately make up for strength to finish wants to see Congress allocate the the degradation as well as the prop what I started. maximum appropriations for repara erty losses people endured. "To stick tions "so all the older people would out my tin plate and have them slop be paid. A lot have not made it." o v e r c o o k e d S w i s s c h a r d a n d o t h e r

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stuff on there — even though I get she says. "The redress movement the money, it won't erase this from was really an extension of learning my mind," she explains. She also re our history." c a l l s t h a t w h e n s h e a n d h e r h u s b a n d In the 1970s, she worked on pil came to San Francisco from camp in grimages to Idle Lake camp. The pil Utah, they had to sleep in the Bud grimages, Day of Remembrance dhist Church gymnasium, separated commemoration programs and other from other couples by army blanket educational events preceded and partitions. She recalls that both men helped lay the basis for the repara a n d w o m e n h a d t o w o r k a s d o m e s t i o n s m o v e m e n t . tics just to survive after having lost She was part of a motion of many everything. students who got involved in the Sox had a positive attitude from the reparations movement. "There was a start. "I always felt we could win if lot of anger and a lot of militancy," we persevered and stuck together as she says. "It's like we felt we had to Tiuyako "Sox" Kitashima giving keynote a community. I knew that everything write a new chapter in our history. address at 1988 Day of Remembrance pro that was used against us was proven We felt we had a role to play in cor gram in San Francisco. wrong. If the bill didn't pass, I was recting this injustice." ready to continue on until we won. I Working together, "The Nisei and would have never given this up." Sansei learned from each other," she But she understands why some says. " We combined our strengths. o t h e r s w e r e m o r e h e s i t a n t . " S o m e o f The Sansei provided a spirit and push them felt if they got involved, some and wanted to fight back against thing might happen to them again, what happened to our parents. But like the internment. They said, 'I the Nisei and Issei provided the don't want to go to jail again.' They most inspiring example of standing felt they might be put on some kind up and speaking out. At the hearings o f l i s t . B u t t h e r e w a s n o f e a r i n m e they came out in a very public way, at all." baring their souls, very strongly and Sox's apartment is the local NCRR very boldly demanding restitution." office and she personally collected Diane feels the camps also indi a n d m a i l e d o u t t h o u s a n d s o f l e t t e r s . rectly affected the Sansei. From their S h e b e l i e v e s t h a t " t h o s e t h o u s a n d s parents, many Sansei inherited mixed Diane Tomoda presenting an award to Rep. a n d t h o u s a n d s o f l e t t e r s h a d t o m e a n feelings about their identity, about Robert Matsui in Washington, DC. something to them. If we didn't do "not wanting to be Japanese Ameri this letter writing, we wouldn't be no can. People thought they were put in where. We'd still be introducing bills." the camps for being too Japanese. In She appreciates support from other my family we were told we wouldn't nationalities, noting "Support is some need to use Japanese language." It's like we felt we thing you just can't buy. It has to When she learned that the Japanese c o m e f r o m t h e h e a r t . " S h e b e l i e v e s community in Florin, where her mo had to write a that in return, "we should extend our ther lived, was "literally divided into support to other oppressed people." four parts and dispersed," she began new chapter in to see why Japanese Americans to our history. Diane Tomoda day are still so dispersed. Sacramento, California Although overjoyed by the recent victory, she is also sad that so many, Diane Tomoda of Sacramento was like her grandparents who were in the a college student when she first got camps, are not alive to hear the apol involved with the issue of the intern ogy or benefit from the compensation. ment. She first learned about the camps in detail in Asian American Bill Kochiyama S t u d i e s c l a s s e s . " I f i t h a d n ' t b e e n f o r New York, New York those classes and my own reading, I wouldn't have known much about Bill Kochiyama grew up in New the camps because it wasn't taught," York, but was interned while he was

36 EAST WIND FOCUS

in California seeking a college educa A m e r i c a n r e s i s t a n c e t o t h e m a s s i n t i o n . H e w a s s e n t fi r s t t o a n a s s e m carceration began in and before the bly center at Tanforan race track camps. The reparations movement, south of San Francisco, where there in which he has played an active were "two long lines of troops with part, inherited the legacy of the cou rifles and fixed bayonets pointed at rageous resisters, like Frank. t h e e v a c u e e s . " I n t h e 1 9 8 2 N e w Yo r k I n 1 9 4 2 , h e w a s f o r c e d t o s e l l hearing, Bill described his reaction at everything he had, including a pro the time; "Overwhelmed with bitter duce market, for $1,500. He and his ness and blind with rage, I screamed family were sent to Heart Mountain every obscenity I knew at the armed camp in Wyoming. guards — daring them to shoot me." A year later, the government re After Pearl Harbor, Bill had tried quired those in the camps to com to enlist in the Army, Navy and plete loyalty questionnaires and Marines, but they turned him down subjected them once again to the as a "Jap." Later, he volunteered for military draft. After Pearl Harbor, the 442nd R.C.T. from the camp at many Japanese Americans who tried Topaz, Utah. Looking back on the to volunteer for the army had been Frank Emi at his home in Los Angeles. 442nd, he says it is his opinion that refused as "enemy aliens" even if "we were expendable, especially in they were U.S. citizens by birth. the campaign to save the Lost Bat Frank, Kiyoshi Okamoto and several t a l i o n . " A t t h e t i m e o f t h a t fi e r c e o t h e r s f o r m e d t h e H e a r t M o u n t a i n All the minorities battle, his unit. Company K, was Fair Play Committee to formally down to 23, from full strength of 200 protest the violation of their Consti need to work men. Many more GIs of the 442nd tutional rights. The Committee advo were killed or wounded in the fight cated non-cooperation with the draft together against ing than were rescued in the "Lost until those rights were restored. Battalion," a unit from Texas that had F o r t h e s e a c t i v i t i e s , F r a n k w a s injustices caused been surrounded by German soldiers. jailed for 18 months. As he has learned things about the A n N C R R m e m b e r s i n c e 1 9 8 4 , by blatant racism. camps that he didn't know at the time, he has come to respect those in the camps who refused to go into the army until the government restored their rights. "Those guys (the draft resisters) really deserve medals," he says. During the July 1987 lobbying trip to Washington, D.C., Bill was glad to meet and talk with Frank Emi, a leader of the draft resisters during the camps. A member of Concerned Japanese Americans in New York City, one of the organizations that is part of NCRR, Bill hopes that the redress victory means that the mass incar ceration will "never happen again to another group, whether racial, politi cal or religious."

F r a n k E m i Los Angeles, California

Born in 1916 in Los Angeles, Frank Emi is living proof that Japanese Bill Kochiyama testifying at CWRIC hearing in New York, 1982.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 37 FOCUS

Frank says, "I feel that the most sig Asians. The Civil Rights Movement nificant factor in the passage of the sparked an atmosphere where it was redress bill was the large amount of OK to fight back to defend our grassroots support this issue received. rights. We are not really different If the grassroots movement did not from these other groups who are defeat Lungren's nomination as, trea fighting against racism. All our strug surer in California, I doubt whether gles are against the same racist Reagan would have signed the bill." forces which put us in concentration He adds, "I feel that all minorities camps and also committed injustices need to work together against all t o w a r d s t h e m . " these kinds of injustices caused by blatant racism. We must all get toge Sue Tokushige ther to eliminate these things from San Jose, California our society." At Boston camp in Arizona, Sue Kathy Nishimoto- Tokushige and her new born baby Masaoka could not find proper medical care. Los Angeles, California The baby couldn't be breast fed and c o u l d n ' t e a t m e s s h a l l f o o d ; s h e Kathy Nishimoto-Masaoka, Co- needed an SMA formula, but the Chair of the Los Angeles chapter of government wouldn't provide it. Un the NCRR, is a Sansei who grew up til friends sent in some formula, the in the East Los Angeles community baby was not properly nourished. At of Boyle Heights. Her mother was 18 months, it only weighed 13 incarcerated in Gila River camp in pounds. A r i z o n a . H e r f a t h e r w a s d r a f t e d i n "I promised myself when 1 watched Kathy Nishimoto-Masaoka of Los Angeles. 1942 and his family was sent to my baby starve, that I would speak Manzanar camp in California. out on this issue, no matter what the In the late 1970s, she got involved cost," says Sue. Besides the baby. in the reparations issue through her Sue explains, "My father fought for work in the East Los Angeles Out the USA in World War I," she says, reach Committee and the Little To emphasizing the "one." He was "an kyo People's Rights Organization, American citizen, loyal to no other We are not dif which were among the community country." The government "could groups that came together to form never make up for what was lost. ferent from other the NCRR in 1980. They took years of your life and Kathy sees reparations as a ques property. When we came out, we groups that are tion of dignity for Japanese Ameri had nothing." cans. She believes the camps affected Since 1978, Sue has been a mem fighting racism. b o t h t h o s e i n t e r n e d a n d t h e i r c h i l b e r o f N i h o n m a c h i O u t r e a c h C o m dren who, like herself, were born mittee (NOC) in San Jose, which is afterwards. The camps, she says, "af part of the NCRR. She is also a fected our development and the way member of the JACL. Working for w e f e e l a b o u t o u r s e l v e s i n r e l a t i o n reparations, Sue says, "has given me ship to the stigma our community the ability to speak out. I used to has had to carry on its shoulders mind to speak out. I don't now. s i n c e W o r l d W a r 11 . " When I was first given the opportu She also sees the reparations cam nity to speak in front of a classroom paign as significant in that "we were about the concentration camps, I standing up and fighting for justice c o u l d n ' t . To o m u c h h u r t t o t a l k o f i t . alongside other nationalities." But the things 1 remember that hap "This country," she adds, "was pened have given me the strength." founded on racism beginning with It wasn't easy to speak out at first. the Native Americans, the bringing "You're told you have to be careful of Blacks here for slavery, the con of what you say. You're going to be quering of Chicanos as well as taken in. You're speaking out against

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the government." But, she adds, "You might as well speak out. The people around you don't know what posi tion we were put in." Sue went to lobby Congress in 1987. After a long discussion with one member of Congress, he told her, "More people should hear this story of the concentration camps. You will get my vote." Remembering the lobbying. Sue says, "It was really important for the ones incarcerated in the concentration camps to speak out. It really had an impact on Con gressmen." Sue plans to "work just as hard" to see that the former internees get paid as quickly as possible. "How many Issei are gone? How many Ni sei are gone?" she asks. Sue Tokushige of San Jose. Leslee Inaba-Wong New York, New York working toward a common goal. We Leslee Inaba-Wong was born in learned to be all-inclusive, joining Amache camp in Colorado, but she our efforts with everyone who was says "I did not really comprehend willing to work and contribute to the the impact that the camps had on common good." my parents' and grandparents' lives She adds that the reparations move until 1981-82, when I worked with ment succeeded because it involved Nisei and Kibei to help organize and "first and foremost, an active cam prepare for the CWRIC hearings" in paign that engaged and mobilized New York City, where she is a mem the community at the grassroots le ber of Concerned Japanese Ameri vel. Secondly, strong leadership at cans, which is part of NCRR. In the Congressional, state and local preparing for the hearings, Leslee levels, and finally, a large number of came "to appreciate the qualities of f r i e n d s a n d a l l i e s . " endurance and strength so common A progressive activist involved in to the Issei, Kibei and Nisei." many issues, Leslee believes that af While many Nisei say that the ter the victory, "we now have the redress victory is the result of the responsibility to build on this victory Leslee Inaba-Wong of New York. w o r k o f S a n s e i , L e s l e e b e l i e v e s i t to strengthen democracy for all." w a s t h e r e s u l t o f c o m b i n e d e f f o r t o f all generations. If Sansei like herself George Yoshioka made some special contributions to San Jose, California the effort, Leslee believes it was only The government because they had educational and "Angry for 46 years and just begin other "advantages many Nisei did ning to cool down," is how George could never not have," because of the camps. Yoshioka describes himself. George Leslee believes that winning repa was 28, the eldest son in a family of make up for what rations showed the growing political nine, when he was sent to Amache sophistication of Asian Americans. camp in Colorado. He had been a w a s l o s t . She says, "We learned to concentrate produce clerk, but after the camps, our talents and energies, acting as a h e b e c a m e a n a u t o m e c h a n i c a n d united force by placing our differ eventually opened his own shop. e n c e s w i t h i n a b r o a d e r c o n t e x t o f George joined the reparations

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 39 FOCUS

movement four years ago. He is a ingness of countless individuals to m e m b e r o f N i h o n m a c h i O u t r e a c h come forward and tell their story, Committee (NOG) in San Jose, and stand up for their rights and demand the JACL. He first contributed justice." money, helped in the letter writing A longtime political activist and campaign, attended meetings and former president of the Little Tokyo later was a speaker at the local Day People's Rights Organization, Alan of Remembrance program. With helped form NCRR. "We believed quiet determination, George saw the that many people at the grassroots reparations movement as similar to level really wanted to play an active the camps. The work was long and role in the campaign, but felt there hard, through trying and discourag was no group that really spoke for ing circumstances. t h e m . T h a t ' s w h e r e t h e N C R R c a m e But from the beginning, George in," he says. Today he is NCRR believed the bill would pass. "If the Southern California Co-Chair. He is Constitution meant anything, it guar a l s o A s s i s t a n t V i c e P r e s i d e n t f o r S t u George Yoshioka of San Jose. antees the civil rights of every citizen d e n t S e r v i c e s a t C a l i f o r n i a S t a t e U n i and that meant including redress versity, Long Beach. and reparations," he says. Alan also believes the reparations Working for reparations has given victory is "symbolic of the growing George strength and focus. "I feel I empowerment of Asian/Pacific can defend myself now. When you Islanders." But he points out, "we have all the facts and you're con still need to broaden the understand vinced you're right, you're not going ing of what it means to be part of the to be afraid. It is when you're unde Asian/Pacific Islander community. c i d e d o n w h a t t o d o t h a t c a u s e s f e a r. " There were some narrow views " M a r t i n L u t h e r K i n g k n e w t h e among Japanese Americans that dangers but that didn't stop him. redress was only a Japanese Ameri Everyone of us has this ability. You can issue or just a general 'American' do what you have to do. Sometime in issue. Japanese Americans need to ^ I your life only you can do what has return the support they received to be done. Even if you're going to f r o m o t h e r A s i a n / P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r be killed. Because you're not acting groups, and work with the immigrant Alan Nishio testifying at CWRIC hearing in for yourself, it's for the following c o m m u n i t i e s i n p a r t i c u l a r . " □ Los Angeles, 1981. generations," he adds. Alan Nishio Gardena, California

A l a n N i s h i o w a s b o r n i n a U . S . c o n Sometime in your centration camp at Manzanar, Cal ifornia, but he didn't really learn in life only you can detail about the camps until college. d o w h a t h a s t o b e "Then things began to make sense," he says. Things like his "father's done. frustration at not being able to re b u i l d h i s l i f e . " H i s f a t h e r h a d o w n e d a grocery store before the war, but afterwards became a gardener. His mother worked in a pen factory. "When the issue of redress/repara tions was taken up over a decade ago, it was seen then as largely a sym bolic issue taken up by idealistic Sansei activists," says Alan. "But now it has become reality due to the will

40 EAST WIND FOCUS

The Achieyement of Redress A former JACL president reflects on the decade-long effort

per individual plus a trust fund. made the best of the impossible situ No single individual or an organi ation." "Depreciating the patriotism By Clifford Uyedo zation, including JACL, can take all and the courage with which Nisei the credit. The passage of the redress fought for America." "Dissipates the bill by both houses of Congress (H.R. good will built by Nisei among our 442, S. 1009) was the result of dedi fellow Americans." T.he redress effort of the Japanese cated efforts by all citizens who be Not an insignificant number of Americans was an unprecedented lieved that a meaningful restitution N i s e i t o l d u s t h a t w e w o u l d b e s e e n triumph. Its active national cam was necessary. The importance of the as standing outside the halls of Con paign goal was accomplished in less early efforts by the Seattle group to gress with "palms outstretched for a than 10 years. keep this subject in the forefront of handout." Some agreed with then Redress for Japanese Americans Japanese American consciousness Sen. S. 1. Hayakawa that this behav had been considered even during the cannot be ignored. i o r w a s " b e n e a t h o u r d i g n i t y. " detention years. The discussions in JACL realized early, 1977-1978, that Clearly the education of the Nisei creased in the 1970s. The effective the major obstacle it faced was the w a s t h e fi r s t o r d e r o f b u s i n e s s . nationally organized effort, however, widely held Nisei fear of public back These were the public utterances was not initiated until the Japanese l a s h . T h i s f e a r w a s c i r c u m v e n t e d of many well-heeled Nisei. However, American Citizens League (JACL) with expressions like: "Cheapening answers to over 4,000 questionnaire National Convention launched a na freedom by putting a price tag on f o r m s i n t h e l a t e 1 9 7 0 s r e v e a l e d t h a t tionwide campaign in the summer of it." "Diminishing the grace and real 94 percent of the respondents 1978 with the demand for $25,000 ism with which our Issei parents favored seeking redress. Eighty per-

t

JACL National President Cressey Nakagawa (far right), NCRR's Bert Nakano (far left) with Bob Bratt, head of the federal Office of Redress Administration and another ORA officer, after a JACL-NCRR program, Dec. 1988.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 41 cent of the respondents were Nisei, and ten percent each were Issei and Sansei. Ninety-two percent had ex Ileftl Aiko Yoshinaga- perienced wartime incarceration. Herzig of the National The proposal adopted by the J ACL Council for Japanese National Council in 1978 called for American Redress monetary restitution to everyone ac (NCJARI. I Below I Grayce tually detained or interned in camps Uyehara of the JACL's or who were compelled to move Legislative Education Com from the "exclusion" areas. Payments mit ee I EEC I. would go to survivors and heirs of deceased detainees. Persons of Japa nese ancestry who were brought The attempt by the National Coun o v e r f r o m C e n t r a l a n d S o u t h A m e r i c a cil for Japanese American Redress by the U.S. government and interned (NCJAR) to seek redress in the courts were included. b a s e d o n t h e m e r i t s o f t h e c a s e , The proposal stated that the proc rather than appealing to public senti essing and payment of individual ment, was logical. In the preparation claims will be the responsibility of of the court case, many new research the U.S. government. A trust fund m a t e r i a l s w e r e u n c o v e r e d w h i c h for the benefit of Japanese American strengthened the case for redress. community projects, it stated, should In the redress bill passed by Con be administered by members of a gress, there is an unfortunate change presidential commission, the ma in the eligibility which does not jority of which would be Japanese redress many who suffered the most Americans. f r o m t h e w a r t i m e i n c a r c e r a t i o n e x The great controversy in the re perience. Under the precedent estab dress campaign came in 1979 when lished by the redress bill, however, a c o m m i s s i o n r o u t e w a s c h o s e n — the U.S. government will think twice adding another step in the process of before ever again imprisoning a class seeking redress. The added process of people based solely on ancestry was felt necessary in order to edu and without due process. cate the American public, the consti The role played by the Nikkei tuents of congressional members (Japanese American) members of who must pass the necessary bill. Congress was a major one. Without Some opening of old wounds became their courage of conviction and un necessary. The jurors were the Amer tiring efforts, the redress bill could ican public who had to hear from the not have succeeded. victims. The most significant realization for There were opponents of the com Japanese Americans is that the mission route who said they prefer passage of the redress bill through r e d a n a l l - o u t e f f o r t f o r i m m e d i a t e Congress owes its success to many redress, that if they failed their con individuals and organizations. Most science would be clear. They would of all, the redress campaign's success know they had gone down with the is due to the willingness of the ship ablaze. JACL felt that this was American people to conclude this not good enough. The entire group favor. This could become a powerful case with a reasonably meaningful c o u l d n o t b e s a c r i fi c e d f o r t h e s a t i s reason for national support of the restitution. □ faction of few individual feelings. The redress bill in Congress. redress committee felt duty bound to Once the commission began its Clifford Uyeda was JACL National obtain a meaningful restitution. public hearings, the vigorous grass President from 1978-1980 and JACL The supporters of the commission roots campaign under the capable National Redress Chair from 1977-1978. route felt that a full examination of Sansei leadership of the National He is currently president of the National the Japanese American incarceration Coalition for Redress/Reparations Japanese American Historical Society. experience could not fail to produce (NCRR) was a crucial factor in the This article is reprinted from the JACL's an objective recommendation in our success. P a c i fi c C i t i z e n .

42 EAST WIND FOCUS

TIME OF REMEMBRANCE Images from New York and Washington, D.C. b y C o r k y L e e

M ^'henever a significant event takes of Corky's images in the following spread. Readers ■ X place in New York's Asian American will also notice other photos by Corky throughout ■ X ■ X communities, whether a Korean t h i s a n d o t h e r i s s u e s . play, a Chinatown event for Jesse Born and raised in New York, Corky became ac W W Jackson, or a recent protest of the tive in Chinatown and the Asian American frame-up of a Filipino man on child molestation communities in 1966 and he has been a mainstay charges, photographer Corky Lee gets the call. ever since. He was recently described as the "unof It is no surprise then that over the years Corky ficial, undisputed photographer laureate" of Asian c h r o n i c l e d m u c h o f t h e r e d r e s s m o v e m e n t i n N e w America. Capturing the beauty, dignity and strength Yo r k a n d r e l a t e d e v e n t s e l s e w h e r e o n t h e E a s t C o a s t . of Asians struggling for equality in America, his He was there to capture the New York redress hear photos have been in demand in an increasing num ings in 1982, Day of Remembrance programs, and ber of exhibits, periodicals and books. 1987 ceremonies marking the opening of an exhibit Those interested in organizing exhibits of Corky's on Japanese Americans at the Smithsonian Institute photography can contact him at: 415 East 13th St., in Washington, D.C. We are pleased to present some New York, N.Y. 10014. □

A Smithsonian Institute exhibit on Japanese Americans and the U.S. Constitution opened a few weeks before the House of Representatives passed the redress bill on September 17, 1987. Many Japanese American veterans of World War II lobbied members of Congress to vote for the bill while they were in Washington for the exhibit.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 43 FOCUS

m. Rose Fujisaki of Denver and Pearl Yamagimachi of Seattle visit the grave site of their older brother, Jimmie T. Kokubu. Kokubu died while fighting in World War II as part of the all-Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team.

February 1982 Day of Remem brance program in New York City, marking the 40th anniversary of the Japanese American incarceration. Posters In the background were created by Byron Goto.

44 EAST WIND FOCUS

At a 1983 Day of Remembrance program in New York, Karl Akiya, wfio was incarcerated in the camp at Topaz, Utah, displays a camp poster calling for public discussion of free speech.

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SPRING/SUMMER 1989 45 FOCUS

Redress and Asian/Pacific Unity

By Meg Malpaya Thornton

Iremember my anger when I first learned of the Japanese American in carceration. I thought that if they can incarcerate Japanese Americans who were U.S. citizens, then they could incarcerate Filipino Americans l i k e m y s e l f a n d o t h e r m i n o r i t y peoples as well. I know from my ex perience and from Asian/Pacific American history that the concentra tion camps were just one of many examples of the racism and injustice that we have faced ever since setting foot in this country. So my spirits soared when the redress and reparations bill was Meg Thornton, standing, third from left, with youth from SIPA, Inc. signed into law. I feel that this vic tory is important for all the Asian/ P a c i fi c c o m m u n i t i e s a n d o t h e r f o r a n d b u i l t . T h e A s i a n / P a c i fi c c o m are coming more to the forefront and minority peoples because it affirms munity is diverse and each ethnic making their voices heard in the our rights as Americans. It is espe group has its own particular issues, Asian/Pacific political scene. It is im c i a l l y i m p o r t a n t i n t h i s c u r r e n t history and culture. Some groups portant that the different Asian/ period when attacks are being made have deep-seated resentments Pacific ethnic groups move past on affirmative action and ethnic against other Asian/Pacific peoples h i s t o r i c a l d i f f e r e n c e s a n d u n i t e studies, and anti-Asian violence has d u e t o h i s t o r i c a l d i f f e r e n c e s f r o m a r o u n d o u r c o m m o n i n t e r e s t s a s increased. t h e i r n a t i v e c o u n t r i e s ' w a r s a n d A s i a n / P a c i fi c A m e r i c a n s . W e m u s t However, there are also views in stereotypes. These resentments recognize that there are many dis the Asian/Pacific community that the s o m e t i m e s s u r f a c e i n A s i a n / P a c i fi c parities within the Asian/Pacific redress and reparations campaign American community politics and c o m m u n i t y a n d m a k e s u r e o u r victory is only a Japanese American must be dealt with in the interest of m o v e m e n t a d v o c a t e s f o r t h e i n issue. I've heard people say, "Well, building Asian/Pacific unity. terests of all groups, including the they've won their issue. That's nice. Currently the Asian/Pacific com P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r a n d S o u t h e a s t A s i a n N o w w e h a v e t o w o r k o n o u r i s s u e . " munity is experiencing a political up communities. Also, some Japanese Americans look surge as newer communities begin to The people united can never be down on other Asian/Pacific peoples exercise their influence and political defeated! □ and do not see the importance of rights. In the past, the Chinese and building mutual support with them. Japanese communities were seen as Meg Malpaya Thornton is director of The concept of an Asian/Pacific the primary representatives of the SIPA, Search to Involve Filipino American community and move Asian/Pacific community. Now the Americans, Inc., an agency serving ment is one that must be struggled Filipinos, Koreans and other groups Filipino youth in Los Angeles.

46 EAST WIND FOCUS

A Step Toward Empowerment

the U.S. We can all learn much from all sectors of the community. the history of this movement, from A s i a n s a n d P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r s h a v e By Jerry C. Yu the grassroots mass base, to the similar histories and face many strong and progressive political similar conditions in this country. leadership and the involvement of Historically, those with a racist " y e l l o w p e r i l " m e n t a l i t y h a v e T.he redress and reparations vic discriminated against Asians with no tory sets an important precedent for regard for the diversity among the a l l A s i a n a n d P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r c o m different nationalities. Racist laws, in munities: that we are willing and the past, have targeted Chinese, able to participate in this democracy Those Japanese, Pilipinos or all Asian na as full participants. Those who ad with a racist tionalities as one group. vocated the concentration camps Though a Korean, I have been questioned the fitness of Asians and \ / f called "Jap" or "Chink" or told to o t h e r n o n - w h i t e s t o b e p a r t o f 'yellow peril "go back where you came from." In American society. But with this vic mentality have 1983, unemployed white workers tory, Japanese Americans can assert murdered a Chinese American man, with confidence and pride that they discriminated Vincent Chin, because they blamed a n d o t h e r A s i a n s c a n a n d h a v e Japanese imports for the loss of their played a very positive role in this against Asians jobs, even though Chin was Chinese. society. with no regard for Asians are perceived to all be the As a Korean American, I see the same. And we are often treated as passage of the law as a great victory our diversity. one group. Given this environment, for all Americans and particularly so it makes political sense to unite f o r a l l A s i a n s a n d P a c i fi c I s l a n d e r s i n together for strength. By building a successful coalition, organizations like the National Coalition for Redress and Reparations have shown we will never again go unheard. Because the mainstream society perceives us as one group, I believe that the redress victory will be perceived as a step toward the em powerment of the Asian/Pacific Islander community as a whole. By joining together as Asians and Pacific Islanders to uphold our rights, we can ensure that the reparations vic tory will be not just the end of a long campaign, but a first step toward genuine political empowerment for u s a l l . □

Jerry C. Yu is an administrator of the Korean Youth Center in Los Angeles, an agency that serves immigrant and Jerry Yu, sitting, and staff of the Korean Youth Center low-income youths and their families.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 47 Japanese Canadians were not only re moved from the West Coast, they were also being dispersed throughout Canada for almost four years after the war.

From New Denver to Freedom Day A personal reflection on the Japanese Canadian redress movement

By Terry Watada

o.n September 22, 1988, the Sut ton Place Hotel in Toronto was jammed with people, mostly Japan ese Canadians, waiting for the gov e r n m e n t ' s a n n o u n c e m e n t a b o u t t h e r e d r e s s s e t t l e m e n t . T h e b a l l r o o m was bustling with a community of people. The Issei bowed and thanked all those younger than them. The Ni sei slapped each other on the back, congratulating each other. The Sansei were jubilant; they hugged each other and laughed heartily. They were all there: the negotiators, the committed, the volunteers, the vin dicated, the supporters, the skeptics and the opponents. For one brief shining moment, the community came together once again. The hotel had provided a raised podium and behind it, attendants worked to decoratively drape the

48 EAST WIND FOCUS

maple leaf across the rising sun: red people like Alan Hotta, Reimi Chiba, time were "shikataganai" ("couldn't on red, the Canadian flag stood flac Ron Tanaka, Garrick Chiu, Mayu be helped"). However again, a few cid beside the Japanese flag. They Takasaki and Takeo Yamashiro began Sansei voices rose to air the issues of never learn, I thought to myself. Peo to organize Asian Canadian projects. identity and redress. ple still see us as foreigners. I was overwhelmed by the heady By 1977 the second and third times. Coming to terms with those cross-Canada conferences took place. The government took all my property, issues that were kept buried for 1977 was also a pivotal year for me. But I'll survive somehow. years was very emotional and at the W i t h a l l t h e f e s t i v i t i e s a n d c o n f e r And all I can offer you is a lifetime of same time cathartic. I saw the para ences, the demand for my music hardships, my love. dox of living in a free nation and not rose acutely. Eventually, I was en Maybe love's not worth much in these feeling free or equal. That was the couraged enough to produce an al troubled times. moment I began to write songs. From bum, the first Japanese Canadian But it's the only thing I can offer you my parents, I learned about the record as it turned out. Runaway on the outside in the snow. " e v a c u a t i o n , " t h e i n t e r n m e n t a n d H o r s e s s e e m e d t o fi l l a v o i d . S o o n I the exile for the first time in my life. found that Asian Canadians of my New Denver is washed away with At 19 years of age, I wrote New age across the country began talking the rain. Denver to give voice to my parents' about themselves using the record as New Denver will never know, feelings about being incarcerated a catalyst. n e v e r k n o w without justification. The pain it caused. Closin' time at the Hinomaru; Well, don't you know It's the saddest time I've ever known. New Denver, T. Watada, 1972 we got to go for broke The Mounties are coming to take every single day of our lives. me away, In 1970 there were some who You know we can't provoke. and you know, there's nothing we began to question a government who We got to be good folk for white eyes. can do. would knowingly perpetrate racist We got to go for broke. acts against its own citizens. In Van Come and drink with me. couver and Toronto, small groups of Go for Broke, T. Watada, 1977 Taste the last drops of freedom. Sansei, Canadian Born Chinese (CBC) Come and drink with me, my friend, and Shin Ijusha gathered in discus In the late 1970s, talk about the in to our children. sion groups to talk about issues like justice surrounding the war years identity, sexism and racism. Fueled was either suppressed or labelled as Tell the ladies, tell the boys in the band. by the Asian American movement. i r r e l e v a n t s i n c e t h e e v e n t s o f t h a t This is the last dance tonight.

Closin' Time, T. Watada, 1980

By 1980, Ken Adachi's The Enemy t h a t N e v e r W a s a n d A n n G o m e r TO MAU ENEMY auens Sunahara's The Politics of Racism in notice spired a few to look at the question of redress. Some Sansei and a few courageous Nisei decided an inquiry was necessary since new evidence pointed to the fact that the intern ment and subsequent exile (after the war, Japanese Canadians had two c h o i c e s : m o v e e a s t o f t h e R o c k i e s o r be deported to Japan) was not a military or security decision but a As in the U.S., the political one encouraged by racist m o t i v a t i o n s . T h u s t h e S o d a n K a i w a s racist mass formed to conduct public meetings incarceration of about the possibility of seeking Japanese Canadians sparked a successful redress. drive for redress By the mid 1980s, the redress and reparations. movement was in full swing. At first,

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 49 FOCUS

there was great resistance. I remem time!" Thousands of yellow postcards ber one such opposed Nisei who exhorting the government to deal went out of his way in order to with the issue were delivered to the berate me with vulgarisms for pro Prime Minister's office by Japanese moting redress on a local television Canadian veterans. I felt inspired. program. Other Nisei I talked to Gone were the arguments, the bick called it "blood money," "charity," ering, the pettiness that had ham "government handouts." None of pered the movement from the these people would recognize the beginning. These Japanese Canadi true issues of the campaign: human ans were angry, and they wanted rights violations and racism. The Na justice. tional Association of Japanese Cana * * * dians (NAJC) came into being as an answer to the misrepresentative pro On September 22 the government nouncements of the Japanese Cana of Canada came to an amenable set d i a n C i t i z e n s A s s o c i a t i o n . tlement with the Japanese Canadians Despite the disagreements and in and announced it in the House of fighting, the Japanese Canadian com C o m m o n s i n O t t a w a a n d a t t h e S u t munity became revitalized. Everyone ton Place Hotel in Toronto. It was had something to say about redress. Freedom Day. V o l u n t e e r s w e r e n e e d e d t o m a n t h e "Ladies and gentlemen, for over booths, mail out p.r. material, organ forty years successive Canadian gov ize conferences, educate the public e r n m e n t s h a v e r e f u s e d t o a c k n o w and attend demonstrations. And ledge or to redress the shameful volunteers there were. The Japanese injustices done to Japanese Cana Canadians were becoming a political dians during the second world war force. a n d a f t e r . . . " The NAJC's top priority was to As Gerry Weiner, the minister for keep the issue of redress before the multiculturalism spoke, I felt mixed public eye. At festivals, booths dis emotions. I was elated that justice playing the history, the demands and had been attained and that democ personal testaments appeared. Mem racy had been served. Furthermore, bers of the organization appeared on And we need reparations from this I was relieved that the long fight was television talk shows, radio phone-in great nation. now over, but I was also sad because programs and at education confer Brothers and sisters, we are one. I remembered that my father was ences. Coalitions with other groups Hey reparations, from this fine nation taken away from his wife and child o f v i s i b l e m i n o r i t i e s a n d c o n c e r n e d M e a n s w e a r e C a n a d i a n s . to slave on a road gang for several Canadians formed. A camp tour was months enduring loneliness, fear, organized to bring people to the very The Reparations Song, T. Watada, worry and primitive conditions. And doorstep of infamy. 1987 I remembered that my mother and N o o t h e r e f f o r t w a s a s i n s t r u m e n brother faced the ordeal of moving tal in focusing the nation's attention Perhaps the most significant action to the interior by themselves. For as Joy Kogawa's book Obasan and of the Japanese Canadians was the over 40 years they kept the shame Muriel Kitagawa's This Is My Own. march on Ottawa in the spring of and the pain inside, never letting it Such strong testaments touched the 1988 to protest the inaction of the out. And now both my parents had heart of understanding in many government despite campaign prom passed away before hearing the Canadians. ises to negotiate a just settlement words of apology and receiving the over redress/reparations. Issei, Nisei gesture of compensation. □ a n d S a n s e i f r o m a c r o s s t h e n a t i o n Long ago my father said to me, joined hands, carried banners and Terry Watada is a writer, singer! "You got to learn to love the land you placards and shouted phrases like songwriter, theatrical and record pro call home." "Redress Now!" "Justice for Japan ducer, and Professor of English at But all the shame this country's ese Canadians!" The meeting with Seneca College, Toronto. For informa given me t h e m u l t i c u l t u r a l m i n i s t e r w a s e m o tion on ordering his album, write to: Shakes my faith in this land's t i o n a l . O l d e r N i s e i a d m o n i s h e d h i m Windchime Records, 99 Ivy Ave., democracy. with shouts of "I haven't got much Toronto, M4L 2H8.

50 EAST WIND By Ted Benito, Meg Molpoyo Thornton

"nV^ur Filipino Cultural Night is an affirmation of our culture," says Gigi Santos, newly elected president of the Filipino American Student Association (FASA) at Gal State Northridge. "It's also about discovery and rediscovery . . . who we are as Filipinos, whether foreign-born or American-born, and then expressing that with our Filipino culture. In essence, through FCN, we discover our selves . . . our identity."

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 51 For many Filipinos, especially high When we take the stage, it is our year's Samahang FCN coordinator. school and college students, a strong chance to communicate our heritage "That means that only 141 were ad and positive sense of unity is mani and history not only to our relatives mitted, as compared to the median fested through the expression of Fili and friends, but also, and more impor 237. Add to that a 51% attrition rate pino culture. Among the many tantly, to the community at large." and less than 70 Filipinos will gradu Southern California campuses, Fili The FCN s play a very important ate at the end of a five-year program." pino student groups produce a "Fili role in allowing the younger genera Arleen de Vera, coordinator of pino Cultural Night" or FCN. Folk tion to not only express themselves Samahang's Filipino Affirmative Ac songs, traditional dances, and special culturally, but also to voice their con t i o n S t u d e n t Ta s k F o r c e a d d s , " A skits are presented in the effort to cerns about issues affecting them to greater concern is that there is no express the richness and diversity of day. FCN s give Filipino students the guarantee that that number (237) will Filipino heritage. respect to speak for themselves and ever be regained. For all we know, F C N i s a c u l m i n a t i o n o f m o n t h s o f allows them to provide solutions to the entering number of Filipinos planning and rehearsing. Every step, their problems. As an expression of could possibly decrease. That means each line, every note and each mi political issues, FCN s elevate that less Filipinos coming in, less Filipinos nute detail of the performance is spirit of unity to a higher level. graduating, and less Filipinos return carefully planned and practiced. It is UCLA Samahang Filipino, one of ing to the community." during these raw moments that a the first Filipino student organiza greater spirit of unity is fostered. tions to present a FCN in Southern " O u r F C N i s o n e o f t h e f e w t i m e s California, consistently and effectively JLP CN s are strong statements about that we, as a family, can unite as a u t i l i z e s i t s F C N t o c o m m u n i c a t e c r u Filipino history. There is a definitive whole," begins Augusto Espiritu, past cial issues imperative to the Filipino lack of ethnic studies on major president of UCLA Samahang Fili community like the expulsion of Southern California campuses to ade pino. "As a communicative experi Filipinos from the university's affir quately teach Filipinos about their e n c e , F C N s e r v e s t o m o t i v a t e o u r mative action program. experience in the U.S. "There are members into working with each "There was a 41% drop in Filipino only two campuses in Southern Cali other and sharing in a similar goal. student admission to UCLA this fornia where Filipino-American his FCN builds trust and cooperation. year," explains Rochelle Santiago, this tory is taught," says Gilmore Mara,

San Francisco State's Pilipino American Collegiate Endeavors performs the "Singkil" dance.

52 EAST WIND president of USC Troy Philippines, gang activity. SIFA was formed as an T h e A s i a n / F a c i fi c I s l a n d e r S t u d e n t "and they are UCLA and Gal State organization in 1972 by youth, stu Union (AFSU) has helped to cultivate Los Angeles. There is no Filipino eth dents, and community people to ad this heightened organizational effort. nic studies class at USC, so for our dress the needs of Filipino American AFSU is composed of representatives PCN last year, we decided to illus youth. In 1981, a gang killing oc f r o m d i ff e r e n t A s i a n / F a c i fi c s t u d e n t trate the manong (first wave Filipino curred which involved a Filipino groups throughout West Coast col immigrants to the U.S.) experience in youth gang. The community reacted leges. Through its ten year existence, America. In that manner, our PCN by demanding funding to establish a AFSU has fostered a strong sense of was a tool for educating students permanent agency that could work unity among Asian/Facific students. about their history. It was a deep with the youth more effectively. Annual conferences provide work message because we wanted to con Since that FCN, many more cam shops on educational rights, the im vey that our generation owes its exis pus groups have worked with SIFA, migrant experience, the women's t e n c e t o t h e s a c r i fi c e s o u r a n c e s t o r s and with other community groups movement, and cultural development. made." for the betterment of the community. "Filipinos are at the forefront of the Having been functioning at this The fact many students felt the Asian Facific student movement," says level of cultural and political expres Ted Benito, AFSU coordinator for the sion, Filipinos began to see similar Los Angeles region. "I feel the issues points of interest. It was evident that AFSU addresses hit home to many some of the struggles on one campus Filipino students. Many students can were consistent with other campuses. feel a greater strength and empower It made sense to form a more com At UCLA, ment within AFSU." prehensive community-based coali For Filipinos, the need to unite tion. The same "family spirit" that where Pilipino again is coming rapidly. Before the each Filipino student organization California state budget is presented e m b o d i e d i n t h e i r o w n P C N w a s admissions a n d w h i l e C a l i f o r n i a ' s M a s t e r F l a n again elevated to a higher level. on Higher Education is being writ "That's how SCFASA (Southern dropped by 41%, ten, the role that students play in California Filipino American Student PCN is a way to terms of deciding policy is critical. Association) was formed," says Isaias "Educational policies are being made Faja, Jr., president of the Hiyas Fili bring out this without the input of those being ed pino Club at Cal State Los Angeles. ucated," says Benito, "so with AFSU, "SCFASA's membership is composed and other s t u d e n t s h a v e t h e c h a n c e b e h e a r d . of the various Filipino student organ vital issues. For Filipinos, this is crucial. Adminis i z a t i o n s f r o m a r o u n d S o u t h e r n C a l i trations are cutting Filipinos from af f o r n i a , f r o m C a l S t a t e F u l l e r t o n t o firmative action programs, and state UC Irvine. We are constantly grow funding for educational loans is very ing. Two more schools applied as low. This has an impact on our com members recently which would push strong urge to participate in a critical munity because Filipinos who want the total roster to over eighteen or issue such as the growing gang prob to go to college are no longer ganizations. We are growing so fast, lem lends credence to the empower guaranteed that right." i t ' s i n c r e d i b l e ! " m e n t F C N s c a n f o s t e r. Still and yet, we must look to the Since its inception over eight years Through the networking of SCFASA spirit of unity fostered by the expres ago, SCFASA has become a major and its sister organization NCFASA s i o n o f c u l t u r e t h a t h a s a n c h o r e d mechanism for galvanizing Filipino (Northern California Filipino Ameri Filipinos in Asian America. FCN not students. "SCFASA acts as a magnet," can Student Association), Filipinos only expresses heritage and history, continues Faja, "to pull together a statewide have greatly developed. but issues and ideas. FCN ignites large political, social, and cultural Within these two organizations, stu community support on subjects from base. Its strength lies in the enthusi d e n t s h a v e m o b i l i z e d t o a d d r e s s a d gang violence to educational rights. asm, participation, and support of m i s s i o n a n d r e t e n t i o n s e r v i c e s i n SCFASA and AFSU have injected Fili the member groups, and that usually college, demand Filipino American pinos with a keener sense of empow comes through dances, tournaments, studies classes throughout the UC, erment and provide arenas for social, and even our own SCFASA Filipino CSU, and community college sys political, and cultural exchange. Cultural Night." tems, and to emphasize cultural The changing demographics of Two years ago at the SCFASA FCN, development. Filipinos have changed California will make it the first third a skit was presented by the Search to the complexion of the Asian Facific world state in the union by the next Involve Filipino Americans (SIFA), a student movement by broadening decade. Filipinos must affirm their Filipino youth agency. The skit dra the scope of issues that must be participation in all areas of society. matized the issue of Filipino youth addressed. This demands understanding, unity.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 53 Taxi dance hall scene from 1920's. Performance by the USC Troy Philippines Club, Gilmore Mara and Janet Cruz Herrera.

and pride, all of which are implanted The Pilipino community is rich in its in Pilipino culture. In this sense, diversity and talent and that needs P C N s a r e i n v a l u a b l e r e s o u r c e s o f " A s a m e a n s to be presented in a positive way. education and leadership. Pilipino Cultural Night is really about "As a means of preserving our tra of preserving us ... as Pilipinos, as important ditional art and culture," says Meg members of American society, and Thornton, director of SIPA, "PCN is o u r t r a d i t i o n a l as a people who are proud of their a true form of cultural expression. tradition." They provide innovative and creative culture, PCNs MABUHAY!!!!!! □ ways of moving the Pilipino base for ward and to promote a clear under promote a clear Ted Benito is past editor of UCLA's standing of who we are as Pilipino understanding Pacific Ties. He is currently the APSU A m e r i c a n s . P C N s s h o u l d b e a s h o w coordinator, L.A. region, and newly case for Pilipinos who want to de of who we are elected vice president of UCLA Sama- velop their talent in the field of art as Pilipino hang Pilipino. Meg Malpaya Thorn and music. Our community needs as ton is director of Search to Involve many artists, writers, and musicians Americans." Pilipino Americans, Inc., a Los Angeles- as it demands doctors and lawyers. based youth agency.

54 EAST WIND Asian

iMPROV^^Hgl In the jazz field, exclusion has certainly been the case. Fred Houn's critically-acclaimed albums Tomor Records. row Is Now! and Wfe Refused To Be Used and Abused!, both on the prestigious Italian label Soul Note, have been virtually impossible to obtain in the U.S. be cause they are not considered "commercially-viable" by the American distribution company Polygram (a major importer of foreign-produced music). Polygram and other American record labels are not interested in promoting creative, innovative and daring music. And they will not promote Asian American artists who are lesser known. As a result, Houn has sold more of these albums in Europe than in the U.S. This situation was one of the main reasons why we formed AIR. AIR has been working with various in dependent distributors to get We Refuse . . . out there. We are also investigating the possibilities for By Francis Wong helping other Asian American creative musicians. Houn explains the approach. "By developing close working relationships with progressive and suppor tive music critics, presenters, musical organizations -Z^LA little more than one-and-one-half years ago and Asian community groups, AIR is contributing to Asianlmprov Records (AIR) was formed. Jon Jang, an effort for a real alternative, multicultural new one of the founders of AIR, says, "For a long time, A m e r i c a n m u s i c m o v e m e n t . " the cultural contributions of Asian people in America As a musician and community activist, I see the have been neglected and excluded from educational formation of AIR as an achievement both for the art and cultural institutions, as well as from the Ameri i s t s i n v o l v e d a n d f o r t h e A s i a n A m e r i c a n m o v e can entertainment industry. Some of us, as Asian cul ment. For the most part, the artists who appear on tural workers, have been able to get our foot in the AIR albums, namely Jon Jang, Glenn Horiuchi and door, though it has often been a 'bound foot' with Fred Houn, have long histories in the Asian com but a few exceptions. With AIR, we want to not only munities, making contributions to such grassroots movements as the campaigns for redress/reparations get both our 'unbound feet' in the door, but most im and for justice for Vincent Chin. In fact, the music portantly our feet out onto the streets of the com m u n i t i e s t o w h i c h w e s e r v e . " that has been released in 1988 by AIR has been largely inspired by the struggles of Asian and other oppressed people. Jon's album. The Ballad or the Bullet?, pays tributes to Happy Lim, pioneer Chinese American writer and labor organizer, to the anti- Marcos struggle in the Philippines and to the Watson- ville and Hormel strikers. Horiuchi, a member of the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations (NCRR), was moved by the hearings of the Commission on W a r t i m e R e l o c a t i o n a n d I n t e r n m e n t o f C i v i l i a n s t o write "In Movement" and other compositions in cluded in his debut album Next Step. Fred Houn's A Song for Manong, the music from the multimedia theatre production, is a monument to Filipino workers. Jon Jang's Jangle Bells cassette includes a medley entitled "Happy New Years Ahead Suite," in spired by Jesse Jackson's historic 1988 campaign. AIR strongly believes that the success of Asian American artists is tied to the political empowerment of our communities. Thus, AIR sees itself playing an active role in community and progressive politics.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 55 not solely promoting and selling albums. According to Houn, 'Artists of color must build unity with poli tical activists and other sectors of our community. Our work is part of the social, economic, political and cultural development of our people." In addition to promoting the history of Asian Amer icans, artists on AIR are striving to promote the con t r i b u t i o n s o f A s i a n A m e r i c a n ' s M U S I C A L L Y. T h e s e artists are best known for their efforts to develop a distinct Asian American voice in the jazz field through the use of Asian musical elements. Horiuchi uses taiko rhythms as the basis of many of his com positions. Jang at times thinks of his piano as a yang chin (Chinese hammered dulcimer) and recorded an arrangement of the Chinese classic "Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto" (Chen/Ho). Houn's A Song for Manong is a collaboration between his Asian Ameri can Art Ensemble and Kulingtang Arts, a Filipino As for the future, 1989 promises to be another year percussion ensemble. Indeed, combining the tradi of growth. We will release Glenn Horiuchi's second tional with the contemporary is a major thrust of album Issei Spirit. We also plan to expand the organi AIR's artistic goals. z a t i o n o f A I R t o i n c l u d e a b o a r d o f d i r e c t o r s a n d e m It is important to note, however, that these Asian bark on a fund-raising campaign to pay for staff American artists have a very deep indebtedness to (right now AIR is a completely volunteer operation). the African American tradition in American music. This music can only be heard if the artists them African American music, whether it be blues, gospel, selves get together with community supporters and jazz, etc., has had a profound impact on the music of o r g a n i z e . T h i s i s w h e r e A I R , w h i l e p r i m a r i l y America and of the world. In America, African musician-run, needs a lot of help. The needs of cur American musicians have been the primary leaders rent and emerging Asian American musicians and in carrying forth the music and message of pride, their audience are great and our resources small. self-respect and liberation. This has influenced musi Hopefully, with everyone's participation, AIR and c i a n s o f a l l n a t i o n a l i t i e s . o u r a u d i e n c e w i l l c o n t i n u e t o t h r i v e . □ AIR's projects have included artists of many back grounds. On the albums released so far there have been Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, Samoan, African American, Chicano and white musicians, visual art (ffii I I I I I e I I ists, photographers and writers. In this way, the mu sic has been a product of Fan-Asian and multina tional unity.

The Kun«flfa.-k to Part 3 o» BAMBOO TrtfT bcNAPS

THE ASIA^ ART ET^SEMBlE AM) KilLIMAMG ARTS

Francis Wong is currently president of Asianlmprov Records and an aspiring musician. AIR is a new com pany formed to promote and distribute recordings of Asian American creative musicians.

EAST WIND Now It Is Broccoli

My mother who loses a piece of herself each day is bowing before the conveyor belt a s a r i v e r o f b r o c c o l i rolls by under the fluorescent. All night at the canneries of J.J. Crosetti she trims the yellow and bunches the green. T r i m s a n d b u n c h e s . U n t i l t h e c o l o r s b l e n d a n d s h e i s l o s t b e f o r e t h i s r i v e r o f o n e c o l o r that is neither green nor yellow and unable to hold it back lets it slip past her. She remembers, once, in another shed slicing off part of her index finger. It wasn't the pain o r h o r r o r s h e r e m e m b e r e d but how the day was hot and the shade of the corrugated tin roof bore down cool o n t h e b a c k o f h e r n e c k and the metal click of the spinning rollers Jeff Tagami was born in Watson- ille, California. He co-translated the e c h o e s i n h e r e a r s chapbook. This Wanting to Sing, Asian American Poets in South long after the crates had passed. It wasn't the kindness America, Contact II Press, and co- edited Without Names, a collection of the floor lady turning off the machine of poetry by Bay Area Pilipino t h a t s h e w a n t e d t o r e m e m b e r — American writers, Kearny Street Workshop Press. He and his family the floor lady who would just as soon live in San Francisco, California. bark at her like a dog.

continued on page 58

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 It wasn't the concern of the forklift driver who searched between the chopped heads of cabbage thinking the finger could be sewn back. No, it was the face she longed for, that serene face she lost years ago. A face the young woman across from her now owned who did not once look up from her work who smiled as if remembering a silly joke or the slight tremble of her boyfriend's lips as he kissed her goodnight. Now she keeps the finger in the freezer in an envelope with a plastic window. Because it is still a part of her she cannot let go, like her man who pickled her miscarriage in a bottle of alcohol could not let go. For two years he kept it beside the bed. Each night he held it up to the lamp stroking the glass clear of his choked breath as if to contemplate a son without future. Finally, as if that bottle could no longer contain his grief he buried it beneath the porch steps n e a r t h e m i n t .

Now it is broccoli and my mother must be careful though she has given up forty years to the passing of vegetables though she knows the knife and the fat clumsy fingers that betray each other though she knows broccoli is only a river through which we carve our simple life. Her raised knife wavers in the air while the colors go on playing tricks with her eyes, and the nail of her clipped finger slowly turns black behind the box of frozen peas and ice cubes.

From October Light, a book of poetry by Jeff Tagami. See review on page 66.

58 EAST WIND ALESKEROS

Inthe 1920s, after U.S. laws were passed pre- venting Chinese and Japanese workers from immigrat ing, Filipinos were recruited to fill the vacuum of cheap labor caused by these laws. ''Before we came, our impression of America was that you got to pick up gold in the streets, that everybody was nice," said Leo Lorenzo, an Aleskero (Filipino cannery worker). "But as soon as we got out on the pier — well, naturally there was the police and every body like that, meeting the boat. They had a different at titude. Before we arrived, there were already problems in the social atmosphere." The seasonal Alaska cannery labor was consid ered by many to be the best of a series of poor jobs open to Filipinos who worked a migrant labor circuit up and down the West Coast. The oppressive conditions these workers faced opened them to union organizing. The early '30s were the beginning of a history of union organizing for the Aleskeros. The following portraits and oral histories are F I L I P I K 0 part of the Pioneer Aleskeros Project, developed to pre serve the history and lives of these workers. The men, all of whom are from the Seattle area, poignantly recall their first years in America, the founding of the Cannery Workers Union, and the important role that the Alaska salmon canneries played in their lives. Most of the men C A K N E R Y c o n t i n u e d t o w o r k i n t h e c a n n e r i e s w e l l i n t o t h e i r 6 0 s and 70s. The men are between 75 and 88 years old, and three of them worked in Alaska for the 1987 season. The 31-portrait exhibit was sponsored by the Cannery Workers Union, Region 37ILWU/IBU and was funded mostly by the Washington Commission for the WORKERS Humanities. Oral histories were collected by a dozen younger members of the union and others in the commu nity. The photographer and project director is John Stamets. For information on the exhibit, write to John Photography by John Stomets Stamets, 403 - 14th Ave. E., Seattle, WA 98112, or Can nery Workers Union, Local 37 ILWU, 2800 First Ave., 0226, Seattle, WA 98121.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 59 Before we come, our impression of America was that you got to pick up gold in the streets, that everybody was nice...

Trinidad Rojo Ilocos Sur province, born 1902, arrived U.S. 1926

At first (early 1930s) there were at least three independent Filipino labor movements, and in ALESKEROS one, they mix the cannery workers with the musi cians. But we must give credit where credit is due, whether they are socialists or communists. A con VTEZEEKOZ temporary of mine, Lorenzo Zamora, he was a musician and being a communist, if he was, he realized that an independent Filipino union cannot flourish. That we must be organized on an interna tional basis: Filipinos in the union, Japanese in the union, Mexicans, whites, etc., so to confront the whites, the Chinese contractors and the Mexican contractors on the other side. Then there is equal force. Right? So he was correct.

60 EAST WIND Leo Lorenzo Ilocos Norte province, born 1908, arrived U.S. 1927

It was in 1927, July 10, when I came to America. There were at least 400 Filipinos on that boat. Gee, that was one of the worst sights you could have ever seen, in comparison to nowadays. A1 Masigat Ilocos Norte province, born 1904, arrived U.S. 1927 So, two of us take a taxicab. The address we took was for a hotel on 2nd Avenue. And when we When you don't have a job, Alaska is all went upstairs, they said that we were not supposed right. But if you find a job here in town, a good job to be in that hotel. And we said, "Even if we are for you, never mind Alaska. Because there is magic going to pay now?" And they said, "No. You get out in going to Alaska. The magic is that in a short of here!" The cab driver took us down to time, you go in there and have $1,000 or $2,000. Chinatown and let us out on Jackson Street, and we Every time 1 was there, I'd say, "I'll never come saw lots of Filipinos down there. And we look dif b a c k . N e v e r c o m e b a c k . " B u t w h e n t h e t i m e o f ferent from them, you know. Most of them are Alaska comes, oh that magic of $1,000 is in my Americanized, in their clothes, but we were still in mind again. But that magic does not work. the clothes we brought with us. So of course we were out of place, and they looked at us, even the When you go to a theatre, you pay the same old-timer Filipinos who had been there two or three price, but you can't sit any place that you want. years. There is a place for Orientals only, for colored peo ple, see? That is the discrimination that you have. So we got our hotel, it was up there above And most of all, they don't like us to speak to the the community garden. Of course, 1 didn't realize white people, white girls. Because we are man, you that we were social outcasts. That feeling that we know? And if we speak to white girl, there was first had in the Islands is that when you arrive in always a fight. this country, you get to be treated just like we treated the Americans, out there in the Islands. But You know why 1 never married? Because after a couple of days, we realize that when we see there was no Filipina then. The few Filipinas who the Americans, it's very different from that. They came here did not like the Filipinos ... If we had w o u l d n ' t e v e n t a l k t o u s i f w e w a n t e d t o t a l k w i t h more Filipinas then, it might have been different. them. We might have had a better life.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 61 Jose Aguinaldo Ilocos Norte province, born 1902, arrived U.S. 1921

I landed in Seattle July 9, 1921. I came be cause lots of friends came here earlier. They'd send all their pictures, all dressed up. Oh my gosh, and they'd tell about their experiences going to Alaska. Back then in the Philippines, there's no job. All the students, when they got through, the only job they can get is a clerk in the municipality or as a school teacher. And you know there are lots of graduates year after year.

So when I came here, I started to ask if there is a job I could get. They said go to Alaska. So that is how I went to Alaska. When I got a job in Alaska, it was from 6am to 6pm. And there's lots of But as soon os fish, and we'd work until the fish are all canned. That's how I learned that Alaska was not so good we got out on after all . . . During those days it was the contract system. Our foreman gets a contract from the com the pier - well,... pany, and we are allowed a dollar a day for sub sistence. When there are fish, we'd eat nothing but fish so that the contractor would gain. He'd spend they hod o about 35 cents, 40 cents and the rest goes to his different ottitude. pocket. And then on Sunday we eat rice. You'd know it was Sunday when you saw an egg on the table. The bunkhouses were also not so good, squeaky old springs on the beds. Especially the restrooms, the toilets were antiquated. It was like that for many years until there was a union. When the union came along, there seemed to be progress. The laborers were getting better pay, they were ALESKEROS treated better, and their sleeping quarters were modernized. And we got showers. Before, you have VTEgEEKOg no shower.

62 EAST WIND Poetry by ThGllllQ EstrOClO

LETTER TO M.

Your absence, my love, is crowding my thoughts as I move around the country collecting snapshots in my mind living beneath everyone's skin.

I thought of you when I saw a young boy in the countryside walking to school: is he going to be one of the few like you, love, who will escape from the bog of indifference or is he going to be like the rest of our people for whom tomorrow is a false promise?

I saw your mother today sitting by the roadside face bare of memories waiting patiently for the cars that arrogantly spit at her fruits and vegetables. They eye her produce with suspicion oblivious to her pain. (Haggling over the price is a sport; the two pesos mean nothing — to her, it means more rice for you and your brothers.) Triumphant in their game, they disappear forgetting her and you. Your gentle eyes stared at me when I talked to a peasant his one eye clouded by poverty. He told me how the military shot down his brother like a dog for throwing a stone at the soldier's dog chasing him.

Listening to a people's fighter explain to me why the people in the barrios have asked the guerillas not to lay down their arms I suddenly remembered why I love you.

T h e l m a E s t r a d a h a s b e e n a As I walk amongst your brothers, my writer, poet, and political ac sisters, tivist in the Philippine support I l o v e t h e m m o r e a n d movement for the last 12 years. She resides in Oakland, Calif, missing you is less urgent and works as an attorney in San Francisco. 16 March 86

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 63 A Collection of poems by Genny Lim w.inter Place is a collection of poems written over a period of about ten years. The emotional land scape of Lim's work reflects a rootedness in her native Grandmother Chinatown-North Beach, San Francisco upbringing. There is much rage and cynicism, much sadness, introspection and hopeful exploration in these poems, Don't let me forget which comprise Lim's vision of being an ethnic minor to light the candles of my ancestors ity working class woman poet in modem America. and not abandon them to ghosts who wander deep into my dreams Don't let me forget the beauty of the phoenix When I grasp its luminous tail it is your piercing bones I find curving into the lifeline of my own hand When I look into its slender eyes it is the deep lagoons of yours I find drowning tradition

China's past is but a coffin to me It is a legacy of thirst and hunger embroidered with the tears and sweat of centuries I t i s a d r e a m passed down in jade heirlooms and shut inside small lacquered boxes

I have never kissed your high cheeks nor stroked your pale, scented feet yet I know how grandfather must have loved the subtle furrow of your waist between his peasant's hands and the gentle incline of your neck whenever you cried

I imagine him grieving when there was nothing left but the delicate memory of your song emerging from the ashes weaving so deep a valley its echoing slopes carried you over the wind

64 EAST WIND ' "lACe

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show

They could not capture me, except under a white flag. They cannot hold me except with a chain. — Osceola, 1838

I don't cry for the love of you Te a r s v a n i s h l i k e s m o k e Don't think it is for the loss of you My heart is an ox surrendered to its yoke

Osceola never wept in battle He galloped into the cannon-fire, into the muzzles of guns Had he pondered dying in the white man's prison Osceola undoubtedly would have killed himself

Had Sitting Bull known he would be a freak in a w h i t e m a n ' s c i r c u s He would have succumbed to two bullets But it was the light along the trembling Black Hills w h i c h m o v e d h i m t o w a r d s t h e m o o n I t w a s t h e s u n h e w a t c h e d f o r n o t t h e r i v e r ' s b o t t o m n o r t h e d a r k n e s s o f t h e t r a i l Genny Lim lives in San Fran The heart is a lonely animal which never sleeps cisco with her two daughters, Colette and Danielle. She is the and author of the play, Paper Angels, Hope is the unseen crown a bilingual children's book, w h i c h d r i v e s m a n k i n d t o b e l i e v e Wings of Lai Ho, and co-author there are no good guys or bad guys of Island: Poetry and History of Chinese Immigrants on Angel no unhappy endings Island. Winter Place is her first only false starts book of poetry.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 65 B o o k R e v i e w OCTOBER LIGHT

poems by Jeff Tagami

Back of our farmhouse Book review by Ernestine Toyobos Filipinos hunchbacked From a lifetime of hauling Irrigation pipes. Squeeze goat entrails clean. Sticking their fingers October Light by Jeff Tagami Photography, book In places I think design, and production by Lenny Limjoco. Published by Not possible. Kearny Street Workshop, 827 Pacific Street, Box 3, San Francisco, CA 94133, $7.95. Tagami's poetry also gives us a sense of the joy, pain and frustration of living in a society that treats you as second class citizens. In "Tobera", Tagami j eff Tagami's October Light is an important collec- pays tribute to Fermin Tobera, a Filipino laborer, a ^ tion of poems that depicts the lives of working young man, a dreamer, an immigrant in a strange class Filipinos in Watsonville, California. Not since land, who was shot and killed during the Watson Carlos Bulosan's writing has there been a body of v i l l e r a c e r i o t s o f t h e 1 9 3 0 ' s . work dedicated to the experiences of Filipino laborers who toiled in the lumberyards, fields, and Yes, a man gets lonely c a n n e r i e s o f C a l i f o r n i a . but he has to do something The experiences of the "first wave" of Filipinos are to stop from going crazy. a source of pride and strength for all Filipinos. The A n d i t ' s n o t c r a z i n e s s first generation were mostly men, the "manongs" when men get together who were farm workers and cannery workers. They to buy a '29 Model T faced discrimination, anti-Filipino sentiment, anti- and drive from Watsonville miscegenation laws, and were objects of racial vio to Lompoc, San Pedro lence. In the face of this, Filipinos fought back and to Oxnard and back again resisted unfair labor practices. Their stories have past the neatly clipped lawns helped to shape the national consciousness of Fili of white neighborhoods pino Americans today. Tagami highlights this in his where they are not wanted poetry. Watsonville holds particular significance since in a country it was the site of anti-Filipino sentiments and race where they are not welcome. riots during the 1930's. Today, Watsonville and the And to do this over and over Central Valley still employ Filipino laborers, now like a man slapping mostly women who work in the multi-million dollar his own face again and again. cannery industry. The poems are largely autobiographical. Written Since its publication in October 1987, Tagami has over the past 10 years, this third generation Filipino done numerous poetry readings on college campuses American poet writes about his mother, his family, in California and Hawai'i. The response has been and other people he grew up with. "I write about tremendous and positive. Filipino audiences are the human spirit, about struggling," says Tagami, often amazed to learn that there are Filipinos who "people can identify with it because they see them are writing and being published. Tagami believes selves in it." Indeed this is true. His poetry struck a there should be more published works by Filipino familiar chord for me since my parents and grand Americans. He and other writers in the Bay Area parents came to this country, as his originally did, as Filipino Writers group are just beginning to tell the c o n t r a c t l a b o r e r s i n H a w a i ' i . stories of our people so that they may not be forgot The poems convey the aspirations and dreams of ten. October Light is a good example of this. □ Filipinos who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families. They describe the hardships of working long hours of back-breaking Ernestine Tayabas is on the executive committee of w o r k i n t h e fi e l d s . F r o m " W i t h o u t N a m e s " : the Filipino American Democratic Caucus of California.

66 EAST WIND F i l m R e v i e w -

iWl Japanese American military intelligence linguist interrogates a Japanese prisoner of war. The Color of Honor

The Color of Honor, a Vox Produc court-martialed for refusing combat n e v e r b e f o r e r e v e a l e d . T h e fi l m tion, directed by Loni Ding, presented training until the rights of all Japa chronicles a history that the U.S. on PBS by National Asian American n e s e A m e r i c a n s w e r e r e s t o r e d . W e government had classified as secret Telecommunications Association. hear Frank Emi tell of the Fair Play f o r t h r e e d e c a d e s a n d f o r w h o m t h e Committee, Heart Mountain intern record is conspicuously silent. As ees who refused the conscription or Senator Spark Matsunaga states, Reviewed by Denise Imura der, standing on their conviction that these men were doing what most i t w a s u n c o n s t i t u t i o n a l t o b e d r a f t e d clearly demonstrated their loyalty from concentration camps. b u t b e c a u s e t h e i r s w a s a t a l e n o t t o B u t t h e h e a r t o f t h e fi l m i s t h e M i l b e t o l d , t h e i r i n c a r c e r a t e d f a m i l i e s itary Intelligence Service (MIS) sol c o u l d n o t b e n e fi t f r o m t h e i r h e r o i s m L foni Ding's documentary, The diers, Japanese Americans who and sacrifice. C o l o r o f H o n o r, r e v e a l s t h e u n t o l d s e r v e d i n t h e P a c i fi c t h e a t r e a s l i n At the conclusion of the war, the story of the terrible choices and re guists, translators, interrogators, de head of Allied TVanslation in Austra deeming courage of the young Nisei coders and propagandists. These men lia, Col. Sydney Mashbir propheti men, many barely out of their teens, provided General MacArthur with in cally said, "Your country owes you who were confronted by a country valuable information about the en and your families a debt it will never where anyone with even one drop of emy, thereby shortening the war and fully be able to repay." Japanese blood was sent away to saving thousands of lives. What Shown in Congress at the time that concentration camps. What unfolds comes alive is incredible footage and body was considering the Japanese in this 90-minute montage of rare ar testimony of men who were sent on American reparations bill, the film chival footage, present-day inter secret missions, often behind enemy validates the history of Japanese v i e w s a n d d o c u - d r a m a , a r e t h e lines, who were told to expect a A m e r i c a n s w h o b e l i e v e d i n d e m o c results of these lonely decisions. We seventy-five percent casualty rate and racy and who chose to fight for the r e l i v e t h e v a l o r o f t h o s e w h o e n l i s t e d who faced the double jeopardy of realization of its principles by serv or were drafted into the highly being mistaken for the enemy by ing in its armed forces, as well as decorated, highly decimated 442nd/ their own troops. Ding has riveting those who went to prison in order to 100th Regimental Combat Teams. footage of these MIS soldiers. Recol test the U.S. Constitution and make it Interviewed is Hakuban Nozawa, lections of the experiences of coax a living document of equality and one of the 28 "Detention Boys" — ing Japanese women and children j u s t i c e f o r a l l A m e r i c a n s . □ Kibei GTs who protested being held from underground caves in Saipan or at gunpoint when President Roose securing vital pieces of information D e n i s e I m u r a i s o n t h e E a s t W i n d velt visited the troops, and who were from dying soldiers uncovers history staff.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 67 In Release. . .

Books Desert Run, Poems and Versus, Philippine Protest Stories Poetry, 1983-1986

by Mitsuye Yamada. edited by Alfredo Navarro Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, Salanga and Esther M. Pacheco. PO Box 908, Latham, NY 12110. University of Washington Press, PO Box BirreR MELON 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096. Yamada explores many aspects of Stpiiesjivfn the LastRwnl CMm Trnti m America her identity as a Japanese American Poems are of the crucial months woman and scrutinizes the experi between the assassination of Benigno ence of the concentration camps, Aquino, Jr. on August 21, 1983, and returning to the terrain of the desert the inauguration of his widow, Cora itself. zon, as President of the Philippines on February 25, 1986. A C o m r a d e I s A s P r e c i o u s As A Rice Seedling

poems by Mila D. Aguilar. LSJ Second edition. Kitchen Table: Women of Color Press, PO Box 908, Latham, NY 12110.

This edition contains poems writ ten while Aguilar was imprisoned in B i t t e r M e l o n , S t o r i e s f r o m the Philippines, from August 1984 to the Last Rural Chinese her release by President Corazon BEYOND WORDS

Town in America Aquino on February 27, 1986. Iniiiges li-om Anieiiea's tloncenlniliiiit Camp.s

DEBOR\H GESENSWAV by Jeff Gillenkirk and and MINDY IIOSEMAN James Motlow. University of Washington Press, PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096.

Oral histories, portraits, and photo graphs of the Chinese American resi Beyond Words, Images dents of Locke, California. f r o m A m e r i c a ' s C o n c e n t r a tion Camps Unlikely Liberators, The Men of the 100th and by Deborah Gesensway and 442nd Mindy Roseman. Cornell University Press, 124 Roberts by Masayo Umezawa Duus. Place, PO Box 250, Ithaca, NY 14851. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, HI 96822. Seventy-seven paintings, drawings, and sketches created in the camps Personalized account of the young are reproduced along with testimo men of the 100th and 442nd battal n i e s a n d o r a l h i s t o r i e s o f t h e a r t i s t s . ions, separated from their families T h e a r t i s t s s h a r e t h e i r m e m o r i e s o f and friends, often confused and sus t h e e v a c u a t i o n , t h e t r i b u l a t i o n s o f picious about what the army wanted camp life, the desolate swamps and from them. Based on nearly three deserts in which the camps were hundred interviews with Japanese situated, and the prison fences that American veterans. encircled them.

68 EAST WIND In Release. . .

Country Voices, the Oral History of a Japanese American Family Farm Community

by David Mas Masumoto. Inaka Countryside Publications, 9336 E. Lincoln, Del Rey, CA 93616. From the film Through interviews, essays, and Family Gathering by photographs, the saga of a Japanese American family farm community in Lise YasuL the San Joaquin Valley of California i s t o l d .

Records

We Refuse to be Used and Abused archival footage, interviews with Coming to o Theater f o r m e r d e t a i n e e s , a n d h i s t o r i c a l N e a r Yo u by Fred Houn and the Afro-Asian reenactments. M u s i c E n s e m b l e . Forbidden City, USA Soul Note Records. Information: 22 W. Family Gathering 24th Street, New York, NY 10010. produced and directed by produced and directed by Arthur Dong. Lise Yasui. Information: 1737 No. Orange Grove T h e B a l l a d o r t h e B u l l e t ? Information: Lise Yasui, 218 West Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046. Walnut Lane, Philadelphia, PA 19144. by Jon Jang and the 4 in One During the 1930s and '40s, San Quartet. A deeply personal look at the ef Francisco Chinatown's Forbidden Asianlmprov Records, 5825 Telegraph f e c t s o f t h e W o r l d W a r I I e v a c u a t i o n City Nightclub captured the imagi Ave., #66, Oakland, CA 94610. and internment of Japanese Ameri nation of an international and elite cans on one family, told through the clientele. Forbidden City, LISA pre perspective of the filmmaker, a third- sents triumphant and humorous tales generation Japanese American. o f C h i n e s e A m e r i c a n s w h o b r o k e Films through their own cultural barriers a s w e l l a s d i s c r i m i n a t i o n i n t h e e n Otemba tertainment industry.

Carved In Silence directed by Kayo Hatta Eat A Bowl of Tea Information: Kayo Hatta, National produced and directed by Asian American Telecommunications directed by Wayne Wang. Felicia Lowe. Association, 346 Ninth Street, 2/E, San Information: Felicia Lowe, 398 Francisco, CA 94103. Adapted from the book by Louis Eleventh Street, San Francisco, Chu, the film tells the story of New CA 94103. About an eight-year-old Japanese York's Chinatown as it undergoes American girl's struggle to find her " m o d e r n " t r a n s i t i o n i n t h e p o s t Tells the story of the detention of identity in the face of traditional W o r l d W a r I I e r a . S c h e d u l e d t o b e Chinese immigrants to America dur Japanese cultural values as ex released this spring, and then on the ing the years of the Chinese Exclu pressed in her father's obsessive de American Playhouse television series sion Act (1882-1943) through rare s i r e f o r a s o n . in 1990.

SPRING/SUMMER 1989 69 New York Chinese Con^mtulations to the Jpt.panese American Communityl Progressive Association A Redress is ci Victory for All! 187 E. Broadway New York, New York 10002 (212) 505-9671

San Francisco Chinese Progressive Association Steering Committee Virgo Lee A 'Jl ff TaiMeaoTong Lorraine Leong

737A Grant Avenue RockwellChin San Francisco, CA 94108 (415) 956-9055 Kwai Ken Eng

Congratulations to the Nikkei REDRESS / REPARATIONS: community for the successful The struggle continues In the passage of redress! year of the serpent Little Tokyo Art Workshop GARY LOCKE Graphic and silk screening services for the community. fiAiles Hamada, Director Tel; (213) 620-0761 State Representative 37th District E C A S U ' s 11 t h A n n u a l C o n f e r e n c e

Asian Empowerment through Unity: A Challenging Future

• Speakers • Workshops • Panel Discussions • Cultural Performances • Chinatown and New Asiantown tours • Party!

March 25, 1989 Hunter College, New York City (68th St. & Lexington Ave.)

Everyone is encouraged to participate! For more information, please call (212) 685-6738

Asian/Pacific Islander Student Union 11th Annual Conference

APSU '89: MOVING AHEAD WITH OUR DIVERSITY .c\.C StUcy^

April 22, 1989 " S a n tUniversity a C r u z of , California C A

For more information: (408) 459-2312 'When the Civil Liberties Act became law, we reminded our Nation of what our American ideal is. It is an ideal not bounded by race. It is an ideal not qualified by heritage. It is an ideal not to be slighted through expedience. Through your work and support, your efforts have touched the core of what it means to be an American." - N o r m a n Y. M i n e t a Member of Congress 13th District, California AASC Asian American Studies Center • Research Progrims 3232 CampbeUHaU • Pcst-(ioctoTate {ellowships Asian American Resource Workshop • Master of Alls degree program University of (Talifomia • Undergraduate courses education art & culture advocacy Los Angeles, OA 90024-1546 • Publications • Reading RoonyLibrary resources 27 Beach St. 3/F (213) 835-2974 Boston, MA 02111 (617) 426-5313

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ASIAN AMERICANS FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT CONGRATULATIONS ON A GREAT VICTORY FOR A UNITED COMMUNITY!

Peter N. Kiang Asian American Studies University of Massachusetts/Boston

Boston, MA 02125-3393; (617) 929-7864 1922 The Alameda, Suite #100 San Jose, CA 95126 Asian/Pacific-I ndo-Chinese (408) 554-8111 Mental Health Program

(213) 293-6284 Helping The Vouth To Help Themselves Because Thev fire Our Fut;ure

M a b u h a y t o E a s t W i n d !

Seorch To Involve Pilipino flmericons, Inc. Asian American Drug Abuse Program, inc. 2408 UUest Temple Street Los Fingeles, Colifornio 90026 5318 South Crenshaw Blvd., Los Angeles, Calif. 90043 Telephone (215) 382-1819 The passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 signifies that the U.S. Congress will not let anything interfere with its sworn duty to uphold the principles which have made this country the great Nation that it is - a commitment to freedom, liberty and justice for all.

The success of the redress bill demonstrates the true character of America in a way that the whole world can recognize. While all countries inevitably make mistakes few have the courage and wisdom to recognize and acknowledge those mistakes. I am deeply honored to have been a part of this historic effort.

Thank you for your continued support and best wishes for success in your future endeavors.

Bob, Doris and Brian Matsui HOKUBEI ® MAINICHI Kokon Taiko Ensemble

Serving the Japanese American community Congratulations East Wind! of Northern and Central California Published in English and Japanese Tuesdays through Saturdays

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9 0 1 H S T R E E T • S U I T E 6 1 0 May Love SACRAMENTO • CALIFORNIA 9581 4 North Hollywood, CA. THE

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Great for people of ail ages to learn alMiit the history and experience o f A s i a n s i n A m e r i c a . "Ruifkuic^ Photographer To order The Asian American Comic Book, send $6 415 424 8156 (plus $1 postage & handling) to AARW; 868 San Antonio Road The Asian American Resource Workshop Palo Alto California 27 Beach St. 3F 94303 Boston. MA 02111 (617)426-5313

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"Justice Now, Reparations Now!"

This 30-niinute videotape traces the redress/reparations movement from the concentration camps to victory in 1988. It includes footage of testimonies at the 1981-82 hearings; lob bying in Congress, July 1987; President Reagan's signing of the bill in August 1988, and much more. Suitable for classroom or personal viewing.

To order send your name and address, a check or money order for $23 (includes postage and handling), along with a note indicating the money is for a copy of the video (rather than a donation) to NCRR Video at the addresses listed above. Washington Association for Asian and Pacific American Education* 1709 SO. ANGEUNE ST. • SEATTLE, WASHINGTON 98108

Education for our Future

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YU-AI KAI The Harry H. Dow Japanese American Community Senior Service Memorial Legal Assistance Fund Equality and Justice for Asian Americans P.O. Box 5655, Boston, MA 02101

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"More than any other Asian American publication, the Examiner gives me a natural feeling for the experiences and issues of each Day of Remembrance 1989 Asian American community as if it were my own. The International Examiner's exemplary photography and thoughtful writing identify our common ground and promote unity." "Redress/Reparations Victory! Loni Ding The Next Step..." Producer of' "The Color of Honor "The Examiner has a 'national' scope and feel to it, and no one else is doing what it does."

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Congratulations to the Japanese American community on your historic victory To the EAST WIND which empowers the soul ami writing of Momoko Iko, Phillip Gotanda, and Warren Kubota.

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T H E A S S O C I AT I O N F O R A S I A N A M E R I C A N S T U D I E S W I L L B E H O L D I N G I T S S I X T H N AT I O N A L CONFERENCE AT HUNTER COLLEGE, NYC, JUNE 1 - 3,1989. THIS YEAR'S THEME IS "COMPARATIVE AND GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE ASIAN DIASPORA."

The Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS) was formed in 1979 to promote teaching and research in the field of Asian American Studies and to educate American society about the history, contemporary problems and aspirations of Asian American ethnic minorities. Over 150 scholars, artists, ^ucators, writers and community workers from across the nation will be making presentations. Cultural events and an awards banquet are also planned.

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Leon Sim PHOTOGRAPHY/DESIGN DAVID MONKAWA

Graphics & illustration (415) 563-0759 (415) 531-2064 ^[mertcan $os(tal l^orber^ ?Hmon,'3jri-C3(@

Karen Wing General Vice President JULIAN LOW ASSISTANT DEAN C A M P U S A F F A I R S

SAN FRANCISCO LOCAL E X E C U T I V E P A R K . 5 T H O M A S M E L L O N S U I T E 1 6 7 SAN FRANCISCO. CA 9At34 ( 4 1 5 ) 4 6 7 - I 9 2 0 A S I A N A M E R I C A N A C T I V I T I E S C E N T E R ( 4 1 5 ) 7 2 3 - 2 1 9 9 STANFORD UNIVERSITY STANFORD, CA 94305

CCSF

BAAND R i c k Y u e n

Bay Area Asians for Nuclear Disarmament

P. O . B o x 111 7 Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) Berkeley, CA 94701

FRED HOON to the "Issei Spirit" A SOMG FOR MaFIONG a new recording by pianist Glenn Horiuchi 'nt **£«;•••t>6E>e.£

AsianImprov Records 5825 Telegraph Ave., No. 66, Oakland, CA 94609

Wholesale orders and Inquiries are welcome. Retail mail orders for AIR abums are $10 ea<^ (includes shying and handling). AN IDEAL GIFT... "Here at last are not only vivid verbal memories but also clear visual recordings. . . . The result in many ways is not only beyond words, it is even beyond newsreels, since the moving hand of art is always present." —Foumiko Kometani, The N.Y. Times Book Review

BEYOND WORDS Images from America's Concentration Camps By DEBORAH GESENSWAY and MINDY ROSEMAN This book offers a remarkable sampling of art created by Japanese Americans in relocation centers during WW II. Accompanying the artwork are the testimonies of their creators—25 gifted in d i v i d u a l s — w h o s h a r e t h e i r m e m o r i e s o f t h e e v a c u a t i o n a n d t h e tribulations of camp life. 67 pages of color plates, 10 b &. w il lustrations. $24.95 At your local bookstore or order direct using this handy coupon.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS Aect # , Exp., CORNELL 124 Roberts Place, Ithaca, New York 14850 Please send me eopy(ics] of BEYOND UNIVERSITY Name WORDS at $24.95 each, plus $2.50 postage and handling. (New York State residents PRESS Address 1 2 4 R o b e r t s P l a c e please add sales tax.) If not completely sat isfied, I may return the book(s) within 10 Ithaca, NY 14850 days for a full refund. I enelosc $ City. State (check or money order) or charge my □ VISA □ MasterCard □ AMEX ZIP.

We celebrate with all A m e r i c a n s a time when our nation has reaffirmed the principles of equality and justice under the Japanese American Community of New England

Constitution. Oshogatsu Committee Japanese American Citizens League, 1 9 S e n i c D r i v e New England Chapter Portland, CT 06480 85 Wendell Street (203) 342-1731 Cambridge, MA 02138 (617) 491-2332 Notes on items in cover photo

1. Duffel bag from the Tokushige femily, San Jose, California. 2. Camp at Amachc, Colorado. Photo courtesy of Geoi^e Yoshioka. 3. Charles Hamasaki testifying at the Commission hearings in Los Angeles, 1981. 4. Camp identification tags from the Tatsuno femily, San Jose, California. 5,10,11,12. Photos courtesy of George Yoshioka. 6. Purple Heart belonging to Rudy Tokiwa, 442nd Regimental Combat Team. 7. Pilgrimage to camp at Manzanar, May 1982. 8. 1982 Day ofRememberance, Los Angeles. 9. Eagle carved by Paul Sawabe from the wood of his trunk, one of few personal belongings allowed in camp.