YOUTH LEADERS Young victims of the BP oil spill take a stand. TRANSFORMER Former 'Gilmore Girls' star takes on Michael Bay. 2 SEPT 17·30, 2010 SPECIAL SCHOLARSHIP ISSUE PACIFIC e CITIZEN WHAT'S INSIDE PACIFIC a crnZEN HOW TO REA CH US E·mail: [email protected] Online: www.pacificcitizen.org Q&A With Roxana Saberi Tel: (213) 620-1767 Falc (213) 620-1768 Mail: 25OE.FirstStreet.Suite 301 Los Angeles, CA90012 STAFF EXeaJtive Editor caroline Y. Aoyagi·Stom Assistant Editor Lynda Un Reporter Nalea J. Ko Business Manager Vacant Circulation Eva Lau·Ting The Pacific Citizen newspaper (ISSN: CJ03O..8579) is published The former National JACL Scholarship winner talks about semi·monthly (except once In De­ her 100-daycaptivity in Iran.» PAGE 3 cember and January) by the Japa· nese American Citizens League, Pacilic Citizen. 25OE . lslStreel, Suite 301, Los Youth Leaders in BP Oil Spill Angeles, CA90012 Mainstream media coverage has waned, but yo uth leaders Periodical postage paid at L.A .. CA POSTMASTER: send address have since stepped up to the challenge. » PAGE 4 changes to National JACL, 1765 Sutt8!" St., San Francisco, CA 94115 From 'Gilmore Girls' to 'Transformers' JACL President: David Kawamoto Natiooal Director: Floyd Mori p.G. EDITORIAL OOARD Margie Yamamoto, chairperson: Paul Niwa, EDC : Usa Hanasono. MDC : Jason Chang, CCDC ; Judith Aono, NCWNPDC; Hugh Burlesoo, PNWDC : Jeflilami. IDC: Cindi Har· bottle. PSW'DC: Sonya Kuki , Youth SUBSCRIBE Get a one-year subscription 01 the Pacific Citizen newspaper at: www,paciliccitizen.org or call (BOO) 966-6157 Leigh Nishi·Strattner (left) is among the many winners of the 2010 JACL Actress Keiko Agena goes from small screen to the silver ADVERTISE National Scholarships. PAGES 6-14 screen. » PAGE 5 To advertise in the Pacific Citizen, call (800) 966·6157 or e·mail: [email protected] LEGAL No part 01 this publication may be reproduced without the express permission 01 the PaCific Citizen. Editorials, JlEIWS and the opinions expressed by columnists other /1 than the national JACL president or The Eastern District Council Congratulates national director do not necessar· ily ref~ JACL policy. Events and products advertised in the Pacific Our JA CL 2010 Scholarship Winners and Citizen do oot carry the implicit ~. endorsement of the JACLor Ihis . publication. We reserve the right to Welcomes Those Coming to the East Coast edit articles. Periodicals paid at Los Angeles, cali! and mailing office. • • Winner H orn e ChaRter Educational Instituti JACL MEMBERS Change of Gregory Bennett Washington, DC Georgetown Uni verl Address Taylour Chang Honolulu Yale Uni versity r t :/ If you've moved, please send new Catherine lshitani Twin Cities Princeton university/. I . information to: National JACL Christopher Lapinig New England Yale Law School • 1765 Sutter SI. • San Francisco, CA Jacqueline Mac Chi cago Uni versity of Maryl nd • 94115 Tara Ohrtman Florin Princeton Uni versity Anow 6 weeks for I address changes. Natali e Rojas Portland Well esley Coll ege 1 .. " To avoid interrup· tions in delivery. Naomi Schurr South Bay MIT please notify your postmaster to Shirley Tang Washington, DC Uni v. of California, Hastings include periodicals in your change of address (USPS Form 3575) PACIFIC £ CITIZEN TOP STORIES SEPT 17-30, 2010 3 Former JACL Scholarship Winner Talks Human Rights For 100 days lasL year, Roxana Saberi was incarcerated in Iran for a crime of es pi onage she says she did nOL commit Behind bars, the journalist who is of Iranian and Japanese descent, was not even allowed to have a pen or paper. Since her release, Saberi, 33, has traveled all over the U.S. to la lk about her experiences in Iran, human rights and her new book "Between Two Worlds: My Life and Captivity in Iran ," " 1 think jf you are passionate about peacefully standing up for civil and human rights. you will find a way to do so;' said Saberi in an e-mail to the Pacific Citizen. "Every person's actions count. When enough people callout together for chan ge over a continuous period of time, they can make a difference:' Before she snagged headlines for her imprisonment. Saberi. a former Miss North Dakota from Fargo. was working to get in touch with her Japancse identity. She is a formcr JACL national scholarship winner and an honoree at the Sept. 16 National JACL "Salute to Champions" Gala. As a former youth member, Saberi responds to questions below about identity and human rights fmm today's JACL youth members. 'I would like to believe that all human beings are inherently "good" and not "evil"' said Roxana Saberi. Has your experience in prison changed the way you rights, gender equality, or the rule of law'r - Caroline Arter witnessing so much 'good' and ' evil' of human perceive yourself and your Iranian Japanese American C hao 19, Berkeley J ACL spirits in Iran, what do )'OU belie \"e is important for identity'! - Mariko Newton, 19, I)ortland JACL Saberi: Before I was imprisoned. I had sometimes you to do as a j ounlalist a nd a civil rights advocate to Saberi: I am proud of my American. Japanese and Iranian reported on human rights issues. but I had felt like an outside help spread more 'good ' huma n spirits in our society backgrounds. Of course, ultimately. I consider myself a observer. When I was arrested. I was deprived of certain and around the " 'orld'! - Rachel Seeman, 18, Portland human being, and in prison I learned that we are all capable rights, such as the right [0 a lawyer (and one of my choice), JACL of suffering from the same things and the right to be presumed innocent Saberi: I would like to believe that all human beings are deserve the same universal human until proven guilty in a fair and inherently 'good· and not 'evil: although some people have rights. public trial. and the right to tell my a heavier 'overlay' covering their true spi rits than do ot hers. '/ think change begins family where I was. I realized that I think that a good education (and I use Ihis in a broad sense Wbat is the most important idea that within ourselves, but if these were basic rights that any - not just an academic education but also an education in all Americans should know about prisoner anywhere in Ihe world life) is key to spreading more goodness around the world. I Il'an'! - Alex Honjiyo, 19, Lake more of us care about would want, and 1 piti ed anyone think change begins within ourselves, but if more of us care Washington .JACL who did not enjoy them. about what is happening 10 others who are un able to help Saberi: There are many important what is happening to 1 also came 10 know several themselves, whether they are in our own communities or points I believe Americans could others who are unable women political prisoners and on the other side of the world. goodness is bound to spread! benefit to know about Iran . One of prisoners of conscience. whose As for me, 1hope that I can do my part by keeping myself them is that many ordinary Iranians to help themselves, only crime was to peacefully stand well informed. giving talks, writing about human rights and like the American people and want whether they are in IIp for basic human rights. Some of feeling compassion . • better relations with the United States. them had experienced much more Another is thaI I beli eve the majority our own communities injustice than I. EXTRA! I~ ead more of Roxana Saberi's inten'iew: of Iranians would like a progressive, Given these experiences, as well www.pacificcitizell .org democratic government that respects or on the other side of as repOlts of Ihe force and violence human rights. I hope they can overcome the world, goodness 's used by Iranian ======= the many obstacles to this goal sooner authorities against rather than later. bound to spreadl' peaceful demonstrators last year, I feel that How did you feel being imprisoned the human rights for something you believed in? - violations I had heard Ha tsumi Yoshida, 19, New York .JACL of in Iran before my Saberi: AI first, I was in denial. I didn't wanl to accept incarceration became much more real to me. I that I was in prison. I was in denial of the present moment believe that now I am free, I have a responsibility and stuck in the pas!. [ kept saying to myself. ' I can't believe and a desire to join many others in speaking out I'm here. I wish I had known earlier 1 would've run for those in Iran who arc pursuing human rights away." I also felt anger - anger at my captors. anger at and struggling to make their own voices heard. myself, anger at God for not rescuing me. KOKORO ~~ Later, J gained much morc courage through illtrospection Haw JO u gone hack to I mn since your .-:< , " :fl V ~ . <;''''i'G CO.. .. UNITY FOR HN IO. ~ ICR I3IS600llS and by meeting other pol iti cal prisoners. once I was experience? S)'dncy Shiroyama, 19, transferred out of solitary confinement. They inspired me, Sequoia JACL 74-1lour11ll1ling 5eariIy PnnIiIed Car. s..us and I came to feel that the only life I wanted to li ve was Saberi: I have not retumed to Iran since I left lwnd 11M (1Dd (11ft sroff one in which I acted in lIccordance with my cOllscience. I in May 2009, but I fell in love with the country hIIairam ~ lliIIing loom graduall y became more defiant and confident toward my and made many good friends.