Hope Healing Harmony 2017 #3312 VOL.165 #11 Newstand $5/Postpaid $8 Dec. 15, 2017-Jan. 25, 2018 2 · HOLIDAY ISSUE 2017 · · HOLIDAY ISSUE 2017 · 3 4 · HOLIDAY ISSUE 2017 · PACIFIC CITIZEN Letter From the Editor 123 Ellison S. Onizuka St., Suite 313 Los Angeles, CA 90012 uring our editorial meetings to discuss what this year’s Holiday Tel: (213) 620-1767 Issue theme would be, the Pacific Citizen staff kept coming back to Email: [email protected] Website: www.pacificcitizen.org the central theme of “hope” — something we all hold within us to Dsomehow right what’s wrong with the world today. © 2016-2017 The Pacific Citizen newspaper (ISSN: 0030-8579) is published semimonthly As 2017 comes to a close, it seems more than ever that we’re precariously (except once in December and January) by leaning toward the wrong end of the seesaw — on one side is a world filled with the Japanese American Citizens League. the “healing” effects of “harmony,” where everyone is able to coexist in peace Pacific Citizen 123 Ellison S. Onizuka St., Suite 313 and safety; on the other, the dangers of nuclear war, racial discrimination, Los Angeles, CA 90012 violence and human rights injustices threaten to destroy it all. Periodical postage paid at Los Angeles, CA What can we do to move us back in the right direction? It all starts with POSTMASTER: Send address changes to National JACL our voices. And there’s no better place to make ourselves heard than in the 1765 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115 JACL and the Pacific Citizen, which have been fighting for our rights and OFFICE HOURS — Mon.-Fri., 9 a.m.-5 p.m. documenting our history since 1929. Pacific Time Today, the JACL is more relevant than ever — national staff, chapters and ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTION RATES: JACL MEMBERS: $12 of the national dues provide districts across the U.S., youth and the P.C. are working nonstop to represent one year on a one-per-house hold basis. our voices and keep us informed so that our story will continue to be told. NONMEMBERS: 1 year – $50 payable in It’s especially important now as other ethnic communities are facing similar Cover By: Marie Samonte advance. Ad di tion al postage per year — $50 International Delivery. (Subject to issues and threats. change without notice.) Periodical postage Let’s hope the world hears us in 2018. “Hope. Healing. Harmony.” We’ve all got to believe in the power of those paid at Los Angeles, Calif. Permission: No part of this publication may three words. It’s the only way to ensure our future. be reproduced without express permission — Allison Haramoto, of the publisher. Copying for other than per- Executive Editor sonal or internal reference use without the express permission of P.C. is prohibited. Story Index .......................................................... Executive Editor: Allison Haramoto A Philadelphia Story ............................ 8 Senior Editor, Digital & Social Media: By Rob Buscher Year in Review: 2017 ................... 42 George T. Johnston Business Manager: From the Executive Director .............. 15 National News ............................. 43 Susan Yokoyama By David Inoue Circulation Manager: Eva Lau-Ting ........... 45 Production Designer: Marie Samonte JA Activism in Minnesota SF JACL Remembers Mayor Lee ....... 15 By Yuichiro Onishi Production Assistant: Mary Wong By SF JACL NEWS AD DEADLINE FRIDAY Hoping for the Best ...................... 48 BEFORE DATE OF ISSUE. The Universe of Yayoi Kusama .......... 16 By Gil Asakawa Editorials, news and the opinions By Alissa Hiraga expressed by col um nists other than the A Dream Is a Wish Your national JACL pres ident or executive Music to Soothe the Soul ................... 18 Heart Makes ................................ 52 director do not necessarily reflect By Kristen Taketa By Marsha Aizumi JACL policy. Events and products advertised in the Pacific Citizen do not carry the implicit endorsement of Death Valley’s Days of Incarceration 25 Perfect Presents ........................... 55 the JACL or this publication. By David Woodruff By Connie K. Ho We reserve the right to edit articles. Pacific Citizen Editorial Board: Gil Asakawa, Building a Better World ..................... 28 AARP: Home for the Holidays ...... 59 chairperson; open, EDC; Jody Mitori, MDC; By Kenji Kuramitsu By Scott Tanaka Joy Goto, CCDC; Jim Duff, NCWNPDC; Chip Larouche, PNWDC; Kayla Watanabe, Elder Law: Important Health Care IDC; John Saito Jr., PSWDC; Juli Yoshinaga, Pledging ‘Allegiance’ ........................ 32 youth rep. Documents You May Need ......... 63 By George Toshio Johnston By Staci Yamashita-Iida JAPANESE AMERICAN Yonsei Memory Project .................... 35 In Memoriam 2017: CITIZENS LEAGUE By Brynn Saito and Nikiko Masumoto Tributes and Obituaries ...............68 1765 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115 Tel: (415) 921-5225; Fax: (415) 931-4671 Drs. Sankey and Sankey Point to Founded in 1929, JACL is the nation’s oldest Spiritual Health ............................... 36 and largest Asian American civil and human By George Toshio Johnston rights organization with a 10,000 membership ................................................................. Ad Index base. JACL has 112 chapters nationwide, two regional offices, a Washington, D.C., office and a national headquarters in San Alameda .......................................... 31 New England ................................ 44 Snake River .................................... 41 Francisco. JACL’s mission is to secure and uphold the human and civil rights of Arizona ............................................ 40 New Mexico .................................. 27 Snowflakes .....................................58 Japanese Americans and all Americans while Berkeley .......................................... 64 New York ...................................... 40 Sonoma County ..............................41 preserving our cultural heritage and values. Boise Valley...................................... 44 Olympia ........................................ 34 St. Louis ..........................................41 National Board Chicago ........................................... 67 Omaha ...........................................21 President: Gary Mayeda; VP General Stockton ....................................... 2, 3 Operations: Michelle Amano; VP Public Cincinnati ........................................ 66 Philadelphia ..................................40 Twin Cities ...................................... 21 Affairs: Jeffrey Moy; VP Planning and Clovis ............................................... 66 Pocatello-Blackfoot ......................40 Venice-West L.A. .............................. 7 Development: Matthew Farrells; VP Membership: Haruka Roudebush; Secretary/ Contra Costa.................................... 30 Portland .......................................... 4 Ventura County.............................. 6, 7 Treasurer: Alan Nishi; National Youth/Student Dayton ............................................... 7 Puyallup Valley .............................54 Wall of Fame..................................... 60 Council Chair: Kota Mizutani; NY/SC Detroit ............................................. 34 Riverside .......................................44 Youth Representative: Kenji Kuramitsu Wasatch............................................. 7 Eden Township..................................11 Sacramento ....................................7 District Governors: Carol Kawase, Washington, D.C. ............................ 41 NCWNP; Roberta Barton, CCDC; Carol Fort Lupton ...................................... 21 Salinas Valley ............................... 15 Wisconsin.........................................12 Kawamoto, PSW; Chip Larouche, PNW; Fresno .............................................. 27 Salt Lake City ................................54 Janet Komoto, IDC; Betsy Sato, MDC; Scott Nakamura, EDC Greater L.A. ...................................... 54 San Diego ......................................31 DISTRICT COUNCILS Holiday Helpers ............................... 14 San Fernando Valley .................... 47 National Headquarters Central California............................. 44 Hoosier ........................................ 66 Interim Assistant Executive Director: San Jose .......................................27 Eastern............................................. 41 Stephanie Nitahara; Business Manager: Idaho Falls ....................................... 44 Santa Barbara ...............................40 Intermountain.................................. 21 Matthew Walters; Membership Coordinator: JACL “Annual Giving”...................... 22 Mariko Fujimoto; Membership/Data Entry: Seabrook ......................................41 Midwest ........................................... 31 Tomiko Ismail; Bookkeeper: Mei Kuang Livingston-Merced …..................... 40 Seattle .......................................... 34 N. Cal Western Nevada Pacific ....... 31 Regional Offices Lodi .................................................. 13 Selanoco ...................................... 12 Pacific Northwest............................ 44 Northern California-Western Nevada/Pacific Mile High ......................................... 19 Sequoia ........................................ 54 District: Patty Wada, director; Pacific Southwest.............................12 Pacific Southwest District: Monterey Peninsula ........................ 34 Silicon Valley ................................54 Stephanie