1 San Fernando Valley Japanese American Citizens League Newsletter February/March, 2014 DAVID ONO KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT JACL INSTALLATION The SFV JACL installation of 2014 officers was performed on Sunday January 19 th at a luncheon at Odyssey Restaurant. This year, the keynote speaker was ABC7’s news anchor reporter, David Ono. David Ono is of mixed parentage. Born in Germany, he is the third child of European descent father and mother from Kumamoto Japan. His mother passed away while he was still quite young and David grew up in Texas where there were few Asians. Early in his professional career he took his mother’s family name and while working in Sacramento began making connections to the Japanese American community who reached out to him. Ono’s efforts to bring to attention the Japanese American experience has been acknowledged not just by the Japanese American community but by the network reporting community for his excellent journalism. Ono has received numerous awards including three Edward R. Murrow awards, 16 Emmys and 35 nominations. In 2004, Ono covered an oral interview research project conducted with members of the SFV JA Community Center and Edith Chen, a professor of Asian American studies at Cal State Univ. Northridge. In a short film clip shown on ABC7 news Ono captured the history of Japanese American farmers in the San Fernando Valley, until they were removed at the start of WWII. The film clip was shown at the luncheon. Ono has written, directed and produced these segments on the Asian American experience independently and presented them on completion to the network for airing. As Ono’s perspective on various matters has continued to capture large audiences as noted on the network blog, ABC7 management has supported and recognized his work, Ono indicated his goal is to make the Asian American experience not just a local or west coast issue, but his objective is to have his work seen nationally so American history includes the most decorated Nisei 442 nd , Go For Broke unit in military history. He expressed his effort to make Asian American history, be equally or as widely advertised as “Red Tails”, the Tuskegee airmen. Ono is currently working on the next installment of the Heart Mountain story where many of the residents of Los Angeles area were relocated for WWII internment. Ono indicated one part of the Heart Mountain story will be shown in Little Tokyo on February 22 nd at JANM in conjunction with Day of Remembrance activities. Article submitted by Patty Takayama UPCOMING EVENTS COME JOIN US IN THE FUN AND ACTIVITIES February 15 Day of Remembrance March 9 East West Players- A Nice Indian Boy March 23 (Date change from last newsletter article) Working Towards Inclusion with our Nikkei LGBGTQ Community March 30 Tuna Canyon Informational Meeting April 26 Manzanar Pilgrimage Please email [email protected]or send comments to: Nancy Gohata 14229 Carl Street Arleta, CA 91331 Questions or Comments?
15
Embed
San Fernando Valley Japanese American Citizens League … · 2019-03-18 · San Fernando Valley Japanese American Citizens League Newsletter February/March, 2014 DAVID ONO KEYNOTE
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
1
San Fernando Valley Japanese American Citizens League Newsletter
February/March, 2014
DAVID ONO KEYNOTE SPEAKER
AT JACL INSTALLATION
The SFV JACL installation of 2014 officers
was performed on Sunday January 19th
at a
luncheon at Odyssey Restaurant. This year,
the keynote speaker was ABC7’s news
anchor reporter, David Ono.
David Ono is of mixed parentage.
Born in Germany, he is the third child of
European descent father and mother from
Kumamoto Japan. His mother passed away while he was still quite young
and David grew up in Texas where there were few Asians. Early in his
professional career he took his mother’s family name and while working in
Sacramento began making connections to the Japanese American
community who reached out to him.
Ono’s efforts to bring to attention the Japanese American
experience has been acknowledged not just by the Japanese American
community but by the network reporting community for his excellent
journalism. Ono has received numerous awards including three Edward R.
Murrow awards, 16 Emmys and 35 nominations.
In 2004, Ono covered an oral interview research project conducted
with members of the SFV JA Community Center and Edith Chen, a
professor of Asian American studies at Cal State Univ. Northridge. In a
short film clip shown on ABC7 news Ono captured the history of Japanese
American farmers in the San Fernando Valley, until they were removed at
the start of WWII. The film clip was shown at the luncheon.
Ono has written, directed and produced these segments on the
Asian American experience independently and presented them on
completion to the network for airing. As Ono’s perspective on various
matters has continued to capture large audiences as noted on the network
blog, ABC7 management has supported and recognized his work,
Ono indicated his goal is to make the Asian American experience
not just a local or west coast issue, but his objective is to have his work
seen nationally so American history includes the most decorated Nisei
442nd
, Go For Broke unit in military history. He expressed his effort to
make Asian American history, be equally or as widely advertised as “Red
Tails”, the Tuskegee airmen.
Ono is currently working on the next installment of the Heart
Mountain story where many of the residents of Los Angeles area were
relocated for WWII internment. Ono indicated one part of the Heart
Mountain story will be shown in Little Tokyo on February 22nd
at JANM
in conjunction with Day of Remembrance activities.
Article submitted by Patty Takayama
UPCOMING
EVENTS
COME JOIN US IN
THE FUN AND
ACTIVITIES
February 15 Day of Remembrance March 9 East West Players- A Nice Indian Boy March 23 (Date change from last newsletter article)
Working Towards Inclusion with our Nikkei LGBGTQ Community March 30 Tuna Canyon Informational Meeting April 26 Manzanar Pilgrimage
The JACL holiday party, with the theme, Reindeer Games was held Saturday evening, December
14th
at the SFV JA Community Center. Families feasted on savory potluck dishes and joined their little
ones at the craft tables to make penguin and reindeer ornaments for their Christmas trees or gift packages.
The potluck dinner and arts and crafts were followed by group singing, adult and children dancing
where children advanced around the circle switching partners to the music. Afterwards, children gathered
to swat the piñata, which gave rise to a frenzy of chaos as children scrambled to gather candy as it spilled
out of the piñata.
While voices singing out choral notes from seasonal songs including “Jingle Bells”, Santa Claus
announced his arrival to present gifts to the little children. Gift exchange drawing selections were
followed by closing comments by Harold Kameya, the SFV JACL chapter president for 2014.
Article submitted by Patty Takayama
President Harold Kameya and his family.
Children at the Holiday party enjoyed
hitting the candy filled piñata.
9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Board member, Paul Jonokuchi, will now be writing Paul’s Corner. Sumi
Yamaguchi, who had been the writer for Sumi’s Corner is now the Chapter Treasurer.
PAUL’S CORNER
Congratulations to Scholarship Chair, Jean Paul deGuzman, who along with three dozen
undergraduate and graduate students, was recognized for his research and scholarship at the UCLA Asian
American Studies Center’s Annual Awards and Alumni Reception. PhD candidate, JP, shared his
personal experiences and appreciation for what the award has done for him.
Board member, Mitzi Kushida, was recently nominated by the California Retired Teachers
Association (CalRTA) Division 19 to be CalRTA’s Ruth Q. de Prida Award recipient, the most
prestigious award that CalRTA offers its members. This award, presented annually, honors outstanding
service as an educator and community leader, as well as outstanding service to CalRTA at all levels. A
member of Divison 19 for ten years, Mitzi served as treasurer for seven of these years. Congratulations,
Mitzi!
Congratulations to Board member, Aujean Christina Lee, who just received an acceptance letter
to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign’s PhD program in urban planning.
Speedy recovery to Karl Nobuyuki, former National Director of JACL and former president and
long time friend of our chapter. After undergoing an operation, Karl is home and we all wish him the
best.
Kyle Okita, son of Board members Barbara & Dennis Okita, and a photography enthusiast,
attended the Clemson/Citadel football game in South Carolina in November of 2013. Clemson, who was
ranked 5th
nationally overwhelmed the Citadels 52-6. Kyle sold a two-page action shot that was picked
up by Sports Illustrated. This impressive layout is in the December 2nd issue of Sports Illustrated on
pages 14-15. Kyle is a financial analyst working in Dallas, Texas.
NIKKEI LGBTQ INTERFAITH DIALOGUE
In collaboration with the JACL-Pacific Southwest District’s new Nikkei LGBTQ Initiative, the SFV
JACL chapter is hosting an interfaith dialogue on gender and sexuality on Sunday, March 23rd
from 12-
2 PM at the SFV Japanese American Community Center.
This interfaith dialogue will have panel perspectives represented by both Christian and Jodo Shinshu
Ministers, thus far including Reverend Patricia Usuki from the SFV Buddhist Hongwanji Temple.
Recognizing the lack of community spaces that highlight topics on gender, sexuality and the LGBTQ
community, this important event hopes to raise awareness on these often unspoken subjects to a diverse
audience of different faiths and generations.
We earnestly invite you, your family and friends to come to this interfaith dialogue with your curiosities
and questions, and look forward to this engaging event.
Article submitted by traci ishigo
10
PURIFICATION IS THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS ENLIGHTENMENT AT TUNA
CANYON DETENTION STATION (TCDS)
Six years ago, Dr. Lloyd Hitt and Mr. Paul Tsuneishi started the TCDS campaign that has enabled
us to preserve history about a Department of Justice camp in our own backyard that is now a Historical
Cultural Monument #1039. The soft sound of a flute was played by Aiko Kurland as Shinto Priest,
Reverend Alfred Tsuyuki, led the spiritual cleansing of a place where on December 8, the FBI ordered the
arrest or to cause the arrest of Japanese, Germans, Italians, and Japanese Peruvians after the bombing of
Pearl Harbor. His own father was also interned there.
Seventy two years ago on December 16, the INS or US Immigration and Natualization Serivce
took over the former Civilian Conservation Corp camp and transformed it ino a barbed wire enclosure
guarded by armed troops to receive individuals considered to be enemy aliens. During the ceremony,
members of those communities will participate.
The camp housed 300 prisoners at a time before they were relocated to Fort Lincoln, North Dakota,
Fort Missoula, Montana, and Sante Fe, New Mexico. For the Issei that meant going to one of ten
concentration camps after Executive Order 9066 was issued. They were farmers, fisherman, Buddhist
priests, leaders such as bankers, businessmen, and Japanese Language School teachers, mostly men.
Visiting day was reduced to two minutes when more than 1,837 people came one Sunday. No one was
allowed to speak in any language other than English standing ten feet from the barbed wire fence stranded,
with frozen bank accounts.
Many were later reunited with their families when 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans were
ordered to leave their homes, their belongings and take only what they could carry.
The goal of the Coalition is to collect the stories, poems, photos to preserve materiels for
educational purposes. We have the opportunity to teach the people of the City of Los Angeles, the Nation,
and the World about this dark episode and later, the wisdom of the City Council to designate this space on
June 24, 2013 as a Historical Cultural Monument. Merril Scott was the officer in charge of TCDS and left
a priceless photo album of the period until October 1943. Due to his compasionate treatment, letters of
apprecation are on records in the national archives, Thank you to David Scott, who has shared his
grandfather’s photo collection with the Little Landers’ Historical Society.
Why has it taken so long to discover? The records were released only a few years ago and no one
spoke of it including the Germans, Italians, and Peruvian Japanese. Today we begin the first step in
memorializing the space and eventually plan to install a walking path with informative plaques. After the
event, pilgrims came to the SFVJACC for a reception which included singing “Silent Night” in German,
Spanish, Italian, Japanese, and English much like was done during those days as Christmas was
approaching behind barbed wires. Phil Shigekuni, Marlene Hitt, and Kanji Sahara played their ukeleles for
the bittersweet song. SFVJACL member, Sumi Yamaguchi’s father was also among the innocent who were
arrested.
On March 30, there will be an informative dialogue with the adult children of internees, college
students, and an update regarding the plaque and at the SFVJACC from 1:00-3:00. Please come!
Article submitted by Nancy Oda
11
FROM UCLA TO GLENDALE-
A JOURNEY TO SUPPORT THE KOREAN COMFORT WOMEN
On January 8th
, the San Fernando JACL board voted unanimously to approve a resolution
supporting the Glendale City Council in their installation of the Korean Comfort Women monument, and
endorsed Congressman Mike Honda’s HR121 which made demands on the government of Japan regarding
the Korean Comfort Women.
The vote was taken after several meetings of discussion on the topic. People might be curious as to
why our chapter is involved in a matter that is seemingly a matter just between two countries.
Since I initiated the resolution, let me quickly describe my journey that began at an Asian Film
Festival at UCLA in the mid-1990s.
At the Asian Film Festival at UCLA, I saw the documentary "In the Name of the Emperor". It was
a documentary that reported the atrocities of the Japanese Imperial Army in Nanjing, China in 1937. It
briefly mentioned the Korean Comfort Women. It also reported attitudes of the Japanese government and
attitudes of some of the civilians in denying the truth of those atrocities.
I left the theatre feeling stunned by the extreme cruelty of the Japanese soldier, and ashamed by the
actions of denial by the government of Japan, as well as the attitudes of some of the citizens. What was
responsible for the attitudes of the soldiers? Was it the culture? Was it a part of our DNA?
A couple of years later, a reporter from Japan spoke at the Museum of Tolerance about the Nanking
Massacre. He appeared wearing a wig, a mustache and dark glasses. His name was Katsuichi Honda, and
his research uncovered the huge extent of the massacre of civilians in Nanjing, China in 1937. As a result
of his publishing his findings, his life had been threatened!
The atrocities of the Japanese Imperial Army remained with me as a thorn in my side. Those
memories came back to me with the Glendale Comfort Women monument installation last year. The
denials by the government of Japan, and the protest of the Japanese nationals sounded so familiar --- and
sad.
I am grateful to President Brian Moriguchi for his recommendation that we take a strong stance on
this issue, and to Phil Shigekuni for his work as civil rights chair.
On Wednesday, Jan. 22nd
, Congressman Mike Honda appeared at a hotel in Koreatown where
appreciative Koreans held a fundraiser. He was genuinely touched to see Kathy Masaoka, David
Monkawa, Phil & Marion Shigekuni, Nancy Gohata and me in the audience. Mike Honda suggested
that education be used to get people to understand history and the continued mistreatment of women
around the world.
Standing in front of the Comfort Women
sculpture, you will see a small, young powerless girl....
However, looking at her from a different angle, you
might see a young girl with a rather enormous power!
She has the power to preserve history, and the power
to educate and to open minds!
Article submitted by Harold Kameya
12
Japanese American Young Adults Invitation Program
The “KAKEHASHI Project-The Bridge for Tomorrow” is a youth exchange project, promoted by the Ministry Foreign Affairs in Japan, to heighten potential interest in Japan and increase the number of overseas visitors to the country, as well as enhance international understanding of the “Japan brand,” and the nation’s strengths and attractiveness, such as Japanese-style values and “Cool Japan.” The KAKEHASHI Project- Japanese American Young Adults Invitation Program provides a fully funded short-term study tour to Japan for undergraduate and graduate students (ages 18-25 years old at the time of application) in the United States.
The goals of Japanese American Young Adults Invitation Program are (1) to continue building cooperation between Japanese Americans and Japan, (2) to promote Japanese Americans a better understanding of Japan in a variety of fields including politics, economy and culture, and (3) to encourage Kakehashi alumni to be effective advocates in enhancing U.S.-Japan relations.
Go to www.jacl.org/news/Kakehashi.htm to download information about the program and eligibility
requirements: Application & Notification Schedule
Trip Date: July 14-July 24, 2014 Application Deadline: February 20, 2014
Trip Date: October 2014 TBD Application Deadline: February 20, 2014
Completed applications and all requested documentation must be received by the Japanese American Citizens League no later than the deadline application dates specified above. The application may be
submitted online, via e-mail or hard-copy. How to apply: