Never feeling discriminated against in Hawai‘i

No question about going into the family business From attorney to developer A perfect mix of both Growing up in two cultures Never feeling discriminated against in Hawai‘i About Albert Chikanobu Kobayashi, Inc. Three important things learned from father

Transcripts available in the following languages:

You know, I’ve heard the stories about what my dad went through and especially my grandfather, but you know, for me, I really can’t point to any discrimination I think, direct. I mean maybe it happened and I didn’t know it but even going back east, I didn’t really feel a lot of it.

I think the big advantage for me was growing up in Hawaii where basically everyone is like me – Hapa Haole. You know, all my best friends are the same racial mix as myself or a lot of them. So I think that sort of diversity in Hawaii really made me feel comfortable and confident about who I am and maybe as a result of that, I was just thicker skinned to it. I’m used to jokes – racial jokes. I liked racial jokes. I think they’re funny. I think it’s kind of cool to notice the differences and make fun. Some people are more sensitive to it, I just have thicker skin. So if it did happen to me, I wasn’t aware of it.

Date: June 1, 2006
Location: Hawai'i, US
Interviewer: Akemi Kikumura Yano
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

discrimination haole hapa hawaii race

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