Interviews
“I was never an exceptional student…”
I was never an exceptional student, which seems kind of odd, but I think part of it was because I was not that interested in school. I think from the time I was in maybe junior high school or high school, I studied enough to get good enough grades, but I was never interested in becoming an outstanding scholar. I never applied myself that much. In other words, I had the same grades, I was thinking about this, all through school. During high school, I probably had mostly Bs, got a few As. And then went to college and I had mostly Bs and a few As. And I went to law school, and I had mostly Bs and a few As. So I would study hard enough to get well enough, but I was not that motivated to study. I wanted to finish school, and I wanted to go to work.
Date: July 2, 2014
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Sakura Kato
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum; Japanese American Bar Association
Explore More Videos
The Founding of JABA: Getting Judges Appointed
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
On Getting the Call from J. Anthony Kline
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
On Justice Todd’s Involvement with the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
On Working in the Appellate Court
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
Growing Up in Japan
(b. 1930) Half Japanese and grew up in both Japan and the United States.
How she transitioned from anthropology to law
Sansei judge for the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California
Cofounding the Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association
(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney
Racial discrimination prepared her in becoming the first transgender trial lawyer
(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney