Interviews

1. General reasons why people left Japan for Peru

2. Great grandfather Asato was a sumo wrestler

3. Grandfather loved to tell her stories of her great-grandfather Arakaki

4. Prosecution of Japanese Peruvians during the war

5. Where parents went to school in Peru

6. Parents leaving Peru to move to California

7. Reflections on childhood

8. Okinawan cultural appreciation

9. Prejudice against Okinawans from mainland folks

10. Okinawan Americans

11. Parents identification as Peruvian Okinawan

12. On Nikkei identity

13. Japanese values that she aligns with

14. American values she aligns with

15. Working together in Okinawa using three languages

Yamashiro,Michelle

Okinawan American whose parents are from Peru.

American values she aligns with

Definitely the idea of following your passion as a career. Like many other parents, my parents wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer. And when I told them I wanted to be a teacher they were all like “What?” “Why?” but because I worked so hard at it, and I can make a living out of it…or I consider myself a teacher still…I think that they’ve come to very much respect that and be proud of that. So I think that’s one thing that’s very American of me, is to just kind of following my own passions and trying to make it on my own, that’s one big one.

I was just about to say I am sure outspoken. Maybe too much so for my parent’s liking. I think they raised me as such though; they raised me to have opinions and to share my opinions. But at the same time, be respectful of other people’s opinions too, if they don’t agree with mine. So I think that’s one that’s very American that I think even takes my grandparents a little bit for a ride. It’s like, oh this granddaughter of mine has a mouth on her. But I think it’s all in safe places and good places too. So, I like that part about me though.

Date: August 30, 2018

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Sharon Yamato

Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum

Interviewee Bio

Grew up in Gardena, California. Her parents moved to the United States from Lima, Peru where they grew up in the Japanese and Okinawan Peruvian community. Because of this diverse background, she was exposed to a mixing of different cultural traditions. She is involved with the Okinawa Association of America and has visited Okinawa and Peru.

She received her teaching credentials but with an opportunity at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute (GVJCI), she turned to non-profit work and is a volunteer at GVJCI and the Okinawa Association of America. (August 2018)