Interviews

1. Neighbor took care of her mother after grandfather was taken by FBI

2. Her grandfather was pressured to teach Japanese

3. Camp stories impact on her career

4. Japanese American identity

5. Importance of overcoming Asian American stereotypes

6. Challenges faced by female judges

7. Becoming first AA State Bar President in California

8. Receiving support from Sonia Sotomayer to run for the bench

9. Advice to young lawyers

Holly J. Fujie

Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California

Advice to young lawyers

There’s so many…just cultural barriers to the way that people perceive themselves as leaders and that I would say talk to people who have gotten to higher positions. I don’t know anybody certainly in the Asian American community who would turn down a request for going out for coffee or for lunch. To to ask questions, to act as a mentor, and – but take the initiative. You have to take the initiative.

The mantra that I give to young Asian lawyers, especially women, is I say you know you have that being asked three times thing and I said the first step is you...when somebody asks you if you want something you say yes. The next step is that you you tell them what you want. And so you’re no longer waiting for somebody to ask you. You tell them, you tell people what you want and you get it.

Asian Americans lawyers women

Date: July 11, 2019

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Kayla Tanaka

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

Interviewee Bio

Judge Holly J. Fujie is a Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California since 2012. She grew up in West Oakland, California in a diverse neighborhood. Both of her parents were incarcerated as children during World War II, but did not share their experiences with her until she was an adult. This affected her view on laws and government and led her to pursue a career as an attorney and later as a judge.

As a lawyer, she became involved with various minority bar association, including the Japanese American Bar Association, and mentorship programs. She became the first Asian American President of the State Bar of California in 2008. (July 2019)

*This is one of the main projects completed by The Nikkei Community Internship (NCI) Program intern each summer, which the Japanese American Bar Association and the Japanese American National Museum have co-hosted.

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