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(b.1971) Professional figure skater and Olympic gold medalist.
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Support from the Japanese American community

I really...from the Japanese American community I’ve always felt such tremendous support and lucky because I have such a heritage where there is a certain group of people who are really proud of what you’re doing out there and that’s all I’ve really felt. I’d never felt any kind of extra pressure like expectations and things like that. But just more like, you know, Japanese American have struggled through the years, in the history of the United States and now finally, they’re seeing the results of their struggle. An I think, I’ve learned a lot more about that and a lot more kind of what Japanese Americans who are successful, what that means to the older generations.

communities identity

Date: January 16, 2000

Location: California, US

Interviewer: John Esaki

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

Interviewee Bio

Kristi Yamaguchi was born in 1971 in Fremont, California, a fourth-generation Japanese American. She was born with a foot deformity and at the age of six her family encouraged her interest in skating to develop her coordination and balance. In 1992, she captured the gold medal in womens’ figure skating at the Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. (January 16, 2000)

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