Laura Kato

@laurakato

Laura Kato is a rising third year student at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in Philosophy with minors in Political Science and Business Administration. She has grown up in the Japanese American community through Asian League and other various organizations. Laura is currently a joint intern for the Japanese American Bar Association (JABA) and the Discover Nikkei project of the Japanese American National Museum (JANM) through the Nikkei Community Internship program. She is also the upcoming president of her school’s Nikkei Student Union. She hopes that through the knowledge and experiences gained through the Nikkei Community Internship and other opportunities, she can go into studying criminal law in order to help better not only this community, but also the world.

Updated July 2021

Stories from This Author

Nikkei Community Internship: An Internship of a Lifetime

Oct. 1, 2021 • Laura Kato

I vividly remember the night that I called my friend from my school’s Nikkei Student Union about an internship that he had gotten the past summer. He told me about all of the inspirational people he was able to meet, all of the long-lasting friendships he made, and all of the professional skills he learned as a result of this internship. After we spoke about it, I immediately knew it was something that I wanted to participate in. The Nikkei …

California Japanese American Community Leadership Council communities Japanese American communities Japanese Americans Nikkei Community Internship

The JABA Legacy Project: Patricia Kinaga—Attorney, Activist, and Mother Who Has Given a Voice to Those Who Don’t Have One

Sept. 14, 2021 • Laura Kato

On July 24, 2021, I had the privilege of interviewing Ms. Patricia Kinaga: an attorney, activist, and mother. From previous research, I had learned that she is an incredible woman who has achieved great things as an attorney. However, stepping away from the interview, I learned so much more beyond that. I was able to see a glimpse into her life, her past, and her experiences through the stories she told me. She explained how everything made her feel, from …

activism attorneys filmmakers lawyers Patricia Kinaga social action

The Power of Words: They Are Stronger Than They Seem

July 20, 2021 • Laura Kato

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit the United States, President Trump was quick to call this virus the “Chinese virus” or “kung-flu”. The use of these terms in widespread media conditioned many to believe that all Asians are to blame for the pandemic. Due to this racist rhetoric, Asians, along with Asian Americans, have experienced a sharp increase in hate incidents; more than reported in the past few years. In fact, over 6,600 hate incidents were reported from the organization, Stop …