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

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Nikkei Community Internship: An Internship of a Lifetime

By Laura Kato
1 Oct 2021

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 Community Internship program is run by Kizuna for the Los Angeles area in which each of us interns are placed with a nonprofit Japanese Americ…

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

By Laura Kato
14 Sep 2021

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 the passion in her heart to the satisfaction of being able to help thousands of people. I learned things that one cannot gain by simply g…

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Nikkei Chronicles #10—Nikkei Generations: Connecting Families & Communities

Warren Kato: Judge, Former Attorney, But Most of All a Father and Role Model

By Laura Kato
2 Aug 2021

I have read articles in the past trying to explain the difference between a father and a dad. To some, a “father” is defined as “a man in relation to his children,” whereas a “dad” is someone who you can hang out with, is there to play sports with you, and can always be there for you when you need help. For me, my dad is both my role model and an inspiration. He has taught me countless life lessons that I live by to this day. He has inspired me to become an attorney and fight for justice in our society. He has shown me that family and love is one of the mos…

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The Power of Words: They Are Stronger Than They Seem

By Laura Kato
20 Jul 2021

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 AAPI Hate, from March 2020 to March 2021.1 Although this anti-Asian hate is currently…

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Discover Nikkei

Japanese migrants and their descendants

Laura Kato

Nikkei Chronicles #10—Nikkei Generations: Connecting Families & Communities

Series this author contributes to

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