Interviews
Do it for all Asians
You know all the time we were doing these arguments and I’m participating, every once in a while, someone would say,” how come you’re in this?” And I said,” you people are short-sighted,” I said,” Number 1, if we do succeed,” I said,” you’re going to do it for all Asians, - I said, back in those days I used the term “Orientals”, I says - if I can’t tell a Korean from a Japanese, from a Chinese and none of you can either, then how are the Caucasians gonna be able to tell? They’re won’t be able to tell either.” I says,” you’re going to do it for the Japanese Americans, but in the end you’re going to do it for all Asians. That’s number 1, and that’s why I’m here.” I says,” I look like you, no one could tell the difference and so when it gets done, it’s gonna be for everybody. It’s gonna be the thing that’s gonna liberates us.”
Date: August 28, 1995
Location: California, US
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum
Explore More Videos
Understanding anti black racism in high school
(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney
Racial discrimination prepared her in becoming the first transgender trial lawyer
(b. 1943) Japanese American transgender attorney
Foreign language education was severely restricted during the war
Professor of Law, University of Sao Paulo, Lawyer, Translator (b. 1948)