Interviews
“…Put Me In A Cage”
I actually got a call from the governor’s office offering me a judgeship. I never had applied, didn’t wanted one…So I got a call saying, “we’ll appoint you to the bench.” And I went to lunch with a friend of mine. His name is Albert De Blanc, [Jr.], chair of one of the youth programs we developed in the mayor’s office. He’s the president of the black bar. I said, “What do you think? Here I get this call from Jerry’s office.” He said, “Rose, being a judge would…” And I answered, “…put me in a cage.” I said, “I would like the community esteem.
I would like to be a role model, and I would like all that.” But I said, “I have a lot of work to do.” I did the East LA incorporation. I had been an attorney for Serrano v. Priest. I had been a school teacher before, so I understand the issues of inequality of educational opportunities and here I’m doing the lawsuit about incorporation and political empowerment. I’m having a ball, not making much money, 10,000 for a Reggie1. But I was getting a lot of personal satisfaction because a lot of this was dealing with my personal history. So I turned him down and I worked on first establishing Manzanar as a National Historic Landmark.
1. Reginald Heber Smith Fellowships were awarded to young law graduates who chose to work in poverty law. They were called “Reggies.”
Date: July 17, 2013
Location: California, US
Interviewer: Sean Hamamoto
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum; Japanese American Bar Association
Explore More Videos
Lack of support from fellow Nikkei lawyers during the war
(1924-2018) Researcher, Activist
The political effects on Nikkei during the war (Spanish)
(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman
The unheralded help from beyond the community
(1917 - 2004) Political activist
Inouye’s strategy for educating the American public
(1917 - 2004) Political activist
The Nikkei community that didn't support Former President Fujimori's election (Japanese)
(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum
The differences in attitude of pre-war and post war in terms of the President Fujimori presidency (Japanese)
(b. 1948) Executive Director of Amano Museum
Beginnings of CWRIC
(b. 1931) U.S. Former Secretary of Transportation
The last hurdle – President Reagan
(b. 1931) U.S. Former Secretary of Transportation
“How did I end up going to law school?”
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
The Founding of JABA: Getting Judges Appointed
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge
On Getting the Call from J. Anthony Kline
(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge