DTLA JACL, JWSSC Announce 2025 Women of the Year Pages 10 -13
An Evening of Appreciation Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce Pages 14 - 17
Feared Funding Cuts For Janm’s Landmarks Of American History And Culture Workshops Pages 18 & 19
FESTA ITALIANA! Page 20
Family Resource Center To Host Annual Children & Youth Day Event At Pixie Woods Amusement Park Page 21
Japanese American Citizens League Presents Their Day Of Remembrance With A Viewing Of The Film “Kinitsukori” Pages 22 & 23
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Deadline to submit newsworthy information from non-profits, charitable organizations, or other sources is the 19th of each month for the following issue. Submitting information does not guarantee it will be featured. Submit information to: jtc.publicist@gmail.com • Attn: Jim Chong
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APALT does not assume responsibility for the authenticity or accuracy of news materials furnished for publication.
I hope you are excited about the upcoming Summer months leading into the end of the year with so many special events and celebrations that will be happening.
With every edition of the APA Living Today, we are constantly on the move and working on telling your stories and highlighting what becomes history.
What will you be creating in the upcoming months? I am so excited about working on various projects that not only tell the story, but also are paving the way for how things will be happening in the future. One statement that rings through my mind is the fact that “We create our own future.” I call this “LEGACY”. As you read through this edition of APALT, consider what stories you are creating that will become a part of history.
Many great events will be happening during the upcoming months, and my hope is that we don’t take for granted the moments we have in life that can serve as a foundation for others.
One thing we want to do is ensure we keep things documented to preserve the life lessons, stories, and other experiences to capture for others to experience through our word and pictures.
If you are interested in contributing to this publication, please feel free to contact me personally and we can discuss how you can assist with the content or other facets linking to this publication or history that is being made.
I want to once again thank all the contributors and especially the Central Valley Asian American Chamber of Commerce for the wonderful Awards Ceremony where this publication was acknowledged.
Here is to you living the legacy that you want to have built in your lifetime.
I look forward to the stories to come from your contribution.
Jim T. Chong the Wok Star, Legend Maker, and T.A.G.
The opinions expressed by contributing writers and sources are their own and do not reflect the opinions of the newspaper’s owners, editor or staff.
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15 Reasons to Shop Locally
By Brooke Barnett, updated by Lindsay Cuomo
Original source: Metro Family Magazine
When asked to name her favorite local business, local retail consultant Allison Barta Bailey likens it to a parent being asked to choose a favorite child. Bailey simply explains, “I have too many favorites to name!”
In addition to being her passion, Bailey says that local shopping is crucial to the growth and expansion of our city.
“If we want our community to continue to develop, we have to offer something that other communities don’t,” she says. “Our local business scene is something that’s unique to our city for travelers, and provides quality and convenience for residents.”
Bryce Bandy, co-founder of Keep It Local OK (keepitlocalok.com) agrees.
“Since local businesses are not tied to any national sales or marketing strategies, we will get a wider variety of products and services from Oklahomans for Oklahomans. This also means you won’t run into the exact same mix of restaurant and retail anywhere else.”
Not to mention the economic benefits of shopping locally, a fact to which Bandy is quick to attest.
“Local shopping is crucial to our continued growth because the success of local businesses attracts and encourages other entrepreneurs to start local businesses, which leads to more jobs and revenue re-circulating throughout our community.”
Doing the Math
The math for buying close to home is compelling—for every $100 spent at a locally-owned business, $73 remains in the local economy. Compare that to the same $100 spent at a non-locally owned business, where only $43 remains in the local economy. Recent research from Civic Economics (civiceconomics.com) indicates that local eateries return nearly 79 percent of revenues to the community, compared to just over 30 percent for chain restaurants.
“When profits stay local, it increases the community’s wealth, tax revenue and standard of living,” Dr. Sue Lynn Sasser, professor of economics at the University of Central Oklahoma, says.
“Small businesses and local businesses are still the backbone of our economy,” Sasser adds. “They are local people serving local people and are generally committed to staying there, raising their families. After all, most businesses started out as a small, local business and earned the success of growing and expanding. It’s the American Dream.”
Here are 15 reasons to keep your cash close to home:
1. Keep Money Local — Sales taxes fund our communities and provide vital services such as police and fire protection, street repairs and trash collection.
2. Local Investment — Local businesses are less susceptible to national downturns and more likely to work harder to stay open. “Local ownership means that important decisions are made by people who live in our community and feel the impact of those decisions,” explains Chris Branson, co-founder of Keep It Local OK.
3. Locally-Made Products — Local business owners often sell local products, which helps preserve the community’s distinction and creates more jobs locally, as well.
4. Support for Nonprofits Local businesses support good work in our community. “Studies show that nonprofits receive 250 percent more support from small businesses than large ones,” explains Dr. Sue Lynn Sasser, professor of economics at the University of Central Oklahoma.
5. Discover Interesting Things and People — “One-of-a-kind shops and restaurants are part of what makes our city a great place to live,” Branson adds.
6. Personal Connection — Getting to know the store owners is a great reason to shop local. “It’s their business, they are the decisionmakers and they build a personal relationship with their customers,” Sasser says.
7. Product Knowledge — Local business owners are well informed about their products and know what they are selling. “Because they know their customers, they can easily adjust their inventories to include the goods and services local people want to buy,” Sasser explains.
8. Diverse Products — Local stores carry inventory you might not find at national chain stores. “Local business owners choose products based on what their customers want and often carry unique items from local artists and farmers,” Branson says.
9. Cost Effective — “Sometimes prices at local businesses are better because they don’t have the overhead that larger stores may have and they may be more willing to negotiate to meet your price needs,” Sasser says.
10. Better Experience — Local shopping can translate to more convenient retail experiences.
11. Less “Leakage” — Local businesses tend to buy and sell with other local businesses. “With national or multi-national firms, a percentage of that profit ‘leaks’ out of the community, the state or even the nation,” Sasser notes.
12. Increased Expertise — Shopping at a local store means you can get an expert opinion about the products that you’re purchasing. “Local shop owners have to be experts in their field to compete. Use them—ask them questions and get advice about products,” Bailey encourages.
13. Create Community — “We are a transitory society so people don’t always have a connection with the communities where they live. I would encourage people new to an area to ask the locals where they shop,” Sasser says.
14. Better Service — Local business owners do what they do because they are passionate about their products and typically take more time to get to know their customers. “They’ll often go the extra mile to help you and to ensure you’re a satisfied customer,” Sasser says.
15. Support Future Growth — Our experts agree on the last reason— shopping locally is the best way to show pride in your city and help protect the businesses that make our city unique.
“We can’t simply say ‘Shop Locally!’ and keep our economy vibrant and healthy,” Harris explains. “We have to take the time and spend the money to support local businesses with our presence and our dollars. You really do vote with your wallet. As a local business owner, it makes me immensely happy to have the opportunity to help shape the local economy.”
“Shopping locally is a big part of what our family is,” Harris concludes. “Not just because we own a small business, but because we feel it is such a big part of helping to create a great city for our son to grow up in.”
How to Gain Mental Clarity
By Jessie Bowen, An International Best-Selling Author
Gaining mental clarity in today’s environment is easier said than done. We live in a world full of distractions, leaving us too much time to think—and overthink. If you feel your life is cluttered with emotional baggage or mental noise, this article is for you. In my personal coaching classes, I teach the Law of Attraction and life concepts that help my clients find focus and peace. What is the Law of Attraction? In simple terms: whatever you think about most, you attract into your life.
Before you continue reading, I recommend grabbing a pen and paper. Take notes as you reflect on how a lack of mental clarity might be affecting your life.
Letting Go of the Past
While the present can overwhelm us with tasks and responsibilities, the past often weighs heavily on our minds—especially when it involves unresolved hurt or emotional wounds.
It’s safe to say we’ve all experienced painful moments we’d rather forget. Life can leave emotional scars, and healing them is essential to living fully in the present. Letting go of the past is crucial because if we don’t, it will dictate how we react to new situations—and block our ability to GAIN MENTAL CLARITY.
Recognize Why Letting Go Is Important
Imagine you were hurt by a friend in the past. You might believe that protecting yourself by not trusting others is the safest path. But that distrust creates mental clutter and emotional walls that prevent you from forming healthy, positive relationships.
If you continuously relive a painful memory, you remain stuck. Letting go frees you to create a life not based on past wounds, but on present possibilities.
Recognizing this truth is the first step toward releasing negativity and clearing space for peace of mind.
How Letting Go Helps You Gain Clarity:
1. It Releases You from a Heavy Burden
Carrying emotional pain is exhausting. By forgiving the situation—and sometimes the people involved—you free yourself from the emotional weight dragging you down. Forgiveness strengthens your own spirit.
2. It Frees You from Resentment
Letting go does not mean you must rebuild relationships with those who hurt you. It simply means releasing the sadness, anger, and pain. Healing is about improving yourself, not revisiting old wounds.
3. It Expands Your Understanding
Many people who cause hurt are struggling with their own internal battles. Recognizing their pain can help you find compassion—not for their behavior, but for their humanity. Compassion opens the door to forgiveness and release.
4. It Requires You to Forgive Yourself
Often when we cling to the past, we quietly blame ourselves. Relationships are complex. Even if you were primarily the victim, you may still carry feelings of guilt or regret.
True healing means offering yourself the same compassion you might extend to others. Forgive yourself. Set yourself free.
Jessie Bowen
BUSINESS COMMUNITY
Ready to take your mental clarity to the next level?
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Harness the Power of the Mind: A Beginner’s Guide to Visualization
Discover how to clear your mind, sharpen your focus, and create the life you truly desire.
Recommended books Available on Amazon by Dr Bowen
Change Your Mind Change Your Life Success Guide
GOD GIVES ME VISION: Learn to Receive the True Abundance of God
To learn more about Dr Bowen’s books, visit his bookstore: https://jessiebowenbooks.com/
Elite Publications
Dr. Jessie Bowen, Founder Elite Publications & AMAA
Are you ready to write your story? Contact us! For more information, visit www.ElitePublications.org or calI/text (919) 618-8075
NEWS & EVENTS
DTLA JACL, JWSSC Announce 2025 Women of the Year
Monday, February 24, 2025
[Los Angeles] The Downtown Los Angeles JACL Chapter and the Japanese Women’s Society of Southern California have released this year’s Women of the Year recipients.
Set to be honored at the annual luncheon at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 4 at the Quiet Cannon Conference & Event Center, located at 901 Via San Clemente in Montebello are Kimiko Fujita, Elaine Keiko Inoue, Jean Kodama, Darlene Kuba, Yuko Uyesugi and Heidi Yoshioka.
KIMIKO FUJITA
Born in Osaka, Japan, Kimiko Fujita started playing the piano at age 4 and switched to the Electone organ while still in high school, which was in its infancy at the time. After graduating, she became a certified instructor and began performing on TV, radio and Okinawa Expo, and teaching at Yamaha Music Schools in Japan and Australia.
Fujita moved to the United States in 1988 and opened a music school in New York. After relocating to Los Angeles, she established NYLA USA Corp. as the owner/director of Yamaha Music Schools in Irvine, Torrance and Laguna, and is currently promoting music education activities with 40 teachers and staff.
Despite the number of students declining sharply from 1,300 during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Laguna school’s closure, the school continues to offer the best of music education and has promoted music as a universal language to its 30,000 graduates over the past 35 years.
Fujita has been a volunteer with the Orange County Japanese American Association (OCJAA) since 1999 and has organized the Japan Culture Fair for 10 years, an event that deepens exchanges between Japanese cultural organizations and the citizens of Irvine. She has served as a board of directors member, vice president, and since 2013, as the president of OCJAA. She started Japanese culture classes such as flower arrangement, tea ceremony, calligraphy, iPad, computer, chair yoga, mahjong, handicrafts, hobby exchange, caregiver gatherings and health seminars, as well as hosting Angels games and Las Vegas bus trips as an enjoyable gathering for the seniors in Orange County.
When face-to-face classes became impossible, free Zoom seminars and iPhone and iPad classes were offered. After serving as president, Fujita continued to advise and support the organization. She has served as president of the
Japanese Executive Women’s League since 2002 and as vice president of the Senior Foundation Charitable Corp. since 2016 and has helped organize many charity events.
In 2016, Fujita joined the Keiro Services board of directors. As a Shin-Issei, she has been instrumental as a board member in building bridges between the Japanese and Japanese American communities. As a leader in various Japanesespeaking organizations and in her advocacy efforts, she has been influential in expanding culturally sensitive programs for older adults, such as Iyashi Care, and grant-funded educational seminars on healthy aging. She continues to be very supportive of new projects, including Keiro’s vision for developing board and care homes for those with memory loss.
Fujita has served as an honorary advisor to the Ikebana Association since 2021, the Aurora Foundation board of directors in 2024, and she recently joined the Japanese Prefectural Association of Southern California board of directors. She continues to promote communications between Orange and Los Angeles counties, and between Nihonjin and Nikkeijin. In 2021, she received the Foreign Minister’s Commendation from the government of Japan.
While in New York, she met her husband, Kihei Otani, a third-generation Japanese American and they have been married for 37 years. Nieces and nephews reside in Japan, Taiwan, Seattle and San Diego. She enjoys the growth of the 800 students who attend her Yamaha Music Schools and is fulfilled to see the musical talents, activities and success of the graduates.
ELAINE KEIKO INOUE
Cooking is Elaine Keiko Inoue’s love and passion. This love for cooking has her preparing weekly Friday meals for her Ohana family of more than 150 people at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center (SFVJACC).
The third of eight children, Kei Inoue was born May 16, 1937, and raised in Hawaii. Her father, Ryujun Mutobe, was a Buddhist minister and her mother, Dorothy Chiyoko, was a homemaker. Kei grew up in Kahuku until World War II, when her family was taken to Crystal City Internment Camp, aka Crystal City Alien Enemy Detention Facility, in Texas. After the war, her family relocated to Wailua, Hawaii.
Inoue graduated from Wailua High School in 1956. After graduation, to fulfill her ambition to be the best homemaker possible, she moved to Los Angeles to study
Kimiko Fujita
Elaine Keiko Inoue
NEWS & EVENTS
fashion design at Woodbury College. She met her husband, Bert, through mutual friends. They went to Mexico to get married in December 1959. The next year, they had a wedding ceremony at the West Los Angeles Buddhist Temple.
While raising five children, Inoue also worked from home. The custom clothing she created ranged from aloha shirts to wedding gowns and everything in between.
In 1986, Inoue began working at the Wood Ranch Golf Club and eventually became the associate director. Believing that family came first, she resigned from that job in 1993, to care for her first grandchild, Ryan, and then his little sister, Megan.
In 2009 Inoue began volunteering in the kitchen at the SFVJACC for the Hot Meals lunch program. After the program’s supervisor suffered a stroke in January 2014, Inoue graciously volunteered to manage the lunch program. Because she had always dreamed of owning her own Hawaiian-Japanese restaurant, the Hot Meals program seemed to be a good way to share her love for cooking.
Her lunch menu has become more fun and creative. In January, Inoue served konbumaki and nishime. On Valentine’s Day there was pot roast with special cupcakes. St. Patty’s Day had corned beef and cabbage. For Cinco de Mayo, chili verde.
Inoue has also updated the food preparation to be more effcient and healthy. Some favorite dishes that require frying, such as tonkatsu and hamburger steak, are now baked. Most of the fresh meats and table/cookware supplies are ordered online through Costco and Amazon and are then delivered to the SFVJACC. For the fruits and vegetables, however, she prefers to personally touch them at the market to guarantee fresh and unblemished produce.
For 16 years, Inoue has now been preparing those weekly meals. Although the work involved for the Hot Meals program is physically and mentally tiring, it is worth all the effort to cook for her extended ohana (Hawaiian for family). It warms her heart to cook for those who appreciate and truly enjoy eating good old-fashioned comfort food. This is why she plans to continue cooking for the Hot Meals program for as long as she is able.
JEAN KODAMA
The daughter of Kibei Nisei Tomio and Mary Uwate, Jean Kodama was born in the Japanese Hospital of Los Angeles in 1955. Her parents, born in Seattle and Denver, respectively, were raised by relatives in Wakayama-ken, Japan. After the war, they came to Los Angeles, where they met, married, and had Jean and her two brothers. Around 1960, the family moved to Whittier.
As eldest, Jean had many responsibilities, including cooking, working in the family egg ranch, wholesale nursery and gardening businesses, and helping with any communications requiring English.
Tomio and Mary Uwate believed in keeping close ties to the Japanese American community. In the 1950s, the family went to Little Tokyo every weekend, where
her uncle, Matao Uwate, had an office to produce his weekly Japanese language radio show.
The Uwate family was active at the Southeast Japanese School and Community Center (SEJSCC) in Norwalk. Mary served as PTA president, and was instrumental in establishing the Center’s annual summer carnival, Norwalk Kendo Dojo in 1964, and shuji classes in the 1970s. Jean started kindergarten at the Center around 1960, and she and her brothers were the first new kendō students at Norwalk Dojo. Jean’s continuous membership at the Center may be the longest of any active member.
Jean played violin, with brief stints in junior symphony on cello and viola, and was concert mistress in high school her sophomore through senior years. She also excelled in many sports throughout her youth, including high school varsity softball, basketball and volleyball, as well as junior varsity swimming and tennis. From preschool age, Jean decided her goal in life was to get straight A’s, which she accomplished all through grade school and high school. This enabled her to graduate as the valedictorian of her class, receive a National Merit Scholarship and gain acceptance to the California Institute of Technology. With other scholarship awards and many, many part-time and summer jobs, Jean was able to put herself through college and postgraduate school, culminating in a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Caltech.
It was at Caltech that Jean met future husband, David. As classmates and fellow martial artists, they were good friends throughout their undergraduate years, started dating during senior year, and married after finishing postgraduate studies, both aged 23. They still live in the house they bought in Cerritos in 1980.
Through work, kendō, and David’s astrophotography hobby, the couple has traveled extensively, visiting all seven continents before the age of 40. A few of the more exotic destinations include Antarctica, Libya, Mongolia, Tibet and Easter Island.
Kodama had a long career as an electrical engineer, eventually specializing in ASIC (application specific integrated circuit) design. She has been a founding engineer at several startup companies and holds various patents. She was well-known for taking on challenges that had never been done before, which nevertheless needed to be developed quickly and in a small ASIC footprint. Her typical work week was at least 70 hours long, often stretching to more than 100 hours in times of crisis.
As part of Norwalk Dojo and the Southern California Kendo Federation (SCKF), the largest federation in the U.S., Kodama has won many trophies and medals at the local, national and international levels. She has won spots on Team SCKF ever since the first U.S. Championships in 1978, only failing once, due to a traumatic brain injury that took over a year to recover from. She has been women’s national champion twice and world goodwill champion once. She was Team USA manager and women’s coach for the 2003 World Kendo Championships in Scotland.
Kodama has been the head instructor of Norwalk Dojo since 2006, teaching both kendō and iaidō (sword forms). She works countless hours each week, both at
Jean Kodama
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the dōjō and behind the scenes to ensure the members are prepared to go out into the kendō world. She also created and maintains the dōjō’s website.
For SCKF, Jean has been in charge of the membership database since 1988. She has been running promotional examinations since the 1990s. Since 1995, she has held the offices of treasurer (multiple times), 2nd VP (tournaments), executive secretary and president, and is currently the historian and an advisor. She created and maintains SCKF’s website.
For SEJSCC, Jean has participated in softball, basketball, shuji and taiko. She taught kendō to kids at every Camp Hanabi. She put on kendō demonstrations at the Center’s summer festivals, as well as at local schools.
Kodama is a life member of the Center, which gave her an “Outstanding Service Award” in 2015.
For the All United States Kendo Federation (AUSKF), Jean printed English menjō (rank certificates) from 1993 to 2005. She was webmaster from 2006 to 2020. She has assisted with the membership database since 2016.
As a woman, Kodama has risen to the top in many male-dominated disciplines and organizations, from engineering, to the art of kendō, to leadership at the local and national levels. She is currently the only female dōjō head instructor at SCKF, was the first female president of SCKF, and the first female board member of AUSKF.
The Zentoku Foundation published an article on Jean Kodama in 2021. When asked what inspires and motivates her, she said “I think of the Issei and Nisei, who lived through the Great Depression and World War II. They served on the battlefield and rebuilt their lives after the relocation camps. They stepped up to the life that was dealt them, facing one difficult challenge after the next. We need to be like them.”
DARLENE KINUKO KUBA
For more than 50 years, Dr. Darlene Kuba has been a significant and contributing member of the Japanese American community. She was born in Denver following her family’s World War II incarceration in Colorado’s Camp Amache. Shortly thereafter, her family moved to the Boyle Heights community in Los Angeles. As the daughter of a gardener, Kuba was taught the value of hard work. She attended neighborhood public schools and is a proud Roosevelt High School Roughrider. Growing up, she became deeply immersed in such Japanese cultural activities as tea ceremony, Japanese dance, koto, kendō, flower arranging and Japanese language.
Upon graduating high school in 1974, Kuba joined the staff of the late Gilbert Lindsay, councilmember of the 9th Council District of the city of Los Angeles. Hired initially as an intern, she quickly rose to the position of executive assistant, in which she performed a critical role in expanding and monitoring economic development, housing, transportation and employment programs and major
projects throughout the 9th District, including Little Tokyo. She also worked with the Lindsay on the city’s budget and legislative matters.
In 1976, Kuba developed the Council motion to create Little Tokyo Nutrition Services (LTNS), which has provided critical nutrition and supportive services to seniors living in Boyle Heights and Little Tokyo communities for nearly 50 years. LTNS currently serves 130 congregate and home-delivered meals Monday through Friday, and also provides critical supportive services to a highly vulnerable senior community.
Councilmember Lindsay stressed the importance of higher education and encouraged Kuba to attend school at night. She obtained multiple undergraduate and graduate degrees, culminating with a doctorate in public administration in 2000.
Following the passing of Councilmember Gilbert Lindsay in 1991, she founded Kuba and Associates, which focused on government relations and land-use development. It became the first AAPI woman-owned government relations firm in Los Angeles.
An active supporter of the Japanese American National Museum, Kuba has become a key player in assisting with its fundraising and programs. She also is a proud member of the Japanese Women’s Society of Southern California. She and husband Bill Fujioka, chair of JANM’s board of trustees, raised their son, Jason.
Dr. Darlene Kuba, by making public and community service cornerstones of her personal life and public career, has embraced the importance of making a positive impact and contributing to improve the lives of others.
YUKO N. UYESUGI
Yuko N. Uyesugi was born and raised in Hiroshima, Japan. Her grandmother and mother were both teachers in traditional Japanese cultural arts, including chadō, Japanese tea ceremony and noh, classical Japanese dance-drama. She was taught to fit into society’s expectations but she also wanted to pursue her own dreams. When the opportunity arose, Yuko jumped at the chance to study abroad in America.
In the U.S., Uyesugi met and married her future husband, George. She graduated with a B.A. degree from UCLA and joined the Mat West Co. Later, her mother-in-law, Hiroko, felt Yuko should learn traditional Japanese etiquette, so she arranged for her to study chadō under Mme. Matsumoto, an esteemed tea teacher in Los Angeles.
Fast-forwarding more than 20 years later, Uyesugi felt it was time to wholly and fully pursue her interests and life goals. Because since she believes that a caring heart leads to a good community, she has for many years donated to various organizations to help disabled children. And while studying chadō over the years, Yuko participated in various forms of community service. She realized that despite our different cultural and ethnic backgrounds, many appreciate the calm, relaxing
Darlene Kinuko Kuba
Yuko N. Uyesugi
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atmosphere of chadō. With George’s help and support, a tearoom later named Yusuian, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, was realized in Malibu.
In 2009, Uyesugi founded the Yusuian Foundation, a nonprofit foundation operated exclusively for charitable purposes. Its first goal is to share chadō with the greater community by promoting it at Yusuian and at public festivals and events in the greater Los Angeles area. The Foundation has held a twicea-year chadō and kadō (flower arrangement) event for the public to experience in the Yusuian tearoom, which have become so popular that a waiting list was necessary. The Los Angeles Times visited Yusuian and reported it was one of the “most soothing and refreshing experiences” in 2024.
For its second goal, the Foundation supported outside charitable organizations that aid victims of natural disasters, such as Japan’s 2011 earthquake, as well as the Terasaki Budokan project in Downtown Los Angeles and the Shoya House Project at the Huntington Library. It has also contributed to the Asian Studies departments at Pepperdine University and UCLA.
Uyesugi joined the Los Angeles chapter of the Urasenke Tankokai more than 35 years ago. She was its chief administrative officer from 2015 to 2018 and had the privilege of welcoming the previous grand master of Urasenke, Hounsai Daisosho. Uyesugi is also a Japanese Women’s Society of Southern California member and has chaired the Japanese multicultural event, Kizuna, at Gardena Buddhist Temple in 2022.
In January 2025, Yusuian in Malibu was lost in the Palisades Fire. Uyesugi was heartbroken, as it was her pride and joy, but her students and friends reached out to offer their support and encouragement. With their strength and support, she plans on rebuilding and continuing to pass on the spirit of chadō and community service to the next generation.
HEIDI M. YOSHIOKA
South Bay native Heidi Yoshioka was born at Gardena Memorial Hospital in 1964. At age 1, her parents purchased their home in Torrance, Calif. She is the only child of the late Mizuo and Janet Yoshioka and is a Sansei.
Her parents were from Kauai and Oahu, respectively, which was where she spent her summers with her many aunts, uncles and cousins until age 18. Having developed strong ties with her family from Hawaii, they travel together periodically, having last visited Japan in November 2024.
Yoshioka first aspired to become an attorney in junior high because she was looking for a profession where individuals strived to work as a team to win, and realized being a trial attorney matched her personality. She played basketball from the 6th grade and proceeded to play into her 40s, playing for either a South Bay F.O.R. team or the Wanjettes. She attended Narbonne High School in Harbor City, where she played varsity basketball for three years and was either first or second team All Marine League in all three years. Her life in
leadership began during these years as sophomore class president, junior class president and ultimately, the school’s student body president.
After graduating from Narbonne High School, Yoshioka attended Loyola Marymount University (LMU), graduating with a degree in business administration and a minor in economics. She also played on the Women’s Division I basketball team, where she developed friendships that continue to this day.
Upon graduating from LMU, Yoshioka went on to Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles, and she has been practicing law for 35 years. Her area of practice includes defense of general liability and products liability litigation for a large Fortune 50 communication company and insureds for a Japanese insurance company. Her career has come full circle, from a small Japanese American law firm, Suzuki & Ito, to a partner at an AM 100 firm of more than 1,400 attorneys, to a midsized firm, and now a partner at a small Japanese American law firm, Seki, Nishimura & Watase.
Yoshioka has expressed that her professional and community involvement has been truly rewarding. During her career, she served as the president of the alumni board for Southwestern Law School. In 2019 Yoshioka was named Alumni of the Year for her years of service to the law school. She has been a member of the Japanese American Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association as head of programming for the litigation section and the Asian Pacific American Bar Association, to name a few. She was also on the Steering Committee for RISE, a group of women lawyers committed to supporting professional growth through a shared commitment to the advancement of women lawyers to partnership, general counsel and other high-ranking professional positions.
Having met several promising law students and lawyers through her involvement in these organizations has allowed Yoshioka to pay it forward by mentoring and sponsoring younger attorneys, including a group of bright, strong and successful women who have moved through the ranks of their respective law firms.
As a mom to a labrador retriever and one cat, one of her proudest achievements is being on the board of directors of a canine cancer nonprofit, Miranda’s People, assisting parents of canine children afford cancer therapy. While she has no human children with her husband, Terence, she has enjoyed coaching the F.O.R. Rockets, a boys basketball team, during their formative years of ages 9-15. Her boys are now 29-year-old men.
Heidi M. Yoshioka
An Evening of Appreciation Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce
March 27th, 2025 China Palace Restaurant, Stockton CA
By Leslie Edman, CEO
On the evening of March 27th at China Palace, a hub for countless Asian community banquets and known for its ornate décor and award - winning cuisine, a crowd of 300 guests gathered to honor CVACC founding and past board members, charter members and community partners.
Elected officials from the State, San Joaquin County and City of Stockton attended the chamber’s milestone event, including Stockton Mayor Christina Fugazi who presented CVACC with a commemorative proclamation.
One man’s aspirations to connect the Asian American business community through the creation of a business chamber and news publication, APA News & Review, was born in 2000 and evolved into the current Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce (CVACC) and digital newspaper APA Living Today. Dennis Lee, the chamber’s founder and publisher was honored along with the current owner/partner and director of APA Living Today, Jim Chong and Layne Imada. Other honorees included APAPA (Asian Pacific American Public Affairs), Humphreys University, Health Plan of San Joaquin and Port of Stockton, all enduring supporters of CVACC.
A rousing performance by the Thien Quang Lion Dance Team energized the dinner crowd that preceded the CVACC board installation by retired San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge, Frank Kim. A “Then and Now” presentation provided a retrospective glance back at the chamber’s quarter century journey and was followed by an award ceremony.
The seamless transition from one leader to another symbolized a running theme at CVACC’s 25th anniversary. 2015 was a pivotal year – when Leslie Edman followed Dennis Lee as CEO of the Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce and Robert G. Humphreys Jr. was appointed president of Humphreys University following his father’s retirement. In recent years, leadership transitioned at APAPA from founders CC and Regina Yin to their eldest daughter, Mary Yin Lieu. The evening’s event honored the legacy of past leaders and their achievements while recognizing the generational shift to new leadership for a sustainable future.
Leslie Nakao Edman
Central Valley Asian Chamber of Commerce
Photos by Danny Lee and Tim Ulmer
JANM
By William T. Fujioka
Photo by: Genaro Molina Los Angeles Times
Feared funding cuts for JANM’s Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops
[Los Angeles] On Friday, JANM’s education team received this chilling email from the National Endowment for the Humanities, confirming what we have feared: the clawing back of $190,000 in funding for JANM’s Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops this summer. These weeklong workshops bring teachers from across the United States to JANM, Little Tokyo, and Manzanar National Historic Site to experience Japanese American history, hear from former incarcerees, and most importantly, bring those stories and lessons back to their classrooms.
“I didn’t learn about the camps until I was an adult. I really want to change that for my students.” - Lily Freteng, 7th–12th grade teacher, Arkansas
Faced with the loss of funding, we had the sad task of notifying 72 teachers— each reaching hundreds of schoolchildren—that this summer’s workshops would likely be cancelled.
This grant is a fraction of the $1.45 million in current funds that JANM has been awarded from the NEH and the Institute for Museum and Library Services—funds that are now at risk due to drastic cuts at these federal agencies. Affecting museums and libraries nationwide, these cuts are part of the current administration’s attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion and its ongoing efforts to erase history.
Earlier this year, JANM’s Board of Trustees joined me in reaffirming the Museum’s commitment as a beacon for civil rights and democracy, ensuring that the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during World War II are never repeated against any other group.
Our Museum stands as a place of memory, truth, and justice, where history is not only preserved but actively used to confront contemporary threats to democracy and human dignity. At a time when many agencies and organizations have scrubbed their websites of references to DEI, JANM vows to scrub nothing. Our community is based on diversity, equity is guaranteed to us in the Constitution, and inclusion is what we believe in.
When we got word of these latest cuts, we spoke out, and the media responded. Stories on ABC7 and the Los Angeles Times struck a chord. Over the weekend,
JANM received dozens of spontaneous donations through our website to thank us for taking a stand—many from people new to JANM, from all across the country. Inspired by their response, we now ask you, JANM’s community:
“This is not just a chapter in history, this is a part of all of our histories…It has far-reaching implications day to day, so this has been very powerful.” - Lhisa Almashy, 9th–12th grade teacher, Florida
An anonymous donor has stepped up and pledged $85,000 for the Landmarks workshops, enough to cover JANM’s costs here in Los Angeles. In order to bring 72 teachers from 28 states to Los Angeles to experience the program, we need another $93,600 to cover travel stipends for the teachers. Without these stipends, most of these educators will not be able to make the trip and experience these stories of the Japanese American experience first hand.
THE JAPANESE AMERICAN National Museum lost a $175,000 grant as part of a scaling back of arts and humanities funding previously approved by Congress. It’s part of nationwide cuts that may affect other local museums such as LACMA. (Genaro Molina Los Angeles Times)
NEWS & EVENTS
2024 07.18_NEH_Education-Workshop-Manzanar
Over the past two years, JANM’s Landmarks workshops reached more than 100 teachers in 31 states, who in turn reached approximately 21,000 students. This year’s teachers include 11 from states we have yet to reach through this program. With the numbers of survivors dwindling, this year may be one of the last times we are able to share first-person incarceration voices with a large group of teachers from across the country, many of whom would otherwise never have the chance to meet someone with that history in their areas.
“This has been a wonderful experience because I have learned so much about Japanese American history and I’m going to be a better teacher because of this experience.” - Melissa Collins, 2nd–3rd grade teacher, Tennessee
Your support is more important now than ever. Please give today and help JANM continue our mission of preserving this history, building bridges across communities and divides, and ensuring that America remains a nation where all people can thrive. JANM website: https://www.janm.org/
With gratitude, William T Fujioka
ABOUT THE JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM (JANM)
Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a center for civil rights, ensuring that the hard-fought lessons of the World War II incarceration are not forgotten. A Smithsonian Affiliate and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories. JANM is a center for the arts as well as history. It provides a voice for Japanese Americans and a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over one hundred exhibitions onsite while traveling forty exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus, throughout Little Tokyo, Los Angeles, and Southern California, and beyond from early January 2025 through late 2026. For more information, visit janm.org/OnTheGo or follow us on social media @jamuseum.
“The real fact of the matter is that nobody reads ads. People read what interests them, and sometimes it’s an ad.”
- Howard Gossage
CALIFORNIA
209.993.2607
FESTA ITALIANA!
PRESENTED BY THE SAMBADO FAMILY
Contact: : Carrie Sass
SASS! Public Relations (209) 957-7277
FESTA ITALIANA!
Sunday, June 8th, 2025
10:00pm – 4:00pm
Lodi Grape Festival Grounds
[Lodi, CA] Get into the spirit of Italy at Festa Italiana!, Sunday, June 8th from 10:00am to 4:00pm, at the Lodi Grape Festival Grounds. This grand event brings the community together with the finest food, activities and entertainment of the Italian culture.
Renowned Italian Tenor Pasquale Esposito will once again dazzle the audience as headliner on the Main Stage! Nino, d’Italiano, and the Trucco Band. The Balliamo! Italian Dancers will headline in the Pavilion while you stroll and enjoy wine tasting. Local entertainment will welcome festival attendees on the Benevenuti Stage, including Stockton Garage Combo and the Nicolini Brothers on accordions. The Bambini Zone will delight your little ones - enjoying Sparkles and Ravioli the clowns, Rhymosaurs, and the Bambini Dancers who will also teach Italian Dance lessons! Strolling through the venue will be the Funambulus Italian Stilt Walkers who delight attendees of all ages!
In addition to the awesome live music - Festa offers delicious Italian food from local Italian ‘chefs’, a Mercato Marketplace, cooking demonstrations, Italian art and history, bocce ball, salami toss, the automobili show, wine tasting, olive oil and local product tastings, and much more! The “Boss of the Sauce” contest is back, and the Pavilion will have an Italian history display.
Festa Italiana! is a family-friendly event for all ages! You’ll get to taste food from the most esteemed Italian restaurants and chefs in the area, participate in authentic Italian activities and games and enjoy live music.
Tickets are $15 at the door. Children 12 and under are admitted free with an adult. Festa Ticket Locations: Gian's Deli - 2112 Pacific Avenue, Stockton; SASS! Public Relations - 628 Lincoln Center, Stockton; Lodi Grape Festival Ground - 413 E. Lockeford Street, Lodi; Rinaldi's Market - 4625 Duncan Road, Linden; the Fruit Bowl - 8767 E. Waterloo Road, Stockton.
Please visit festa-italiana.com for further event information!
Contact: Rebecca Ray
Director of Community Relations & Development (209) 461-2937 rray@frrcsj.org
Family Resource Center to Host Annual Children & Youth Day Event at Pixie Woods Amusement Park
[Stockton, CA] The Family Resource Center will host Children & Youth Day on Saturday, May 17th 10AM to 3:00PM at Pixie Woods at Louis Park located at 3121 Monte Diablo Avenue. This year’s theme is Around the World . Event admittance and activities are free for children and families in San Joaquin County. The event will include arts & craft activities, entertainment, and information & resources for the whole family.
Children & Youth Day is designed to increase community awareness of services and opportunities available for children, from infants through teens. Children are welcome to dress in cultural attire to celebrate the rich diversity of children and families in San Joaquin County. To keep with the theme, there will be a magic show performing at the park’s Entertainment Stage and children will be invited to participate in the Mascot parade throughout
ABOUT FAMILY RESOURCE CENTER:
the park’s magical pathways. Children will get to pick out 1 free book (while supplies last) at the agency’s resource table and enjoy facepainting, games, and prizes throughout the day. The SAAR Line Dancers will help children learn beginning line dancing.
Visit with over forty exhibitors providing crafts, information, and resources that benefit children and families. Hands-on activities, and the carousel rides are free for event attendees. Sponsored by Health Plan of San Joaquin, Altamont Corridor Express (ACE CAP), First 5 San Joaquin, City of Stockton, San Joaquin Delta College, San Joaquin County Office of Education, and Verve IT. This is the Family Resource Center’s 35th Children & Youth Day Event.
March 25, 2025
Contact: Steve Sue (209) 329-0661 e-mail at: Stevesue363@gmail.com
Japanese American Citizens League presents their Day of Remembrance with a viewing of the film “Kintsukuroi”
[Stockton, CA] May 3rd, The Stockton Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League presents their Day of Remembrance with a viewing of the film “Kintsukuroi” at the Buddhist Church of Stockton 2820 Shimizu Drive, Stockton California at 1PM.
The film, written and directed by Kerwin Berk, Kintsukuroi is the Japanese art of repairing ceramics using lacquer and gold, creating a certain strength and beauty to each piece. The title is used as a metaphor for the Japanese American experience in this feature film. The story follows the Ito family from pre-war San Francisco to the concentration camps of the American West to the battlefields of Europe. who along with 120,000 other Japanese Americans forced to endure internment by Order 9066 signed by President Roosevelt during World War Two. From life in the concentration camp to the battlefields of Europe. The story is told from the view of the characters. We see their struggles, heartbreak, triumphs and resilience through an experience that must not be forgotten.
There will be a Q & A session following the film with the director Mr. Berk and some of the cast members. A candle lighting ceremony will end the presentation.
Tickets are $10.00 with proceeds to help cover production costs. They are available by phone by calling: (209) 541-9118 or, they can be purchased at the door. Refreshments will be offered including popcorn for the movie. The Day of Remembrance is an important day for the Japanese American Community. For it was this day on February 19, 1942 that President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which gave the U.S. Army the authority to remove civilians from the military zones established in Washington, Oregon, and California during WWII.
As we observe this 84th anniversary we must remember the results of this order. It led to the forced removal and incarceration of some 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry living on the West Coast, who had to abandon their jobs, their homes, and their lives to be sent to one of ten concentration camps scattered in desolate, remote regions of the country.
There was fear of potential internal damage or attack. But the truth was that no Japanese Americans were ever charged, or convicted, of espionage or sabotage against the United States. Yet they were targeted, rounded up, and imprisoned for years, simply for having the “face of the enemy.”
The Japanese American community remembers Executive Order 9066. It is a reminder of the impact the incarceration experience has had on our families, our community, and our country.
Stockton Japanese American Citizens League
Day of Remembrance
presents:
KINTSUKUROI
Saturday May 3, 2025 at 1:00pm
Doors open at 12:30pm
Buddhist Church of Stockton 2820 Shimizu Drive, Stockton, CA
Q & A with Director Kerwin Berk
Tickets $10.00 preorder or at the door Reserve tickets call (209) 541-9118
KINTSUKUROI is an apt and inspiring metaphor for the way Japanese Americans dealt with their unjust imprisonment during WWII. Some fought, some protested and some simply survived. But in the end, everyone had to face the consequences of their decisions.
DOR Candle Lighting Ceremony
*We are looking for volunteer candle lighters. If interested, please contact us at (209) 329-0661
Ticket sales to benefit costs of event. For more information, contact Steve Sue, (209) 329-0661
Jim Tabuchi Chairperson Okagesama
JOIN US...
Allyson Aranda Vice-Chairperson
Okagesama
Phillip Merlo Executive Director
San Joaquin County Historical Museum
for a conversation about the creation of a new Japanese American Interpretive Center located at the historical Stockton Assembly Center site, dedicated to preserving and sharing the stories of incarceration and resilience. This webinar will introduce Okagesama, a new organization committed to honoring this legacy, and share the vision for a space that educates, reflects, and inspires. Learn how you can stay informed and get involved to help support this important cultural and historical initiative.
Special thanks to Kimiko Marr and Julie Kanazawa of Japanese American Memorial Pilgrimages (JAMP) for facilitating this important discussion.
