Fred Korematsu Day Heroes Celebration in S.F.

SAN FRANCISCO — The Fred T. Korematsu Institute for Civil Rights and Education will celebrate Korematsu Day 2013 by honoring 16 American civil rights heroes who have been long overlooked. 

The event will be held Sunday, Jan. 27, at the Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness Ave.,  San Francisco.  VIP reception with honorees at 1 p.m.; program from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Danny Glover, actor, community activist and humanitarian, will serve as emcee and Jasmine Trias, “American Idol” star and international recording artist, will give a special performance. 

The honorees are as follows:

• Fred Korematsu, plaintiff who challenged the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Supreme Court.  In his honor, the State of California has declared Jan. 30, his birthday, as Fred Korematsu Day.  Karen Korematsu will represent her father at the event. 

• Grace Lee Boggs, Chinese American grassroots activist for pan-ethnic social justice movements.  She is unable to attend the event. 

• Mitsuye Endo, plaintiff who challenged the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Supreme Court.  Wayne Tsutsumi and Wendy Weiner will represent their mother at the event. 

• Filipino World War II veteranos, Filipino soldiers who fought for the U.S. against Japanese forces but were later denied U.S. military benefits.  Veterano Alberto Saldajeno will represent this group at the event. 

• Gordon Hirabayashi, plaintiff who challenged the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Supreme Court.  He posthumously received the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year.  Jay Hirabayashi will represent his father at the event. 

• Internment dissenters — “no-nos,” draft resisters and renunciants who challenged the World War II incarceration and mistreatment of Japanese Americans. “ No-no” Hiroshi Kashiwagi will represent this group at the event. 

• Larry Itliong, Filipino American organizer and coalition builder in California’s farm labor movement.  Johnny Itliong will represent his father at the event. 

• Japanese American World War II veterans, soldiers who fought bravely in segregated military units in the face of racism at home.  Military Intelligence Service veteran Asa Hanamoto will represent this group at the event. 

• Yuri Kochiyama, Japanese American grassroots activist for pan-ethnic social justice movements.  Audee Kochiyama-Holman will represent her mother at the event. 

• Queen Lili‘uokalani, last reigning monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii and advocate for Hawaiian sovereignty.  Her descendants will not be attending the event. 

• Dollar Store strikers, women labor activists who launched one of the longest-running strikes in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1938.  Mervyn Lee, son of striker Sue Koh Lee, will represent this group at the event. 

• Bhagat Singh Thind, Sikh American plaintiff in U.S. Supreme Court case examining race-based citizenship.  David Bhagat Thind will represent his father at the event. 

• Philip Vera Cruz, Filipino American founding member of the United Farm Workers and defender of workers’ rights.  Fernando Gapasin will represent his uncle at the event. 

• Wong Kim Ark, Chinese American plaintiff in U.S. Supreme Court case affirming birthright citizenship.  The Wong family has not confirmed if they will attend the event. 

• Min Yasui, plaintiff who challenged the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans in the U.S. Supreme Court.  Serena Hawkins-Schletzbaum and Chani Hawkins-Walker will represent their grandfather at the event. 

Admission to the VIP reception and program is $100.  For the program only, tickets are $25 general, $10 for seniors and students.  Tickets are available for purchase online at http://bit.ly/kdayheroestix. 

Golden Gate University Law School – Asian Pacific American Law Students Association

Hawaii Chamber of Commerce of Northern California

Japanese American Citizens League-Watsonville-Santa Cruz Chapter

Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California

Korean American Bar Association of Northern California

Oakland Asian Cultural Center

OCA-San Francisco

Public Allies

Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund

Sikh Coalition

South Asian Bar Association of Northern California

Taiwanese American Professionals

Tule Lake Committee

UC Hastings Asian Pacific American Law Students Association

In addition to the flagship event in San Francisco, Korematsu Day will be observed at the following Bay Area locations:

• HAYWARD

Tuesday, Jan. 22, from 9:15 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.

Cherryland Elementary School, 585 Willow Ave.,  Hayward

Students are engaged in a project called “The Heroes Among Us,” focusing on the everyday heroes who seldom get noticed or recognized.  As a kickoff to the project, students are learning about Fred Korematsu and inviting Karen Korematsu to speak about the everyday heroism of her father. 

Sponsored by the 6th-grade teachers of Cherryland Elementary. 

Contact: Corrie Littlejohn, (510) 723-3810

• SAN JOSE

Saturday, Jan. 26, from 1 to 3 p.m.

Wesley United Methodist Church, 566 N. 5th St., San Jose (across the street from the Japanese American Museum of San Jose)

Program: “Dangerous Parallels – American Muslims Today and the Echoes of WWII Injustice.”  Featuring panelists Zahra Billoo (executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations-San Francisco Bay Area), Tom Izu (executive director of the California History Center and Foundation at DeAnza College), with Masao Suzuki (long-time activist with the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee and the South Bay Committee Against Political Repression) as facilitator.  Also a screening of the documentary “Of Civil Wrongs and Rights: The Fred Korematsu Story” (24 minutes). 

Cost: Free with admission to the museum — non-members, $5; students and seniors over age 65, $3; JAMsj members and children under 12, free

Program: It’s been almost 70 years since the Hirabayashi and Korematsu cases.  How has the political climate towards immigration changed in the last half-century, and how can we learn lessons for the future from the past?  Moderator: Shirin Sinnar (assistant professor of law, Stanford Law School).  Panelists: Nasrina Bargzie (staff Attorney, Asian Law Caucus), Angela Chan (senior staff attorney, Asian Law Caucus), Karen Kai and Robert Rusky (Korematsu coram nobis team). 

Korematsu Freshman Campus at San Leandro High School, 13701 Bancroft Ave.,  San Leandro

Program: English teachers are using teaching kits from the Korematsu Institute to talk to students about Fred Korematsu’s story and how it connects to current racism.  Students will describe inspirational people in their lives, such as Korematsu.  Students may also participate in a poster contest.  Information about Korematsu will be displayed on campus and broadcast on the school’s intercom. 

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