<Begin Segment 23>

AI: Well, you've had a very long career of public service working in the mainstream public institutions of American life. And at the same time, you have throughout your life from high school on, you were very involved in the Japanese American community and setting up community institutions run by and for Japanese Americans.

PB: Right.

AI: So in some ways you had almost two parts of your life where you were very involved. Was it, did you ever find it difficult or have some contradictions in having these two portions of your lives, one in the Japanese American community and then in the broader, mainstream society?

PB: No, I don't find it difficult. I think that each one of us make up our mind to do things. I look at it from the standpoint that I do have the time, and as I say, when I reached my economic, what I felt was a time that my family didn't need my help economically, I didn't have to work too hard, my parents were probably the one that taught me that the main thing in life is to help people, not for money or anything else. But if you do that, that there is a reward at the far end. And so I keep busy. And it's a good thing to keep busy because as you get older, I see people that deteriorate by not doing anything -- watch, staying home watching TV or something. I watch TV a lot, but I feel that if you're doing something and each day you accomplish something that you feel has benefited society, benefited someone else, that that is what life is all about. So I will keep doing it, and I don't think I will stop until I'm unable to do so because that is the important part of life, that you're contributing to society, you're contributing to the betterment of everybody that's around.

AI: Well, another thing that strikes me after hearing about so many of your experiences is throughout your life you took on many challenges. And as you know, there's a Japanese saying that the nail that sticks up gets hammered down. And I think some Japanese Americans take that saying to mean, don't do something that will make you stand out. Perhaps, don't take on a challenge that will perhaps open you up to being a visible target that will be hit.

PB: Sure.

AI: Now, you, on the other hand, starting with going after a job in the banking industry, then later on going on to city and state politics, very visible jobs there, taking on the housing discrimination that you did. Can you tell me what was it that, perhaps from your parents' influence or within yourself that caused you, motivated you to take on these kinds of challenges that other people might not have?

PB: Well, each time that I've got into this it's been a, a challenge to an extent of seeing the ultimate result of something that will be better for that. For instance, the flower industry, I saw the people there growing, but they were, individually they never thought in terms of expanding and to make a bigger industry than what they were in. In the real estate industry it's the same way. One time I set a goal that I would try to sell thirty houses in a month. So I planned for six months, and I set up my clients, the property, and at that time there were lot of new housing tracts being built. And I achieved that. So when I set a goal, I try to reach that goal by planning ahead, whatever it takes, and trying to get as close as I can. If I don't achieve the goal, I want to get close to it. So it's the same thing with everything else that I have tried to do. And I think that if you try to think in terms of what there is by doing something, achieving at making the world a better place, then I think that is very, very important. And I will always work on that basis. And even now as I say, the time and health-wise and everything else -- maybe you don't have the same enthusiasm and the health thing as you did in the younger age, but as long as you're able to get around and do the things that you would like to do, I think that rather than just sitting down and staying at home, that when a challenge comes up to do something for somebody that you should try to do it. That's why I still stay very active in the community. I'm still active with the various service groups in my community, and I will keep doing it until I'm no longer here, because I think that that's something that we should do, important.

<End Segment 23> - Copyright © 2000 Densho. All Rights Reserved.