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TI: And so when you think about her as she gets older, maybe even when she has children, are there any sort of thoughts or reflections you'd like to leave with her that we can record?

RE: I don't know. I think she should understand that she's, she's got the best of the blood, I think, being a Japanese American. I really think so. Today, I'm more proud than ever of being who I am. But as I told you, growing up, no, I didn't want to be who I was, you know. It's interesting how things can, your perspective in life changes. But the interesting part is, as much as we try to convey this information about what happened in our lives to my son and daughter, they really didn't care. It's only in recent years, as my son befriends people in an academic environment up there in Michigan that he wants to talk to them about his father and let the father come out and talk to them in these ethnic studies programs. So it's interesting. Our daughter is probably one of the highest-ranking women, Japanese American women in sports administration. She's the second ranking commissioner of the Big 12 athletic conference.

TI: And what does your son do?

RE: He used to be in the wireless communication business. His partner now owns the Atlanta Hawks and all that, but he got out of that. The pressure was too great, stress was too big. So he's in, now in the security business and he's got tons of business in securing these companies that have valuable metals, aluminum, copper and that. And so extremely busy in that industry.

TI: So it sounds like both, both children are doing really well.

RE: Got the Japanese blood in them.

TI: [Laughs] So Roy, this, this has been a wonderful experience for me. I'm so glad you took the time to do this. No, it really interesting how it did come back. I know growing up you struggled with your ethnic heritage, but now, it sounds like you've come full circle.

RE: Yeah, I think, I think it happens to others, too. I think the environment in which we grew up, in our formative years, has an importance. If you lived on the West Coast and you see enough of Asian Americans, it's acceptable. I think growing up in the Cleveland environment where there were so many, so less of us, and not encountering other Asian Americans had an influence on us that we had to do what white America was doing. That's about what it's at.

TI: Good. Well, thank you, again, so much for...

RE: Yeah, my pleasure, okay.

TI: Thank you very much.

<End Segment 32> - Copyright © 2008 Densho. All Rights Reserved.