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EK: So another question having to do with the early days of ORA--do you have memories about the first check presentation ceremonies?

KO: Yes, absolutely. Number one, so grateful that I was able to go and be there. And that after this struggle of a decade, the '80s decade, of not really thinking it was going to happen, for it to happen and then to have the ORA invite, I think it might have been eight or nine of the eldest Japanese Americans who had survived, to this program in Washington, D.C., and have it in the Hall of Justice, which was kind of awesome to be there. And to see all the people that I think, a lot of the people who worked on it, and certainly in the front were the Nikkei legislators, a lot of the 442 veterans were in the first few rows, community people, certainly Sox and others from the community. From L.A., I know Bert Nakano, myself, Miya Iwataki, Takeshi Nakayama who represented the Rafu Shimpo, covered and took some great photos of the first checks being given. We were fortunate to have attended, to be the actual witness. And it was like my heart was just full and it was leaping out of my chest, because it was probably one of the greatest days of my life, I can speak for everybody else who was there, too. Because it reflected so much history that had gone on to our community, and the long time, the decades that it took to receive, to earn, to fight for this apology, it's quite gratifying.

And although, I do have to say, and this could be another topic, the CLA was not all that some people thought it was. There were a lot of omissions, and it was a compromise, a painful compromise to me. But the fact that there was the apology -- that's another point, the apology letter, because Bob told me some stories about working to get that apology letter. And the number of people ultimately who received redress and reparations, okay, it was a really excellent thing. And that day, I'll never forget Sugi Kiriyama, who was the mother of George Kiriyama, mother-in-law of Iku Kiriyama, who are very, very important people in Los Angeles community. He was a board member and a wonderful person, and his wife, very active in the community. And it's sweet that now their son and daughter, George and Iku's son and daughter, are very active in the community. But then his mother, Sugi, was one of the recipients. And she was in a wheelchair, and she was, by then, almost a hundred, and beautiful. She had a shawl, and she came out, she had to be wheeled onto the small stage, and she just, because of who she was, and kind of, like her hands were together, and she was just like very serene and composed. When she was wheeled out, it was kind of breathtaking, it was really a photo moment. I mean, all the press that was there, the media, you could hear those cameras and flashes going off. She was quite lovely, but she was the elder that we were celebrating that day. Another elder woman, I forgot her name, had fallen in the hotel room. She had flown in from somewhere and was in a hotel room and she had fallen just getting around, and she had some large bruises on her face by the next day. But I'm not sure everybody knew why she had those bruises, maybe they didn't even notice. But being one of the older folks, what could you expect. And, of course, to see the checks actually issued, the checks and the apologies, and Attorney General Richard Thornburgh, and he kneeled. [Laughs] He kneeled, and all the cameras caught that, too. And it was such a gesture from the government to provide this apology and reparations, and for him to present it, it was a moment in history I will never forget. And the ORA, through their kind gestures, acknowledged the three main organizations they worked with, which were NCRR, JACL and NCJAR. And the three leaders were photographed with, I hope, Bob, and other people. And they presented us with certificates, plaques of appreciation, that kind of thing, which we could take back and share with our people in the community to say that the ORA is grateful for our help.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2020 Emi Kuboyama. All Rights Reserved.