<Begin Segment 8>

EK: So why don't we talk a little bit about your work with the community groups? How did you start that relationship and what did that look like in the early years?

BB: Well, it's interesting. In the very first, I would say, year or so, I don't think that we knew what they were getting. [Laughs] I had the sense that they, again, I had a very young crew there, I was young at the time, I mean, first and foremost. The second part of it was, rightfully so, many people in the community, the government wasn't their favorite group of individuals because of the way that, things that have happened to us on multiple fronts. And not that there was a bitterness, but I didn't expect people to embrace us in the beginning, or to the extent they ultimately did was amazing, but especially in the beginning, there was definitely, on their part... and again, I understand that a hundred percent, and I didn't know what I was dealing with at the time either, and the folks there. There was definitely some huge apprehension, and it took a lot of trust and frank dialogue that, between the two, and open and honest communication, which I was always as open as I could be. I can't remember anything that I held back that was significant to folks. And don't ask me specifics, but I know there were times that I had to say no to certain things, it wasn't always yes. And even with that, the folks out there, it took a while for us to get our relationship to where it was after three years into the program. But one of the things I did nonstop, and I did this, and it was probably a little bit of a detriment to my personal life, was in the first year, I was nonstop going back and forth to the West Coast to meet with community groups. I mean, every other week, just about, I'd go out somewhere and talk with somebody. I tried to get myself invited to the JACL meetings, to the NCRR meetings, there were other smaller groups out there, individual groups. I kept Aiko and Jack in the loop along the way.

What ultimately I did is I hired professionals to really take over parts of the program and run those parts of the program and I was the face to the community. Because the more they trusted me and the ORA, I knew the better off we'd be in the long run. And it was a year, year and half, and then all of a sudden I'd come out to an event and they'd have a beer waiting for me whenever we'd go to the event. They knew my eating habits on what I didn't eat or did eat, I mean, well- known, they all knew it, and we all got along. And we all got to know each other and enjoy each other's company. And so that was, to me, I don't know how your other interviews and what other people have said in the community, but to me, the hallmark of the number one thing of why this program was successful had totally to do with the tightness of the groups and us working together with each other.

And you are certainly aware of the staff, and the staff embraced that as well. And I think of Joanne Chiedi, when she started getting involved, and how she could get out there and talk to folks, and she just loved it. Lisa Johnson Vickers did the same and with everyone. And the tie with the community, they would see presents for Christmas, and they knew each other's birthdays and so on, but you certainly know that that was a mainstay of the program. And again, that was unique to the program versus other government programs, I think, too, of anything that's happened, if you look at present-day programs and what goes on right now.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2019 Emi Kuboyama. All Rights Reserved.