<Begin Segment 17>

RP: Finally, early on in the interview you were talking about some of the experiences you had, not necessarily prejudice, but feeling that you were different, you were kind of not a part of. Was there a time later on in your life where you actually felt a part of the culture, mainstream?

LK: You mean the Japanese culture or the Caucasian culture?

RP: I guess both.

LK: Both? Well, in camp, there was no problem, because we were all the same. But when I came out and started working, there was a lot of discrimination. But as the years went on, when I first came out, for instance, I went into a Carl's shoe store and they told me that they wouldn't sell me any shoes. So we know that Carl's shoe store, they didn't... I walked in with my girlfriend and immediately the clerk says, "We don't sell to." So I know that happened. But also I had to go on and as years went on, things became a little easier. Now, when I worked at Portland State, for instance, no one, they would talk about Asian people, and once in a while I would say, "Hey, wait a minute. I'm Asian." They said, "Oh, we never thought about you as being Asian," you know. So I became part of the group. I was the only Asian there, of course. So it became, I became more mainstream eventually. Although periodically there's a little feeling that you are different, but with my immediate friends at Portland State, for instance, I was just part of them. They never thought of me as anything but one of them.

RP: But earlier you were mentioning how you didn't want to play the koto because it was Japanese and you didn't want to, you wanted to run from anything that was Japanese. Was there a time in your life where you were open to embracing your culture?

LK: Yes, yes. Recently, I like everything Japanese. I'm studying the Japanese language with Tomiko, and I like Japanese movies, and I'm proud to be of Japanese ancestry. But when I was talking about not wanting to play the koto was when I was still, it was before the war, and I didn't want to be associated with playing the koto, that I would rather play the piano.

RP: Did you ever get to play the piano?

LK: I did learn. I did learn, after we came back and we bought an upright piano, and we have a piano now. And I did learn, not well, but I did learn a little bit. I can't play it like a lot of people can, but I can play a few notes.

RP: Lily, is there any other stories or reminisces that you'd like to share that we haven't touched on that you think are important?

LK: No, I think you have covered about all. Thank you very much for talking to me.

RP: Thank you for talking to us.

LK: I appreciate it.

RP: On behalf of Mark and myself and the National Park Service, we really appreciate your time.

LK: Thank you. Thank you, I appreciate your coming, too.

<End Segment 17> - Copyright © 2010 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.