<Begin Segment 28>

KL: You guys, did you guys have any involvement with redress?

YI: No, sorry, I didn't.

KM: Yeah, I did not.

YI: In fact, I didn't even know it was going on for a long time until JACL and...

KM: When she got the check.

YI: No, before that.

KL: How did you learn about it?

YI: Through the news and through the Japanese paper. The Rafu Shimpo had articles about them going to Washington.

KM: Younger Sansei kids that really put it further, helping the Nisei.

KL: How did you hear about it?

KM: Just the same way as she did, in the paper.

YI: The Japanese paper?

KM: Not being very active.

KL: What were your thoughts when you first heard about it? Did you think it was feasible or crazy or worthwhile?

KM: I didn't think that it would pass.

KL: I'm sorry?

YI: You didn't think it would pass?

KM: I didn't think it would ever, they would never pay it.

YI: But I think that it was good that they did it, but I thought that they were going to collect money to, say, make a museum so that people know. I didn't think that individually the... certainly it doesn't repay. No amount of money would pay for what we had to go through, and especially the parents. But it was good that they acknowledged that it was a mistake of great proportion, affected how many lives, generations, actually. So it was what it was.

KL: I know you said your father was not living by that time. What do you think he would have thought of the apology and of the letter, and there actually was some funding set aside for educational efforts, too.

YI: I think he would have been okay with it. Along with the fact that it had to be what it was, I think that he would have accepted it and he would be okay with an apology. That's the kind of person he was, he wouldn't have been negative about any of it.

KL: Did your mother outlive him? I'm sorry, I can't remember -- was she living when the apology was issued?

KM: Yes.

KL: Did she say anything to you or respond?

YI: She gave half to Kuni. [Laughs]

KM: No, she was philosophical about it.

YI: She gave her half to Kuni because he was not eligible for the redress, because he was born outside.

KM: After.

YI: We got out in September and he was born in December.

KL: Why do you think she did that? Did she say, did she tell him?

YI: I think she just felt bad that he didn't get, you know, anything.

KM: The rest of us did.

YI: Yeah, and we all did.

KM: But he was almost born there.

YI: More than half.

KL: He has roots.

<End Segment 28> - Copyright © 2013 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.