<Begin Segment 26>

RP: To kind of conclude our interview, can you sort of reflect on your camp experiences, how they impacted you and how they shaped your life?

KO: I think so. I think what impacted me was feeling, when I left camp, I felt very inferior for some reason. I think we might all, people won't admit it, but I think we did. And when I went to Minneapolis, it was a very strange experience for me. But it might have been good for me to leave alone. And after I was abused in the first job that the person really told me I'm lucky to have a job, I made up my mind then and there that, hey, I am not going to take a backseat. I've been that way most of my life.

[Interruption]

RP: You were just reflecting on...

KO: My effect of the camp. Yes, at first, work ethic-wise, I worked hard naturally. My feelings about things, I felt inferior when I left camp. I think all of us did in a way we won't admit it. Then I worked in Green Bay and I had to kind of work, 'cause they made you feel like they wouldn't promote me in Green Bay. All the plant managers couldn't figure out why I wasn't a plant manager where you made the money. So I was looking around and a big can company came, American National Can. They came up, the vice president came up and said, "We want you to work for us." And that's where I ended up working. But then I still speak up to people that say evacuation was for your protection, they have all these philosophies. I says, "No, there is prejudice." Economics, I still feel economics were involved because of the big landowners in California especially. Not Seattle as much as down there. So that is the way I feel and I will always speak up. I've learned to speak up when people say things. I don't care how big they are, I will kind of let them know nicely that, hey, it's not true. We were, it was a lot of prejudice that did it and economic land grabbing was some of the prime reason, I feel.

RP: How did the, how did the apology that the government issued in 1988 and the payment affect you?

KO: It didn't affect me, I expected it, and I think I wanted it to be sincere. I think Reagan was more sincere than the other, 'cause I think Reagan had served, had something to do with the Japanese Americans. I think he was sincere, but I wonder about Mr. Bush a little bit. I see the results of his offspring. But I hope our kids, I worry about my future, the kids are not paying enough attention to what happened. I believe in speaking up, I think the Niseis were very responsible for not speaking up. Back east, I felt when I first went to Dayton, Ohio, in 1970, I joined the Episcopal church and they asked me, they said, "Oh, you were in one of those camps." Somebody said, "We just heard about it." They wanted to have Adult Education, seventy-five people showed up for two sessions. And guess who organized it? Somebody at the Meade family, the Meade Corporation, the wife of the president, plus she was a Swift, by the way, from Chicago. But she was interested, so we had a session. Seattle, I don't think, ever had a session at that time, but they were interested enough, and were very sympathetic, empathetic. They couldn't believe our country did what they did. And so it was kind of was vindication. That's why I respected that church very much, a big church.

RP: Kats, thanks so much for sharing your stories with us. Appreciate it.

KO: You're welcome.

<End Segment 26> - Copyright © 2007 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.