<Begin Segment 21>

RP: I'd like to ask you, in thinking about these children, if you had a chance to offer them any insight or a lesson about your camp experience and your time as an American citizen in Tule Lake, what would you share with them?

FY: Oh, my own children?

RP: Any, any children.

FY: Uh-huh. So, yes, a Time of Remembrance, every year, fifth grade history students would come to the Archives, so we were there to tell them about our experience. And then we had some of those things made in camp displayed, too.

RP: What insight would you offer the kids based on your experience at Tule Lake? A lesson or something that --

FY: Yes, uh-huh.

RP: -- something that's really shaped your life.

FY: Uh-huh, that's right. They learn our... there are so many things I could say. But anyway, we wanted them to know the, our basic U.S. history and U.S., about the...

RP: Constitution?

FY: Yeah, Constitution. That was emphasized a lot.

RP: Their rights?

FY: Yes, rights, that's right. And thousands of, thousands of children were bussed in to learn about our experience, and they would relate that to the Constitution and all that.

RP: One final question. What was your feelings about... I asked you about Pearl Harbor, what about 9/11 and the repercussions of that towards the Muslim and Arab communities?

FY: Oh, yeah. Oh, I hope that nothing will happen to them. I hope that history will not repeat itself again. So I think all of us tried to help them as much as we can through JACL.

RP: And you're a member of JACL?

FY: Yes, we are.

RP: How long have you been?

FY: My husband was a life member. Well, we still are members of the JACL.

RP: What type of issues have you dealt with locally through the JACL?

FY: Well, as I said, I was more involved in this program, Time of Remembrance.

RP: Oh, that's a JACL program?

FY: Well, no... well, JACL was involved, yes. So I worked for years, I used to work for, I used to participate in this program, Time of Remembrance through the history students in their fifth year, I think, came and asked us about what we went through about the American Constitution and all that.

RP: Is there anything else, any story or memory that you'd like to share with us that we haven't already touched on?

FY: I think it was pretty complete.

RP: Thank you so much, Fusa.

FY: Oh, thank you.

RP: I thank you, Kirk thanks you, and the National Park Service was well.

FY: I hope that I was helpful in some way, 'cause I hope that this will not be repeated again, this, being put in a relocation camp.

RP: That's what we're all hoping.

FY: Yes.

<End Segment 21> - Copyright © 2008 Manzanar National Historic Site and Densho. All Rights Reserved.