<Begin Segment 8>

BH: How did you and your family prepare to go to the assembly center in North Portland? What about the farm?

AK: Well, we were very lucky, I think, compared to some people, because we had a very good friend, a dairy farmer, who had a daughter who was married, and they took over the farm for us. And so they took very good care of it until we came back. And when we came back, well, they just welcomed us home, you know. And they just left and let us have the farm. I hear that some people had trouble when their farms were not taken care of.

BH: How did you decide what to take with you when you had to report to the assembly center?

AK: I know. We had to take it in and out, in and out, because we knew we could only bring one suitcase.

BH: So what did you end up taking?

AK: Hmm?

BH: What did you end up putting in your suitcase?

AK: Well, not very... a few clothes. You know, I was pregnant, so I had to be in my pregnant clothes. But I didn't have to worry about any children, though, they weren't born yet.

BH: So how did you get from Gresham to the assembly center in North Portland?

AK: We all got on the bus. We met at one location, and we were taken there.

BH: What do you remember about leaving Gresham and the farm and the people you were used to seeing, your neighbors? What was that like?

AK: It was really sad. Well, you know, none of our friends discriminated us, but in Gresham, there was a lot of discrimination, though.

BH: Can you give me an example?

AK: No, not me. My husband probably could, because he would be the one who went out. We stayed home, mostly.

BH: I seem to recall some incidents when Kaz wasn't able to get waited on in a restaurant?

AK: Yeah, there are times like that.

<End Segment 8> - Copyright © 2014 Oregon Nikkei Endowment and Densho. All Rights Reserved.