Densho Digital Repository - Chiyo Koiwai Interview (Densho ID: ddr-phljacl-1-10-6)

[Correct spelling of certain names, words and terms used in this interview have not been verified.]

<Begin Segment 6>

HH: Chiyo, to what extent do you identify with the label "Quiet American"?

CK: "Quiet American"? I don't classify myself as a "Quiet American."

HH: You don't identify with that?

CK: No, I never did.

HH: How about one, the "model minority"? Do you identify with that?

CK: Herb, as far as other minorities go, I am quite aware of it. But the problem arose, and it kept rising, was when you're working, that unless you make yourself known, that you are Japanese, and not Vietnamese that just came over from the boat, I mean, they will go all down the list asking you until you tell them, "No, I did not come over from the boat. I've been here all my life." "Oh." But this you'll find that has occurred to so many people, that you get to a point where you say, "All right, we know what's going on with the other minorities. We will help you as much as you can." It's like you don't want to be classified with them because, I don't know, it's just that you don't want to go through it all over again. I haven't gone out of the way like my, the Uyeharas in Norristown have, they have spent years assisting Laotians and Hmongs, that I feel that my priority is home, whereas they don't have any children. I mean, this is my excuse, I guess, if you need to say that.

HH: Then to what extent do you identify with the plight of Latinos and Native Americans, African Americans?

CK: By donation.

HH: Are there similarities of experience?

CK: In what way, similarities?

HH: Well, in the history of things that African Americans, Native Americans, Latinos, have gone through. Are there certain similarities that you feel that they have their set of experiences that you have, your set, or as Asian Americans --

CK: No, not really. Because I have worked with the Blacks quite a bit. And because I grew up with a girlfriend, one I went to school with, that there wasn't that much difference. Helen was Helen, Helen came and picked me up, we went up, went to school together. So my parents didn't object. We also had a Filipino girl who was a classmate of my sister's, and she always came over. So this sort of carried through wherever we went, that you accept them as who they are. I don't go classifying that, they're an individual like any other Caucasian.