Densho Digital Repository
Seattle JACL Oral History Collection
Title: Arlene Oki Interview
Narrator: Arlene Oki
Interviewers: Elaine Kim, Dr. Kyle Kinoshita
Date: March 16, 2022
Densho ID: ddr-sjacl-2-37-6

<Begin Segment 6>

EK: But just in the interest of time and your time, and just to slowly wrap things up, I was wondering if you saw any future directions that the Seattle JACL should start progressing towards in the next, for the next generation and the future? Is there anything that you would like to add to that?

AO: Well, I'm really happy that our current leadership is making courageous actions, are taking action to deal with current issues. And they could be called radical, but to hold a demonstration at the ICE Detention Center in Tacoma and to participate in demonstrations for Black Lives Matter. Some people may consider that radical, but I think it's the right thing to do. Because we care about all people, and all people should be treated equally, and not made to suffer in this country. And I see so many of the young people who are taking very positive steps to address those kinds of issues. And, again, we may be called radical, but the JACL members in the early days were called radicals. They were called rabble rousers, and this is at a time that redress has been proposed. And so, it's not unusual for us to take the stance we are currently taking. And so I see a real good future for the Seattle JACL as a result, and I think taking those very humanistic, compassionate positions might inspire the young people to join, and to help us organize and strategize to address some of these issues.

EK: Absolutely, yeah.

<End Segment 6> - Copyright © 2022 Seattle Chapter JACL. All Rights Reserved.