Densho Digital Repository - In Memory of Kip Tokuda Interview (Densho ID: ddr-sjacl-2-40-1)

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BT: Hi, my name is Bill Tashima, and I'm a past president of the Seattle JACL and current chair of our Legacy Fund Project. And our project, funded by a National JACL Legacy Fund grant, aims to preserve the rich history and legacy of Seattle JACL through online preservation of our historical documents, as well as supplementing this material by adding recording, recorded oral histories on pivotal leaders. In this session, we'll be having a discussion on Kip Tokuda. Kip was a beloved icon in our community, who was the epitome of compassion and decency and heart and who devoted his life to family and the betterment of society for all families. Leading the discussion today will be Ana Tanaka, a U-Dub junior, and she will be joined by Janice Deguchi, Akemi Matsumoto, Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos and, from time to time, me. We are also honored to be joined today by Barbara Lui, Kip's wife, who is invited to make remarks at any time. And each will introduce themselves more fully in a few moments.

But before I turn the session over to Ana, I would like to give a short Wikipedia bio on Kip Tokuda. Tokuda was born in 1946 in Seattle, Washington, his parents George and Tamako, born Inouye, owned the Tokuda pharmacy, which was located on Jackson Street at the time. He was raised in Seattle's Central District and on Beacon Hill neighborhoods. He initially attended Garfield High School but transferred and graduated from Cleveland High School. Tokuda received both his bachelor's and master's degree from U-Dub, University of Washington, 1969 BA in sociology, master's degree in social work in 1973. He was director of children's and human services programs. He served in Washington's House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003 as a Democrat. Tokuda was chair of the House Children and Family Services Committee of the State House. He was also a member of the Appropriations Committee and the Juvenile Justice and Family Law Committee in this chamber. Tokuda founded the Japanese Cultural Community Center of Washington. On April 29, 2012, Tokuda was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun gold rays with rosettes by Emperor Akihito for promoting positive relations between Japan and the United States. Tokuda died of a heart attack on July 13, 2003, at age sixty-six, while fishing on Whidbey Island.

And I read this citation because people who want to know more about Kip might go to Wikipedia and see this, but those people would be missing so much. They would not know how Kip was a Seattle JACL president in 1993 and how he used his platform to tirelessly advocate for engagement and expansion of LGBTQ issues and rights. And how, as JACL president, Kip pushed for the support of API youth leadership programs, which ultimately led to the foundation of ACLF, the Asian Pacific Islander Community Leadership Foundation. Wikipedia does not explain how Kip's time as executive director of the Washington Council for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect would be the basis of his work in the state legislature in protecting anti-poverty programs and passing the special needs adoption bill, and how his commitment continued after leaving the legislature as head of the Seattle Human Services and Department of Family and Youth Services Division. Kip's commitment to community was personal and it was real. Kip was a force in enacting Washington Civil Liberties Public Education Fund Act, which provides for annual funding for the teachings of the lessons of the World War II Japanese Americans, forced removal and incarceration, and how these lessons apply to contemporary society. Kip initiated the Washington State's House of Representatives Annual Day of Remembrance. Kip was key in securing funding for both the Wing Luke Asian Museum and the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Washington. Another icon in Seattle's Asian American community is Ron Chew. Ron said of Kip, "Maybe one of the keys to his effectiveness as a leader is that he had a gift for putting people at ease. He was naturally funny, goofy and down to earth. He would make everyone in his presence laugh, usually hysterically, by making random jibes at his own ineptitude or stupidity even though he was neither inept nor stupid. It was part of his humility and his grace as a leader -- listener, and as a communicator. His humor would open the way to a great conversation, and everyone's voice had a place at the table. This was truly generosity in action." We remember and honor Kip Tokuda. We hope that this discussion here will help others to appreciate who Kip was, what he did, and more importantly, understand his incredible personal, interpersonal skills that enabled Kip to have such an impact on our community. And with that, I will turn it over to Ana Tanaka, who will introduce yourself and start the discussion going.