Spaces of Belonging
February of 2025 - February of 2027
Project coordinators: Steve Nava and Tom Izu
Spaces of Belonging is both a historical preservation effort and a living archive, capturing the lived experiences of those who have shaped and been shaped by the communities of the Santa Clara Valley, with a strong emphasis on Japantown’s legacy and the ongoing struggle for inclusion. Project coordinators Tom Izu and Steve Nava guide students as they conduct oral histories that are intended to bridge generational and ethnic differences. The oral history topics vary in content and focus but include interviews with social and cultural workers in Silicon Valley who have contributed to building belonging and transforming the lives of their community members. This project is an intervention into the way we think about history, moving away from a static perception towards history as a process of intergenerational exchange, social justice, and cultural awareness.
There are two sections of oral history videos and transcripts which reflect a focus on the local San Jose history of Japantown and the second labeled, "Artists and Artivists" focuses on the socialization of activists within the San Jose community. The interviews across both sections include questions addressing the life of San Jose Japantown however the artivists section is not primarily focused on Japantown but fields the artists' life growing up in their unique striving for racial, immigration, and economic justice and a social space to feel valued.
Although it is clear from the feelings expressed in both sets of interviews that growing up in San Jose and other cities was fraught with challenges to these creative human beings' ability to carve out a sure space of belonging, they also express an appreciation for the moments of warm connection and true community they experienced along the way. As researchers and interviewers we are extremely grateful to the community members who opened their lives to us and to the De Anza students who worked on this project in the spirit of historical fascination and empathy. For example, we were guided into anguished memories when hearing about what it was like to wake up in a bare desert army barracks as a nine year old Japanese American child during WWII, but we also witnessed shared nostalgic memories of the Beloved Community that the famous Civil Rights leader and sociologist Reverend Martin Luther King dreamed about. It is our hope that you listen with empathy and in the precious hope that the tragedies and wayward ambitions of the past do not repeat.
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Japantown
Spaces of Belonging in Japantown, San Jose
Oral History Interview - Rory Fukuda
February 9, 2024
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Rory Fukuda, retired designer draftsman, reflects on San Jose Japantown and Witnessing the Tech Boom that Transformed Santa Clara County:
Rory Fukuda’s oral history provides a detailed account of the evolution of San Jose and the enduring significance of Japantown as a cultural anchor. Born in 1957, Fukuda witnessed the region's transition from a "farming community" dominated by orchards to a "metropolis" shaped by the high-tech boom. Growing up in the 1960s in the Rosemary Gardens neighborhood, Fukuda’s initial sense of belonging was rooted in his immediate neighborhood and elementary school. For a child at that time, "community" was defined by bike-riding distance and local landmarks like the creek behind his house. While his Japanese American identity was a part of his life, his primary exposure to that specific community came through his father, who co-owned a barbershop in Japantown and was active in the Buddhist church. He notes that in his youth, he did not feel a strong community beyond these family ties and school-based sports and music. It was only as he grew older and saw the growing urban sprawl and the disappearance of farmlands that he began to feel a nostalgic desire to look back at his roots.
Japantown as a Space of Belonging
Japantown serves as a vital space of belonging for Japanese and other Asian Americans, characterized by a unique community where many participants live outside the area but remain committed to its preservation. Fukuda identifies several legacy family businesses—such as Santo Market, Kogura Gift Store, Nichi Bei Bussan, and Roy’s Station—that have remained in the same families since before or immediately after the WWII internment camps. These locations hold deep personal value; for instance, he still walks his dog in Japantown, interacting with shop owners he has known since childhood. Furthermore, the space has evolved into a broader Asian American hub, hosting festivals that now include Chinese and Vietnamese cultural celebrations, such as the Lunar New Year.
Cultural Preservation and Intergenerational Belonging
Fukuda emphasizes that preserving the hidden histories of Japantown is essential for maintaining an identity during times of rapid technological and cultural change. He contributes to this intergenerational belonging through art and craftsmanship, specifically by creating 3D-printed miniatures of iconic buildings like the Buddhist Church and the Japanese American Museum to document them before possible renovations occur. He has also helped personalize functional items for legacy businesses, such as engraving family crests on gates for Roy’s Station or building traditional wooden "seiro" steam boxes for the local manju shop.
In this oral history interview highlights the importance of historical accuracy in Civil Rights contexts, such as the community’s successful effort to rename a local park "Heinlenville Park". Rather than accepting a generic name like "Cherry Blossom Park," the community fought to honor John Heinlen, who provided a refuge for Chinese Americans after their downtown San Jose Chinatown was burned down. Fukuda views the recent interest from younger generations in preserving this history as a hopeful sign that the memory and identity of Japantown will survive despite the pressures of development. What is the history of Heinlenville Park? The history of Heinlenville Park is rooted in the early struggle for Asian American belonging and refuge in San Jose, specifically honoring a legacy of solidarity during a time of racial violence.
Origins as a Refuge
The park is named after John Heinlen, a German immigrant who owned significant land in the area that would eventually become Japantown. In the late 19th century, after the original Chinatown in downtown San Jose was intentionally burned down and Chinese residents were driven out of the downtown area, Heinlen offered them a place to stay on his property. This settlement was originally developed and known as "Heinlenville". The park was built recently as part of a development between two apartment buildings. According to Rory Fukuda, the developers originally intended to name the space "Sakura Park" or "Cherry Blossom Park". However, the community pushed back against this generic naming convention, feeling it overlooked the specific historical significance of the site.
To ensure the area's history was not lost, a handful of community members—including Tamiko Rast and the owners of Roy's Station—petitioned and fought the city to change the name to Heinlenville Park. They had to go down to City Hall to state their case, arguing that the name should honor the man who specifically helped Asian residents develop a community when they were being persecuted elsewhere. Fukuda notes that this effort was a way to preserve a hidden history that might otherwise be simplified into a generic cultural label betraying the truer struggle for belonging.
Oral History Interview - Lynne Santo Yamaichi
February 23, 2024
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Lynne Santo Yamaichi’s is Director of Lotus Preschool and part of the Santo family known in Japantown for the popular Santo Market
Lynne Santo Yamaichi’s oral history documents the life of a third-generation (Sansei) Japanese American woman whose identity and occupation are deeply intertwined with the cultural and economic fabric of San Jose Japantown. As the director of Lotus Preschool and a member of the family that owns the legacy Santo Market, her narrative emphasizes the resilience of community bonds across generations. Growing up in the 1960s just a mile from Japantown, Santo Yamaichi describes a childhood defined by a wonderful sense of security and cultural immersion. Her sense of belonging was anchored by the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, where her family participated in Sunday school, scouts, and community youth programs. In this oral hostory she reflects on her education at San Jose High School as a positive experience where a diverse student body of various ethnicities coexisted comfortably, allowing students to share cultural offerings and participate in group activities. For her, being an ethnic minority in this context meant being part of a cherished community that provided a firm foundation for her adulthood.
Japantown as a Space of Belonging
Japantown and the Betsuin community "feel like home" to Santo Yamaichi, serving as a space where common goals and relationships are formed. This belonging is physically manifested in legacy family businesses like Santo Market (established in 1946), Kogura Company, and Roy’s Station. She highlights the unique cohesion of San Jose’s Japantown, noting that because it is smaller than those in San Francisco or Los Angeles, it has maintained a generational continuity where children of business owners from her youth remain active leaders today. Historically, this space once facilitated belonging through kens—groups based on the specific prefectures in Japan from which families emigrated—which fostered deep social ties and supported the local church.
Santo Yamaichi views the preservation of history and tradition as vital for maintaining community integrity amidst social change and potential threats to civil rights. Lynne references the concept of kintsukuroi—the art of mending broken pottery with gold—as a metaphor for how the Japanese American community healed and persevered after the trauma of WWII incarceration. Her own family was incarcerated at Heart Mountain, Jerome, and Tule Lake. She also emphasizes that events like the Day of Remembrance are essential to educate the broader public so that such civil rights violations should never happen again to any other groups.
Cultural Transmission and Current Challenges
Through her work at Lotus Preschool, Santo actively creates a "first step" for new families into the community by involving children in traditional services, visiting local seniors at Yu-Ai Kai, and celebrating cultural milestones like Oshogatsu (New Year's). Santo Yamaichi expresses a strong hope that Japantown will maintain family-run businesses rather than large retailers, believing that preserving these historic roots is necessary to maintain the neighborhood's integrity.
Oral History Interview - Steve Fugita
February 29, 2024
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Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Ethnic Studies, Steven Fugita Advocates for Intergenerational Local Cultural Preservation
Steven Fugita’s oral history provides a complex look at his changing Japanese American identity, shifting from the isolated experience of the Midwest to the established community of San Jose. While Fugita moved to Santa Clara County later in life, his reflections on belonging, space, and preservation highlight the social structures that define minority experiences in America.
Belonging as an Ethnic Minority
Although Fugita has lived in Santa Clara County since 1990, he spent his formative years in Cleveland, Ohio, an experience he contrasts sharply with growing up in a multi-racial place like San Jose. Born in the Jerome, Arkansas incarceration camp in 1943, his family was part of the post-war dispersal encouraged by the War Relocation Authority to facilitate "assimilation". According to Fugita, growing up in the Midwest created a hyper-sensitivity to being different. Fugita describes always looking around to see how others reacted to him because he was not part of a larger ethnic community. This sense of "being different" manifested early, such as a first-grade memory of feeling that the ethnically Japanese marble game he shared with his peers accentuated his Japanese Americanness compared to his white peers with their ethnocentric biases. Furthermore, his family faced overt discrimination, such as a 1957 petition by neighbors intended to block them from building a house in a specific subdivision.
San Jose Japantown as a Space of Belonging
For Fugita, San Jose Japantown community (Nihonmachi) represents a vital physical anchor for community that contrasts with the social links that had to suffice in Cleveland. He values the space for providing a sense of ease and trust. He describes the community as a place where one can be spontaneous and feel a sense of ease that is beneficial for mental health. Fugita views the "groupness" or collectiveness preserved in these spaces as a necessary counter-balance to the rampant individualism of broader American society.
In this oral history, Fugita highlights traditional hangouts like Fourth Street Bowl and the Japanese American Museum as places where informal interactions and random chit-chat among friends create deeper bonds than modern, “efficient” professional meetings. We reflected on the importance of these open dialogues as creating a comfort among ethnically similar community members as essential to what makes San Jose Japantown so precious and essential for a sense of belonging.
Intergenerational Preservation Amidst Cultural Change
Fugita emphasizes that the preservation of Japanese American history is essential because the ties to the community are weakening with younger generations. Japanese Americans, often successful in tech corporations, increasingly grow up further from the community and ethnic culture; Fugita argues they must work harder to form the bonds that came naturally to previous generations through common struggle. He warns that without active historical and cultural preservation, Japantown could become "hollowed out"—reduced to a place where people merely drive in to buy ethnic food before returning to the suburbs. He identifies the Buddhist and Methodist churches located in San Jose Japantown as the most persistent organizations for maintaining this sense of belonging over time.
Intergenerational Responsibility
Fugita reflects on the personal regret of not asking older generations more questions, noting that preserving the essence of the community requires documenting the stories of those who have passed before their history is distorted. In summary, Fugita views the preservation of spaces like Japantown not just as a nostalgic nod to the past, but as a necessary effort to provide a safeguard against the psychological and sociological disorganization that can occur when minorities are isolated from their collective history. He advocates for working across generations to preserve the beloved parts of ethnic culture.
Oral History Interview - Jen Masuda
March 12, 2024
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Jen Masuda is the Executive Director of the Yu-Ai Kai Japanese American Senior Center in San Jose Japantown
In this oral history interview Jen Masuda explains her connection to the Yu-Ai Kai Japanese American senior center which began when her grandmother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s dementia, came to live with her in San Jose in 2004. Seeking activities for her grandmother, Masuda discovered Yu-Ai Kai through a relative’s recommendation, initially having no prior knowledge of San Jose's Japantown. This discovery marked the beginning of a thirteen-year relationship with the center that would eventually redefine her life and career.
Life Transitions
Masuda became her grandmother’s primary caregiver, a role she initially believed would only last a few years but extended to a full decade as her grandmother's health declined. The intensity of these responsibilities eventually forced Masuda to leave her successful career as an associate publisher for a corporate magazine. During this challenging period, Masuda faced her own severe health struggle when she was diagnosed with cancer in 2015. She reflects that the immense stress of caregiving often leads to illness, a reality she experienced firsthand while simultaneously managing her grandmother’s care and her own year-long treatment.
Her professional transition into Yu-Ai Kai was gradual, starting with entry-level roles such as a substitute driver in 2011, a building attendant, and a receptionist. These positions allowed her to become familiar with the center's members and activities while providing her with a vital supportive community and a free caregiver support group. After recovering from cancer, she gained management experience as the facility and activity manager for the Akiyama Wellness Center. This progression ultimately prepared her for the leadership role of Executive Director, a path she admits she never could have imagined when she first started as a driver.
Complexities of Social Identity
Throughout her life, Masuda grappled with a complex sense of identity and belonging influenced by her mixed-race heritage and frequent relocations. As a child growing up in Foster City, she faced an identity crisis, at one point even believing she was Jewish because most of her friends were. Moving to Hawaii for middle and high school provided a different cultural environment where she became more comfortable with her AAPI identity, though she still felt like an outsider initially due to her manner of speaking. Later in life, at age 50, she reached another significant milestone in her personal identity by coming out as part of the LGBTQII community, further emphasizing her ongoing journey toward self-honesty and belonging.
Today, Masuda views San Jose Japantown as a vital space of belonging and is a strong advocate for active community participation. She believes that true community connection requires volunteering and engagement rather than passive observation. As a leader, she focuses on the long-term sustainability of the neighborhood, advocating for authentic partnerships between community organizations and finding ways to keep properties within the community's control. Her story is a testament to resilience, demonstrating how personal hardship and a commitment to service can foster a profound sense of purpose and belonging.
Oral History Interview - Tom Izu
August 13, 2024
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Tom Izu, a long time Civil Liberties advocate, reflects on Alienation and Belonging For Japanese Americans and all Minoritized Groups
Tom Izu’s oral history documents his journey from feeling alienated in the suburbs to becoming a prominent civil liberties activist and community leader in San Jose Japantown. Growing up in Sunnyvale during the 1960s and 1970s, Izu felt a profound sense of alienation and isolation in a neighborhood that was almost entirely white. He experienced frequent racial slurs and felt that people did not understand his identity, which led him to believe as a child that he was an outsider. He describes his suburban environment as lacking meaningful origins, noting that he lacked a clear sense of his own Japanese ancestry because his parents rarely discussed their past or their experiences in concentration camps. This feeling of isolation only changed in college, where his involvement in the Asian American student movement and Ethnic Studies helped him recognize these personal struggles as products of systemic racism.
San Jose Japantown and Belonging to a Multi-generational Space
For Izu, San Jose Japantown evolved from a place of childhood visits to his grandmother’s house into a lifelong mission of community service. He identifies Japantown as a multicultural refuge with overlapping shared histories between Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino Americans, specifically referencing the history of Heinlenville and Pinoy Town. After college, he moved to Japantown to support the local community and eventually led the Yu-Ai Kai Senior Center, which was established as an act of mutual aid because outside institutions failed to provide culturally appropriate care for Japanese American elders. His earliest feelings of true belonging were tied to these childhood visits and the Obon festival, which he remembers as a time of strong connection with his extended family.
Izu views the preservation of Japanese American history as a critical tool for protecting civil rights in the present and future. He actively advocates for a historical narrative that moves beyond the model minority myth and instead emphasizes solidarity with other oppressed groups. Through initiatives like the "Don't Exclude Us" program, he highlighted the emotional and structural parallels between the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans, the 1930s repatriation of Mexican Americans, and the modern Muslim ban. He believes that when communities recognize these shared patterns of exclusion, they can better fight for a multi-democratic society. Izu is currently focused on the fragility of Japantown, worrying that the high cost of living and the loss of legacy family businesses could erase the neighborhood's unique ethnic character. He champions the role of artist activists and cultural organizers in maintaining a sense of hope and bringing the community together to ensure Japantown remains a sustainable village within a city.
Oral History Interview - Brendan Boon
February 26, 2025
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Minasan Shop Owner Reflects on Growing up in Santa Clara County and his relationship to San Jose Japantown as a Village within a City
Brendan Boon, a 30-year-old tech recruiter and fourth-generation (Yonsei) Japanese American, provides an oral history that explores his deep-rooted connection to San Jose Japantown through his family history and his recent endeavor opening a "third-space" hangout shop called Minasan.
Belonging as an Ethnic Minority in Santa Clara County
Growing up in Cupertino, Boon experienced a unique form of "othering" within the Asian American community. As a fourth-generation resident whose home life felt more "midwestern" with a "Japanese American twist," he initially found it difficult to relate to the trials of his first- and second-generation immigrant peers. While Cupertino was historically an agricultural Japanese American town, it shifted over time, and Boon only realized how deeply embedded he was in this community as he grew older. He eventually gravitated toward Japantown as an important source of identity and belonging, noting that his grandparents and parents were both married at local institutions (the Buddhist Temple and Christian Church, respectively) and that weekly visits for dinner and mochi were essential family rituals.
Japantown as a Space of Belonging
For Boon, San Jose Japantown functions as a "village within a city" and a "protected, forward-thinking immigrant space". He highlights the area's history as a multicultural refuge, noting that it was originally called Heinlenville, a Chinatown established by John Heinlen for Chinese residents after their previous settlements were burned down by arsonists. This history of solidarity extended to the post-WWII era, when the local Italian community helped returning Japanese Americans find housing when other landlords turned them away. Today, Boon’s shop, Minasan (meaning "everyone"), aims to preserve this inclusive atmosphere by serving as a no-pressure gathering spot where locals, people waiting for tables at nearby restaurants, and visitors can "talk story".
Preservation and Civil Rights Vigilance
Boon identifies as a "preservationist" who uses his shop to celebrate a "nuanced Japanese American culture" amidst the pressures of gentrification and corporate expansion. The shop acts as a living museum, displaying nostalgic items like vintage bowling shirts from South Central Los Angeles and clothing modeled after his grandfather’s style. He views this preservation as vital for an intergenerational sense of belonging, especially as legacy family businesses are lost to corporate structures. Crucially, Boon links historical memory to popular cultural specifically through the sale of T-shirts referencing the WWII concentration camps and other historical references within a vernacular younger generations can relate to. One of the popular shirt designs, which carry the message that "we cannot let this happen again," sold out immediately, signaling a profound community desire for historical awareness and political vigilance in a changing cultural landscape
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Artists & Artivists
Spaces of Belonging in Activist and Creative Communities
Oral History Interview - Juan Carlos Araujo
March 12, 2024
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Juan Carlos Araujo, owner of Empire Seven Studios:
In this oral history interview with Juan Carlos Araujo, owner of Empire Seven Studios, provides a personal lens into the intersections of art, economy, and community identity in San Jose. His narrative illustrates how a first-generation Mexican American navigated systemic challenges to create a lasting cultural impact. Araujo’s story highlights the extreme difficulty of maintaining a sense of belonging in an environment dominated by high rent and the "forces of capital". Growing up in low-income barrios, he observed his single mother work multiple jobs just to survive. This economic pressure continued into his adulthood; he describes working a "9 to 5" day job from 5:00 AM to 3:00 PM to funnel all his earnings into sustaining his art gallery. The high cost of the county is most starkly illustrated by the rent disparity he faced: his original warehouse space cost 89 cents per square foot, whereas the market rate for new developments in the same area jumped to $20 per square foot. To remain in his neighborhood, Araujo had to engage in years of "hard work" involving city policy and building relationships with developers to secure a smaller, affordable retail space.
Art as Healing
In this interview we also learn about the how art is a way to heal from social trauma for Araujo. Art continues to serve as a vital outlet for productivity and healing during a turbulent youth. After leaving home at age fourteen and experiencing housing instability and frequent police interactions for curfew violations, he found a community and a "sense of belonging" through graffiti culture. Although he faced incarceration for his art, the experience led him to reevaluate his path and "champion the culture" he loved, including skateboarding and lowrider lifestyles. Later in life, when he lost his original gallery space in 2016, he described the experience as "crushing" and "painful," necessitating a period of healing and resiliency. Ultimately, his studio provided a space where others could share their own stories and experiences, creating a "community-based movement" that emerged organically from their shared lifestyles.
History Through Lived Experiences
The oral history format captures a "hidden" history of San Jose that traditional records might overlook, such as the everyday realities of gang violence in the 1990s and the cultural landmarks of Japantown. Araujo’s narrative documents a particular transformation of a popular area of San Jose Japantown historicizing the change through his unique lens. By recounting his interactions with long-standing family businesses like Santo Market and Nichi Bei Bussan, he provides a history of how local murals changed the "entire community" and made it more vibrant. His testimony also preserves the political history of the city, detailing his personal efforts at City Hall to advocate for rezoning and policy changes that would allow arts-centric businesses to survive amidst corporate development. Araujo explicitly hopes these documented experiences will be "remembered" in the history books as a testament to the dedication required to change a city's demographics and values.
Oral History Interview - Carolyn Kameya
March 25, 2025
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Carolyn Kameya is a local activist and master gardener who focuses on community building and historical preservation
During her oral history interview with 71-year old Carolyn Kameya, she discusses her extensive volunteer work, including serving as a lead for the Guadalupe Historic Orchard and as a council member for the Urban Growers Network. She is also an active member of the San Jose Nikkei Resisters, a grassroots organization in Japantown that formed to oppose policies such as the Muslim Ban and immigrant family separation. Kameya’s narrative bridges her personal history with a lifelong commitment to social justice and the ongoing struggle to keep Japantown vibrant in the face of gentrification.
“Bi-racial” Identity and Belonging
Kameya reflects on a bi-racial upbringing that deeply influenced her sense of belonging; her mother was of European descent from a Midwest farm, while her father was of Okinawan descent and grew up in Hawaii. Growing up in Decatur, Illinois, she frequently encountered social exclusion and was often questioned about her identity, which shaped her early understanding of what it’s like to not feel a sense of belonging. A pivotal experience for her was visiting family in Hawaii for the first time, where she experienced the "absence" of being unwanted and felt a genuine sense of inclusion. This background fostered her interest in social justice as a solution to the problems of social and cultural exclusion.
Righting the Wrongs of History
Kameya’s activist spirit was ignited during her teenage years by the national climate of resistance surrounding the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement. After moving to San Jose following college, she became deeply involved in Japantown, participating in the Tule Lake pilgrimage and the Redress and Reparations campaign in the 1980s. She explains that Japantown was originally established as a safe haven because Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino immigrants were not welcome elsewhere. Over the decades, she has continued this legacy of advocacy by reaching out to other marginalized groups, such as the Muslim community, and resisting modern threats to the neighborhood's unique character.
A central theme of Kameya’s later life is the intersection of gardening, sustainability, and economic justice. She describes the community garden as a vital space for building relationships and staying "grounded" by connecting people to their food sources. Kameya advocates for "Donut Economics," a model that prioritizes social and planetary sustainability over endless economic growth. She expresses concern that Silicon Valley's focus on wealth often supersedes human needs, leading to vast income inequality and a "fear and scarcity" mindset that she hopes to counter through intentional community-building.
The interview concludes with Kameya’s reflections on the future of Japantown in the face of gentrification and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic. She notes that while many legacy businesses have closed because younger generations have moved on, new small businesses are emerging that still aim to be part of the community hub. She remains wary of expensive new housing developments that may not value the neighborhood’s tradition of looking out for one another. Ultimately, Kameya believes that the future of any community lies in fostering deep relationships and maintaining a "heart" that engages people across all stages of life.
Oral History Interview - Shirley Kuramoto
September 8, 2025
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Shirley Kuramoto, born in 1933 shares her experiences during the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II
At age nine, following the Pearl Harbor attack, Shirley Kuramoto faced sudden racial hostility and confusing labels like "Jap" from peers, leading her to internalize a stoic silence (referred to as gaman) that characterized much of her early life. Her family was first sent to the Tanforan Racetrack, where they lived in a pungent horse stall, before moving to the Topaz relocation center in Utah. Because of "no" answers and dashes on a government loyalty questionnaire, her family was ultimately deemed disloyal and transferred to the Tule Lake Segregation Center.
Dual Cultures, Dual Loyalties
During her time at the Tule Lake internment camp, Kuramoto experienced a unique dual education, attending a pro-Japan nationalist school in the mornings and a patriotic American school in the afternoons. In the morning school, she led children in goose-step marches and sang military Japanese songs, while the afternoon school involved singing "God Bless America" and pledging allegiance to the United States. Her narrative also includes lighthearted childhood memories, such as her mother "spying" on her when she tried to sneak into movies or drink coffee at the mess hall.
After the war, Kuramoto sought independence, eventually moving to Washington, D.C., to work as a clerk typist for the State Department’s security division. Holding a top-secret clearance, she handled sensitive documents and even typed a resume for John F. Kennedy. She describes this period as the most exciting time of her life due to her newfound autonomy and the opportunity to travel to New York and Virginia. She eventually returned to California at the urging of a boss who worried she would remain an "old maid" if she stayed in D.C., leading her back home where she met her husband of 63 years.
In her later professional life, Kuramoto worked for a traditional Japanese high-tech company, an experience that highlighted the cultural gap between Japanese nationals and Japanese Americans. She felt like an "outsider" because her colleagues treated her as “purely American,” and her traditional boss attempted to teach her how to be a "good Japanese woman" by criticizing her outgoing nature. Despite these challenges, she maintained a sense of humor and was eventually sent on international business trips to Australia and Singapore. She notes a personal drive to preserve her heritage, decorating her home with traditional Japanese cultural items that often surprised her more modernized Japanese colleagues.
Maintaining Vibrancy
Now in her nineties, Kuramoto continues to be a vibrant community member, serving as a playwright and Taiko drummer. She remains a dedicated student of history, having returned to college in her 40s and 60s to earn degrees in Creative Arts and Gerontology. Her philosophy is rooted in non-judgment and a deep "yearning to learn" about all ethnic histories, including Filipino and Chinese American stories. She advocates strongly for the preservation of Japantown, urging younger generations to protect its history and cultural landmarks against the threat of urban redevelopment and cultural fading.
Oral History Interview - Tamiko Rast
February 27, 2024
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Tamiko Rast is a fifth-generation resident of San Jose’s Japantown and serves as the President of the Japantown Business Association
Identifying as "hapa" (mixed-race Japanese and Swedish-American), Tamiko Rast reflects on the unique experience of navigating her identity in a community where Japanese ethnic pride remained strong following the trauma of Executive Order 9066. Rast is the granddaughter of Roy Murotsune, a well-known local figure who operated Roy’s Gas Station until 1990. Today, she and her family continue this legacy by operating Roy’s Station, a popular coffee shop located at the corner of 5th and Jackson Streets.
Diverse Family Upbringing
Growing up as the eldest of eight children, Rast’s childhood was shaped by a diverse family dynamic that included three biological and five adopted siblings. She spent much of her youth being babysat by her grandparents in Japantown, playing around her grandfather's gas station. However, her family faced significant challenges, including being displaced by eminent domain for the construction of the San Jose arena, which led to a three-year period waiting for the renovation completion and for their Victorian home to be relocated.
While Rast felt a tension as a mixed-race child and was occasionally made to feel "less than" by some community members, her sense of belonging deepened in her mid-twenties. After a period of minimal civic involvement during her teens and early college years, she returned to live and work in San Jose Japantown, realizing the gravity of her family's long history in the area. She now describes the neighborhood as a "small town" where everyone knows each other, comparing the close-knit environment to an extended family where neighbors constantly check in on one another.
Commitment to Preservation
Rast is deeply committed to the community's physical and cultural preservation, viewing her civic duties as primary to her professional work as a website designer and tattoo artist. Her family maintains a strong commitment to volunteerism, including a daily ritual of sweeping the neighborhood around San Jose Japantown’s main street, Jackson Street, to ensure cleanliness. Notably, Rast herself spearheaded the San Jose Japantown Mural Project, which transformed a massive city block by incorporating the work of 50 unique local artists, including middle school students, to foster a collective sense of pride and ownership in the community.
Looking toward the future, Rast advocates for a Japantown that balances historical heritage with modern inclusivity. She is optimistic about the neighborhood’s growing diversity, welcoming new businesses owned by Filipino, Korean, and Hispanic families, as well as the visible presence of the LGBTQ+ community. Her ultimate vision is for Japantown to serve as a model of harmony, where people from all backgrounds feel safe and respected. She emphasizes that being a "good neighbor"—through simple acts like maintaining clean storefronts and respecting shared spaces—is essential for the area's long-term sustainability.
Oral History Interview - Adriana Garcia
August 7, 2024
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Adriana “Nana” Garcia is a prominent community organizer and “artivist” whose life journey reflects a deep commitment to the Chicanx community in San Jose.
Born in San Jose, Adriana Garcia migrated to Mexico as a young child, where she lived in a rural, multigenerational setting in Zacatecas. This period instilled in her a profound love for the land, animals, and the strength of large family networks. After a drought forced her family to return to San Jose, she navigated the challenges of the American education system as a Spanish speaker, eventually finding a sense of belonging through art and creative expression.
Political Consciousness in Community
During her formative years, Garcia transitioned from involvement in middle school gangs to becoming a significant student leader. She served as the president of the Spanish Club at San Jose High, where she began to channel her leadership skills into community service and political activism. Mentored by local elders and professors like Sofia Mendoza and Gil Joseph Villagran, she learned to bridge the gap between different social groups, including rival gang factions, to organize collective action. Her political consciousness was ignited by attacks on the immigrant community, most notably Proposition 187, which served as a catalyst for her to organize high school walkouts and rallies.
Garcia’s identity as an “artivist” is central to her work, blending art, poetry, and social justice. She became widely known by the name “La Patriota” (The Patriot), a title given to her by the rock-en-español community for her pride and protective nature regarding her Mexican heritage. Over the years, she has utilized spoken word, theater, and music to advocate for social change, performing at events across North America and the Philippines. She has also played a key role in local organizations, co-founding Maiz which is committed to creating a Latinx movement for social change that achieves the healthy wellbeing of Latinx and other marginalized communities from the barrios to the global south. Garcia is also known for her participation in the Santa Clara County Wisdom Coalition.
Challenges to the Movement Effort and Promoting Community Solutions
In recent years, the COVID-19 pandemic and the rising cost of housing in San Jose have significantly impacted her work and the broader community. Garcia notes that the pandemic depleted community mental health and forced many organizers to scale back their involvement to focus on family and self-care. Furthermore, she views the housing crisis as a major disruption that displaces artists and prevents residents from being “grounded” enough to contribute to social change. Despite these challenges, she continues to serve as a strategist and mentor, often working behind the scenes to mobilize people for city council meetings and protests.
Looking toward the future, Garcia emphasizes the vital importance of culture and intergenerational spaces in resisting systemic oppression. She believes that “Chicana pride saved [her] life” and remains a passionate advocate for ethnic studies and youth leadership development. Her vision for San Jose involves creating safe spaces for youth to explore their identities and ensuring that the community remains a place where people can afford to live and thrive. Dedicated to her “artivist” roots, she continues to view art as a primary agitator for justice and a means to create a healthier quality of life for future generations.
Oral History Interview - Angelo Lopez
May 25, 2026
Download Interview Summary and Transcript
Angelo Lopez is a Filipino-American editorial cartoonist whose work focuses on Filipino and Filipino-American Social Issues
Born in 1967 in a military family, Angelo Lopez’s family moved often—living in Japan and on various U.S. military bases. During this time he struggled to develop lifelong childhood friendships, an experience that shaped his point of view. Despite these frequent transitions, he found a sense of belonging in multiracial military communities where families shared similar socioeconomic statuses. His early years were shaped by this diverse environment where he learned the value of community, peace, and social justice. Lopez also developed a passion for 1970s popular culture, ranging from baseball to television milestones like Roots which he discusses in this oral history interview.
Cultural Roots of Social Consciousness
Professionally, Lopez balanced a thirty-year career in the Santa Clara and Sunnyvale Public Libraries with his work as an editorial cartoonist. From 2011 to 2023, he contributed to the Philippine News Today, using his art to capture political events and emphasize social justice and human rights. His artistic development was deeply influenced by comic strips like Peanuts, Calvin and Hobbes, and the political satire of Doonesbury, as well as political music from bands like The Clash and The Specials. He views his cartooning as a form of activism, specifically aiming to spotlight the oppression of marginalized groups in both the U.S. and the Philippines.
Lopez's social consciousness was also forged by the social and religious movements of the 1970s and 1980s. He was significantly influenced by the "Catholic Left," which engaged in anti-nuclear protests, supported the farm workers' movement, and opposed the Marcos dictatorship. His political ideology is rooted in a "New Deal" style of liberalism that favors building broad coalitions of the working class, minorities, and the poor. He maintains that true political equality cannot exist without economic equality, a belief that continues to drive his critique of modern capitalism.
The Influence of Filipino History
A central theme of Lopez’s oral history is his journey toward a secure Filipino-American identity. As a young man, he felt caught between two worlds and was often questioned by other Filipinos for not knowing the language or culture. This conflict was largely resolved during his freshman year of college in 1986 through an Asian American studies class and the inspiration of the People Power Revolution. This connection to his heritage informs his interest in local spaces of belonging like San Jose’s Japantown/ Pinoytown, where he advocates for preserving historical memory against the pressures of gentrification and the loss of ethnic demographics.
In his more recent reflections, Lopez discusses the increasing difficulty of maintaining community in a polarized political climate. He notes that the rise of "alternative facts" and misinformation has fractured personal friendships, as he believes a shared sense of reality is necessary for democracy to function. He draws alarming parallels between authoritarian tactics used in the Philippines, such as red tagging and media suppression, and recent political trends in the United States. Though now retired and serving as a family caregiver, he continues his work through digital platforms like Substack to foster critical consciousness and advocate for the vulnerable.
This project has been funded through a National Endowment of the Humanities grant, "Voices of Silicon Valley", to California History Center at De Anza College. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this {article, book, exhibition, film, program, database, report, Web resource}, do not necessarily represent those of the NEH.
