Inclusion of Asian Pacific American women's voices is important because it aids the fight for social justice for subordinated ethnic and gender groups. Members of subordinate groups (such as "colored" women) tend to receive less job security, more dangerous working conditions, lower wages, and caste like segregation. Therefore,

In order to fight for inclusion, there is a need for awareness of exclusion. Americans need to stop believing in stereotypes and take off their rose-colored glasses of idealism to face the Asian Pacific American women's world of reality. Americans need to learn how to analyze reality critically and be constantly aware of the complex social identities of racism and sexism, especially in deceiving areas where "equal opportunity" is thought to already exist.

In an effort to record a slice of "her-story," I recruited six diverse Asian Pacific American female activists and interviewed them. Through these interviews, they were allowed to voice their activist stories, experiences, and words of wisdom so that they would be included in history.

The following is the interview I conducted with Florence Hongo, general manager and president of Asian American Curriculum Project (AACP). The remaining interviews will be included in future newsletters or posted on the AACP website.

FMH:
There are a number of influences that have shaped my career. The number one influence is that I am Asian...more specifically, a Japanese American. I am a second generation - Nisei with supportive parents. So, my second influence is that I have devoted, religious parents who were traditional Japanese Methodists. But, unlike my parents, I had another (third) influence of being born and raised in the United States. A fourth influence was that I had a good education. My teachers taught multiple grades because the class sizes were small. While the class sizes were small, I still interacted in a diverse, multicultural student body. My final influence is my rural, comfortable upbringing. All of these influences have given me a well-rounded background for advocacy.

ME:
2) Are there any influences that served as catalysts for your career?

FMH:
Without a doubt, I would have to say that the Japanese American internment of World War II has shaped my life immensely. To this very day, I am upset at being interned. I was removed at 13 years old. As an adolescent, I was not politically saavy just yet. I was interned for three and a half long years. In addition, life after internment was horrible. We lost land. My brother was wounded in the war. Since he became crippled, he could not work again. My dad got sick. Moreover, my family was shocked when we found out that we had nothing left. We came back to a house that was under 6 feet of dirt! We had no house, no furniture, no nothing.

ME:
3) What kinds of significant challenges or obstacles in life have you overcome?

FMH:
Eventually, my family was able to recover. With a large family, the four girls (including me) worked hard for 12 hours per day for 3 months. The work was grueling, especially in the 103-degree heat of the San Joaquin Valley during the hot, summer months of July and August. We worked on a farm under the scorching sun. We wore straw hats and long-sleeved shirts to protect ourselves from the sun. We sweated like crazy!

We worked and saved every bit of our money, in hopes of earning property of our own. Little by little, we pooled our money together. Some of our hard-earned money was put on a different piece of property. We got a home and some land. As for transportation, we could only afford a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. As the kids, we rode in back. I still have fond memories of that motorcycle. Today, I can still recognize the distinctive sound of a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. And, whenever I hear it, I would turn my head and, yep, sure enough, I see that motorcycle!

In addition to a financial obstacle, there were racial, social, and political obstacles. My activism was born out of my own anger. When I first told the public the story about Japanese internment in America, the people did not believe me! They called me horrible names. They accused me of being a liar. They questioned my loyalty to America and they called me an infidel to the U.S. government. But, I was always insistent about telling the truth because this was (and still is) a crucial civil rights issue. I looked at the documentation of the theory of internment. Older and more politically saavy, I began to understand the internment process better and I was completely shocked. So, I began to talk to people with similar experiences. We eventually formed our own activist organization, the Japanese American Curriculum Project, Inc (which later expanded to become the Asian American Curriculum Project, Inc). Through this organization, we sold Asian Pacific American educational materials, networked with activist organizations, and published Asian Pacific American materials to spread awareness to the general public.

ME:
4) What do you think of the lack of public awareness of Asian Pacific Americans in the media? How has the media affected you and your career?

FMH:
Since the media distorts reality, I tried not to be influenced by the media. The media has horrible stereotypes and representations of Asian Pacific Americans. First of all, I dislike the derogatory names and labels placed on us. It is very common to be called names, such as Chink, Gook, and Jap. Secondly, there are not enough media images of Asian Pacific Americans, much less any good ones. And, finally, I cannot stand how the media homogenizes us, for we are extremely diverse. For instance, you, Melissa, and I do not have much in common...except for the fact that we are both of Asian ancestry. The Asian Pacific American community is so diverse, so it is sad to have

Just like how people get emotionally charged with laws on banning same-sex marriages, I am passionate about racial and ethnic justice. Americans need to cater to a socially diverse, American society. And, we, as Asian Pacific Americans, have a long ways to go. We need more leaders and role models in the Asian Pacific American community to act NOW. Therefore, I am going to do something about it!

ME: 5)
Do you have any role models yourself?

FMH:
I adored Pasty Mink. She was from the house of representatives from Hawaii. I fell in love with her and her career when I attended her socio-political lecture. While she was a tiny woman (who is not even 5 feet tall), she was a big, amazing civil rights advocate, especially those regarding women's and Asian Pacific American issues. She waas a wonderful role model not just for me, but for the entire, Asian Pacific American community. It is too bad that she has passed away.

ME:
6) Where and how do you find social support for your career?

FMH:
From people like you, Melissa! It is rewarding to have people tell me that what I am doing is worthwhile. I love to feel appreciated. Furthermore, my husband and children have been very, very supportive. I also find social support with fellow civil rights activists. Networking is the key to success. When we collaborate, we get motivated by the power of the network. We raise Asian Pacific American awareness by spreading information across the country. I feel strongly about letting the public know about internment and other civil rights issues. The public needs to know that people without money and resources have little or no power and civil rights. As non-whites, our race can be used against us and our rights can be taken away from us at any time. That is why defense attorneys and pro-bono work are so important to this society. For that reason, I donate money to non-profit organizations in civil rights and pro-bono work. They have goals and visions that they fight for. People need to stand up for what is right!

ME:
7) What is your vision for the Asian Pacific American community and how do you think you've contributed to it?

FMH:
I would love to see Asian Pacific Americans integrated as a part of a multicultural society. We need to have people stop calling us "foreign" because it is one of the worst stereotypes against Asian Pacific Americans. The rationale behind it is that if you call somebody different "foreign," then you can exclude them from society. I got into activism because I hated how people would treat my daughter, Jan. She is a third generation Japanese American. Yet, the students at school would call her "foreign." Then, they would make her say words in Japanese and then make fun of the "foreign" language. So, I had to stand up for her and for other Asian Pacific Americans.

I contribute to my vision by being blunt and getting my point across. I was not really an activist in college and, most of the time, I was shy and withdrawn. But, I grew out of my shell and I became blunt. I realized that this was the only way to educate people because, if I were too nice about how I felt, then people would get away with their acts of ignorance.

ME:
8) I admire your strength and your passion to fight ignorance. What is your take-home or inspirational message to the next generation of Asian Pacific American activists?

FMH:
I get so much satisfaction out of being an Asian Pacific American activist. People should contribute their share to the community. They should not suck stuff from this world. Instead, they should give back to it. There is a famous saying that says, "You are either an activist or you are nothing." I believe that this saying is true because life should be satisfying because people made contributions to society. When I die, I want for people to say, "Yeah! She did it." I don't want to sit around at take things from people. Instead, I want to give back to the world. I am pro-active and I was involved in a lot of activist work. But, as I got older, I realized that I had limitations in time and energy. I realized that I could not be everything or do everything all at once. So, the Asian American Curriculum Project activist organization is my one-stop "niche" for activist work. And, after 35 years of community service through this organization, I can die a happy, satisfied person.