Just that positive energy in and of itself made me want to be a better person and a better student.

we had to stop accepting new members because the numbers were becoming too large for us to properly serve.This lingering risk of COVID.

Kogi Sayama served as a mentor to me and interpreter in reaching out and meeting with the local Issei community leaders whose blessings were important to gain community acceptance of our new organization.Without the volunteers there would not have been a GPP.After more than 50 years of operation.

coordinating and carrying out all the events.field trips and parties; mailing out the many informational flyers to GPP members; maintaining the membership lists and the bookkeeping accounts; and faithfully attending the weekly volunteer meetings.

1970: a showing of Akira Kurosawas Seven Samurai in the old pink building of the Japanese Community Center.

Those luncheons usually involved four busloads of seniors.Alan stood out as one of my mentors because he was always looking beyond the immediate goals or needs of the community.

which fought to protect long-time residents and small businesses during the late 1970s redevelopment of Little Tokyo.helping nurture their growth as future community leaders.

he became an administrator at CSU Long Beach.and a member of the UCLA Nikkei Student Union in the 1980s.