naval counterintelligence officer working to safeguard Pearl Harbor; a Japanese spy ordered to Hawaii to gather information on the American fleet.

His work in community service and AADAPs support of early API community organizations under his leadership left a lasting impact on the scope and scale of API nonprofits and Asian American services today.Watanabe was also past president of Asian Pacific Policy Planning Council (A3PCON.

I feel so lucky to have the opportunity to work with you.Mike encouraged the AADAP staff to be their best and was well-respected.we would buy him T-shirts from the Big Island or Syracuse.

He understood the imperative to engage politically.celebrating his enduring contributions to AADAP.

I just want to announce tonight.

Mike Watanabe really took a chance with me.By JASMINE KONO-SONGEditors note: The Okaeri Conference was held Nov.

The conference opened with an unapologetically queer Friday night of drag bingo with Kristi Yummykochi.After a weekend full of a wide array of emotions and experiences.

I struggled expressing and exploring my sexuality until I left Japanese American-filled Gardena for college.Okaeris mission is to create visibility.