Although there has been some attention brought to the experience of Japanese Americans during World War II when people of Japanese descent were unjustly incarcerated in American concentration camps, it is a story about which much of the general public is not aware. These people suffered extreme racism and hatred. Surviving required hope to bring some light out of the darkness of their lives.

Most of the earliest immigrants from Japan who came to the United States arrived in the early years of the 1900’s with some arriving in the late 1800’s. They were young single men who came as laborers to make a better life for themselves. America was seen as the “land of opportunity” to them where riches could be had. They had hope for a chance to find success in this land where it seemed that anyone could make a lot of money by working hard.

Although they faced racism and discrimination at nearly every turn, they kept their hope alive. At that time, they were not allowed to become citizens of the United States even though they had made this country their home for decades. Many were able to marry and have families. Their children were American citizens. They stressed education, and many within the younger generation had earned college degrees. However, racism still affected them, and it was difficult for college graduates to find meaningful work in their fields of study. Still, they held on to the hope that light would come and conditions would improve.

Then December 7, 1941, came with the bombing of Pearl Harbor in Hawaii by the Imperial Navy of Japan. Immediately, immigrants from Japan who had been leaders within their communities were rounded up by the FBI and put in prison. Those arrested included men who owned small businesses, leaders within community groups, Buddhist priests, and Japanese language teachers. Their families were told little or nothing about where they were being taken.

It was a dark day for all Japanese Americans and their immigrant parents. They were suspected of being the enemy. The immigrant parents thought their children would be safe because they were American citizens born in the United States. As rumors began to circulate about the government making plans to imprison all the people of Japanese heritage into camps, the parents expected it to only happen to the immigrants. They had a belief and hope that the government would not do that to its own citizens.

Yet it did happen. Around 120,000 persons of Japanese heritage, men, women, and children, were forcibly removed from their homes on the west coast and placed in American concentration camps. They were put into temporary detention centers at race tracks and fair grounds until the camps, which had been hastily constructed in remote and desolate areas of the country. were ready for occupancy. Hope was dim for a brighter day.

The Japanese American Story As Told Through A Collection of Speeches and Articles is a book which covers much of that part of American history. Many of the untold stories of this group of people are told through speeches and articles which were presented. The book contains much of the story of Japanese Americans and of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), a civil rights organization established to help gain civil rights and fight racism.

When darkness comes into life, it is necessary to fight light which can come from keeping hope alive and not giving up. Adapting to whatever changes come is essential to finding light and success. It may be necessary to make adjustments and change plans along the way. It is not easy to overcome darkness when it is permeating so heavily in daily life as it was for many who were placed in the American concentration camps of World War II. Yet hope can bring light and overcome the darkness.

The Japanese Americans eventually were able to achieve success and acceptance after the end of World War II, largely due to the patriotism and sacrifices of young Japanese Americans who served in the United States military. Most were in the segregated unit of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Battalion.

It took hope and perseverance to not give up and to find light when darkness seemed to prevail. The story of Japanese Americans is one of hope, light, perseverance, and success

According to recent studies, African Americans are incarcerated at nearly six times the rate of white people in America. And yet, African Americans and Hispanics make up less than 25% of the American population. Let me reiterate, although African Americans and Hispanics comprise less than 25% of the American populace, they comprise 58% of the prison population in America.

It is through this lens, and the lens of economic inequality that we must view the killings of minorities in the United States by the police. Slavery left in its wake generation poverty, educational deficits and other economic biases whose pernicious effects still reverberate today. Consider that up until the 1970’s it was commonplace for African Americans to be denied loans for homes. Laws were eventually put in place to prevent housing and lending discrimination but what are the effects of the earlier victimization?

Home ownership is the financial backbone of wealth in the middle class. Having a home grants equity and borrowing/capital power that most families use to help pass on wealth, stability and means to their future children. But it wasn’t until the 1990’s that most African American families had acquired their first homes. And just as most African Americans were coming into their prime for being able to acquire their first homes, the financial meltdown hit, causing many of them to lose their homes, or their ability to acquire a mortgage. All of this leads me to the inexorable conclusion that poverty and scarcity are endemic within the average African American community.

According to the 2013 census, African Americans as a race constitute the lowest percentage of home ownership, sitting at just a little over 46%. Growing up poor in the inner cities, often with a fractured family structure, in one rental or another can’t lend the best role models of how to get ahead. Inner cities often have dropout rates higher than 40%. With less than 50 percent of African Americans coming from a position of home ownership and less than half of them from cities like Detroit graduating from high school, they are left in an economically vulnerable position. Lack of role models aside, I’m saying that in many cases, some of them turn to crime in order to make basic ends meet. I’m not justifying breaking the law. I’m arguing that having food to eat trumps the need to operate within the confines of the law.

Regardless of the reasons for committing crime among minorities, what we are left with are an inordinate amount of minorities in prison, and an exceptional amount being killed by police. According to a study done by the Justice Department, between 2003 and 2009, blacks were 4 times more likely to be killed by police than whites while attempting to be placed in custody. I’d be hard pressed to say that given the disparity between the amount of whites and blacks committing crimes that the blacks are justifiably murdered by police at a rate four times higher. In my opinion the reason more blacks are killed than whites has less to do with economics than with culture. If I were a minority, and I knew that I was being profiled, and likely could end up murdered or in prison if I committed a crime, I would be scared out of mind. In fact, I would be scared even if I didn’t break the law. By all realistic accounts, police kill over 1000 people annually, and report 400. I’m willing to bet that many of those outlying 600 are disproportionately minorities.

What is the solution? Is it more training for police? Is it stricter penalties for cops that profile? Is it raising awareness of economic inequality and trying to bolster the poor? Is it ending systemic racism in places of authority? Is it combating the culture of violence that we as Americans endear so much? It could be all of those things and more. But if our police can’t lead by example then our communities can’t trust them. We need to stop police brutality. And that starts with exposing the uncomfortable truths hiding in plain sight all around us.

Seconde Nimenya’s new book Unlocking Diversity: How to Create Inclusive Cultures in a World of Differences is a book badly needed and long overdue, especially in the wake of the protests that have rocked the world following George Floyd’s death at the hands of police officers in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on May 25, 2020.

Racism remains a major problem in the United States and around the world. In this new book, Seconde Nimenya offers practical advice and fresh insights for how we can live in harmony with one another, learn to appreciate and celebrate our differences, and create a better world for all. As an immigrant first to Canada and then the United States from the East-African nation of Burundi, Seconde provides fresh perspectives about race and racism, and the benefits of creating inclusive workplaces and communities.

At the heart of this book is the need to listen to one another’s diverse stories and the need for all groups to take responsibility and work together to create a world in which we can all live together. Seconde does not point fingers but simply explains that everyone needs to be responsible for themselves and their efforts in developing an inclusive culture. We are all in this together, so we all need to be kind to each other as we sort out our social and racial issues to create a more diverse and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

Creating inclusive cultures primarily requires greater education about what inclusion means. I love that Seconde makes the point repeatedly in this book that more inclusion means more, not less. Just because we want to include more people from diverse backgrounds does not mean other people will be excluded-a fear too often held by people in more dominant cultures.

We also need to be willing to answer questions about our cultural backgrounds without being offended or hiding the truth. Seconde pokes fun at herself in the book for this reason because when she came to the United States, she got tired of people asking where she was from, so she started saying she was Canadian. Today, she is proud to say she came from Burundi to North America. In fact, her first book, Evolving Through Adversity, tells her incredible story of growing up in poverty amid Burundi’s civil wars and how, despite all the odds, she got an education. Today, she speaks to groups around the globe, sharing her message of how we can rise above adversity, while developing more diverse and inclusive societies.

Seconde asks us all to be open to sharing what we have learned from our experiences, and not be quick to dismiss people as ignorant if they ask questions because those questions reflect their willingness to learn.

Seconde also talks about the fine line people have to walk when trying to increase diversity. She states, “If you are promoting diversity acceptance for your group, but discounting other minority groups’ experiences, and even the so-called privileged, that is not inclusion work. Creating inclusive cultures is not about just advocating for your own people.” She invites diversity practitioners to advocate for everyone who is discriminated against because of who they are.

Throughout this book, Seconde offers advice for both individuals and organizations to increase diversity and inclusion in their lives, organizations, schools, and workplaces, and she focuses on how education is needed for such efforts to work. She states, “I believe education is the only solution that truly empowers communities and has the potential to end the cycle of violence and poverty.”

In the wake of the nationwide protests against racism in the US and even in many other parts of the world that took place in May and June 2020, Seconde’s message about systemic injustices is timely. It is not a government or a police department that is necessarily to blame for racism, but rather, Seconde states, “I often say systemic injustices didn’t put themselves into place; people did. And so, only people can take them down. Many countries have rebuilt from nothing and are a testimony that when we want to, we can. Each one of us is called to step up, use our privileges, and meet our local and global challenges with an inclusive consciousness.”

Seconde calls on those in leadership positions to remember that inclusion is not about taking away someone else’s privilege, but rather, inviting more of “them” to become part of “us.” She states, “there are no strangers in this life-only other people living their own human experiences.”

Obviously, our handling of race issues in America has a long way to go. It’s time for us to find new ways to work together.

Unlocking Diversity is a great book to help you start moving toward opening up conversations, increasing your understanding of one another, and doing your part in making the world better for all. That may be the greatest challenge and lesson we have been placed on this planet to learn. Until we learn it, our problems will never be solved.

A Wealth of Family

by Thomas Brooks

Alpha Multimedia, Inc. (2006)

ISBN 0977462935

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (6/06)

“A Wealth of Family” has something to be enjoyed or learned by people from all walks of life, no matter what your gender, socio-economic background or culture. This is a fantastic book. It centers on Brooks upbringing as an adopted black men who wanted to find his roots. I found it difficult to write this review because his story touched me in so many ways, it was hard for me to narrow down which area I enjoyed the greatest or which part of his life experiences taught me the most. In spite of our differences (gender, race, upbringing) I learned a lot about myself as I read. I admire his ability to see the positive learning experiences that come from experiencing negative situations.

Brooks was raised by a very protective, divorced black woman. They had to struggle financially. He had close extended family in his life and a wonderful male role model. In his youth, he learned that he was adopted. His birth mother was a white woman and his father was an African from Kenya. Brooks developed an interest in finding his birth family so that he could learn about his roots.

Throughout his education, Brooks had to deal with racism and poverty. He experienced racism from his friends and teachers. He attended a predominantly white school. Some of his friends would make racist comments based on ignorance without realizing that their beliefs were wrong. Brooks chose to get his revenge by excelling in academics and athletics. Then he had to deal with black-on-black prejudice by being told that he was “acting white” by his black peers.

Brooks was the first in his family to attend college. This was a whole new learning experience for him. He had to deal with the paradox of trying to show everyone that black people can excel at everything and then being accused of being boastful and arrogant when he would succeed.

After Brooks completed his education, he was contacted by his birth mother. Through her, he is able to meet his siblings in England and contact his father’s family in Kenya. After a great deal of effort, he is able to meet his birth father and extended family in Kenya. Brooks is able to connect his adoptive family, his English family and his African family. Now he truly knows his roots.

What I really enjoyed about this book is that the story did not end when he met his mother. He continues on and teaches us about the how much more his life was enriched by being able to combine his family from their different cultures.

I highly recommend this book to be used in African-American studies classes and in Cultural Counseling classes. I think that it would be great to be read in areas of underprivileged youth. Brooks showed that he could overcome all of the hardships in his life and he is actively involved in making a difference in the lives of others.

Brooks writes about how slavery has robbed African Americans of their history and culture. This often leads them to think that they are inferior. Because of his experiences he developed a perspective of himself as a “world citizen, not limited by race, religion, nationality or political ideology.” If everyone could develop this view of themselves, there would be an end to racism and we would have world peace.

Karen Blixen was born on 17 March 1885 as the second daughter of a well-to-do and well-connected family in Denmark. That means that from the very first start of her life she belonged to high society, but not the most elevated part of it, i.e. one of the noble families which may count their ancestors far back in time. Her family tree could boast nobility on her father’s side, but not in a direct hereditary line, making her and her siblings Sirs and Ladies.

Affirmative Action as we know it has served its original purpose; without revision it will ultimately perpetuate the racism and oppression that it was designed to destroy. The original purpose of Affirmative Action is to provide special consideration for qualified, under-represented women and minorities in education, employment and awarding contracts to compensate for historical and institutional racism, discrimination and oppression by white males.

Even though the face value of this policy appears to give women and minorities a long overdue short cut in the line of opportunities on the ride to their dreams; it is really an illusion of fairness that causes them to forget and overlook who owns the amusement park in the first place. Affirmative Action should not focus on giving under- represented populations short-cuts to the front of the line–but provide them with the psychological and educational tools that will allow them to design their own rides and build their own amusement park.

The current Affirmative Action policy is punitive in nature because it suggests that all white males are powerful, wealthy racists who oppress women and minorities. And if they do not personally have these characteristics, some white male in their family lineage did or will have these characteristics in the future for which they must be punished by exclusion. This policy also assumes that simply because he is a white male, he is automatically intellectually and financially superior to women and minorities. Additionally, everything that he wants will easily come to him without hard work, struggle and sacrifice because other white males in dominate positions anxiously wait to anoint his every desire.

This may be true for a small percentage of white males, but I believe that the majority of people regardless of race or gender have worked extremely hard to achieve their goals and dreams. The key to white male success is not that someone gave them the answers to the bar or college entrance exams, but that they share the same work ethic, identity and level of self-esteem as the people who wrote the exams.

A billion years from today American slavery and the annihilation of the Native Americans still will have taken place in America. How many years, decades or centuries must past before white men will be justly punished for the sins of their fathers? How will we scientifically measure whether or not they have been sufficiently punished for the sins of their father? Will we measure it by the success of women and minorities in comparison to white males; or by the percentage of white males who fail in areas where they were previously successful? Based on the current conditions in American society Affirmative Action does not create a cooperative, cohesive American culture that unites its citizens; but one that is divisive and refuses to learn from the past and most importantly learn to forgive.

Affirmative Action needs to be a policy that affirms the authentic beauty in all races, religions, ethnic groups and genders to ensure that all qualified applicants including white males are given an equal opportunity based on a “rotational system” that reflects the racial and cultural diversity in America.

The reason that we need some type of Affirmative Action policy is because it is human nature for people to associate with people who think, act, feel and behave like themselves. Look at your friends,(do not include sexual relationships of any sort) how many real friends– not work buddies or colleagues that come to your home for social activities or lunch on occasion– do you have that are from a different race or religion and do not share your belief system? Most people have close friends who are the same race as themselves. There is nothing wrong with having the majority of friends in your personal life who look and think like you; however in a culturally diverse society like America it is essential for our well-being that we have a policy in place that supercedes social and cultural conditioning and personal preferences that creates a work force and educational system that celebrates, cultivates and respects cultural diversity.

I think that Affirmative Action should focus on alleviating the conditions that create or contribute to racism and discrimination in the following manner:

1. We should establish a cultural diversity committee that represents all major systems and departments in education, employment and politics to develop a rotational hiring and acceptance criteria that include all races and genders (including white males).

2. America should declare an official language. Even if it is Spanish or French, I am willing to learn it. One of the reasons that Native Americans and Africans in the slave trade were not successful in defending themselves is because they spoke over 100 (some sources say over 1000) different languages living in close proximity of one another. Because they could not communicate with each other they were unable to plan, vote or organize themselves as an effective community, let alone defense army. Reality is subjective. Language gives people the tools to see, understand and respect each others point of view.

3. In order to build self-esteem and self-worth in all ethnic groups, we should establish a committee that includes members from all ethnic groups and genders to oversee that all public school textbooks objectively include the contributions of all races and genders for all topics and theories. Freud, Jung, Skinner and Watson are not the only people to contribute to the field of psychology. For example, every text book should include theories from Asian, Hispanic, Arabic, White and African psychologists both male and female. When students see the contributions and success of people who look like themselves, as well as others, they will then learn that success and intelligence is not a physical characteristic of being white or male, but who you are on the inside.

4. There is no such thing as a white person. All people have culture, traditions, and heritages. How can you respect the differences in someone else when you can’t see and respect the unique differences and beauty within yourself?

5. History should be taught objectively and truthfully so that people will learn that being a victim or a hero is not related to skin color but internal integrity and dignity. African Americans should be taught that one of the reasons that the slave trade in America was so successful was because many (not all) African leaders captured and sold their own people into slavery. Europeans were not familiar with the continent and would not have been as successful without the cooperation of native Africans. White people need to know that there were many white people who fought against slavery and lost everything including their lives and families because they felt that slavery was evil. Not all by any means, but it is documented that many Native Americans were successful paid slave catchers because they were most familiar with the land. Learning that all ethnic groups are capable of choosing to do what is right or wrong, will teach people that it is not their skin color that determines their success in life but the choices they make.

America has a long history of racism. Unless you’ve spent your entire life with your head under a watermelon, you should be well aware of the negative stereotypes that African Americans have long had to endure, and the discrimination with which they continue to be faced. Believe it or not, there once was a time when they weren’t even allowed to take the SAT!

Because of this country’s long history of slavery, the struggles of African Americans have often been reflected in our nation’s literature. Many works centering on race or racism have won Pulitzers and National Book Awards and are frequently listed as some of the greatest American novels – books such as Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man and Richard Wright’s Native Son and Black Boy among them. However, none has stuck with us quite so strongly nor had quite such a profound effect on the makeup of the American literary canon as Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

So the question is, why? What makes this book so special? You don’t need to read an entire To Kill a Mockingbird Summary to figure it out – all you need to notice is something about a few of the main characters.

Whereas most novels dealing with the issue of racism tend to focus on adults of at least 17 or 18 years old, To Kill a Mockingbird explores the subject from the point of view of children who are quite a bit younger. The reason this is consequential is that the seeds of racism are planted when we are young. It is much more moving and powerful to see the ways in which children transform (or don’t transform, depending on the quality of their outside influences) as they progress through their formative years. In To Kill a Mockingbird, we have the opportunity to observe just such a thing.

We’ll leave you with a few To Kill a Mockingbird Quotes that draw attention to the differences between the ways that children and adults view and deal with racism:

“Atticus-” said Jem bleakly. He turned in the doorway. “What, son?” “How could they do it, how could they?” “I don’t know, but they did it. They’ve done it before and they did it tonight and they’ll do it again and when they do it – seems that only children weep. Good night.” (22.14-17)

“Don’t talk like that, Dill,” said Aunt Alexandra. “It’s not becoming to a child. It’s – cynical.””I ain’t cynical, Miss Alexandra. Tellin’ the truth’s not cynical, is it?” “The way you tell it, it is.” (22.32-34)

The adults in Maycomb never discussed the case with Jem and me; it seemed that they discussed it with their children, and their attitude must have been that neither of us could help having Atticus for a parent, so their children must be nice to us in spite of him. The children would never have thought that up for themselves: had our classmates been left to their own devices, Jem and I would have had several swift, satisfying fist-fights apiece and ended the matter for good. As it was, we were compelled to hold our heads high and be, respectively, a gentleman and a lady. (26.10)

Racism and its Effects on Young Adults:

When people, especially young adults, received unequal treatment because of their race, color, national or ethnic origin or immigrant status, it affects them physically and mentally and creates a sort of feelings of worry, anxiety or fear and loss of interest in their daily activities. It is because our brain is wired to make us feel worried or dreadful toward anything in the environment that looks different. In fact, one in five adults between ages 18 to 25 in the U.S. are facing this mental illness problem, according to a national survey. Children who face racism tend to have a mental illness that can go on to develop psychological distress and thoughts of suicidal attempts.

Ways to Prevent:

Educating yourself is the best way to prevent racism. Learn as much as you can about racism and racial discrimination that adversely affect mental health, producing depression, anxiety, and psychological stress in those who experience it and the ways to reduce.

Talk to people within your group to change their attitudes and belief as feeling unsafe and avoiding certain spaces or situations because of ethnicity had the biggest negative impact on mental health.

Racial harassment on minority people by white in the United States has long been a problem, for centuries. The minority people lack the opportunity, attend poor schools, or are plagued by poverty. A broader community approach must be adopted as young people from migrant and refugee backgrounds require the support of the community to protect themselves from racism.

Support Awareness:

There are many ways you can extend your support.

Speak up if you come across racism – If you hear someone use racial jokes, or mistreat people because of their race, step in and raise your voice.

Support and participate events in different communities – This gives a great opportunity to learn about different cultures and interact with people from that culture.

Make your friends and family also attend these festivals. Educating yourself is a way to have a more positive attitude towards people from different backgrounds.

Get involved with support organizations – Many organizations are dedicated to working towards these issues. Joining or supporting them is one of the best methods you can choose. You may get an occasion to meet like-minded people and get useful updates. You can volunteer your services or donate your time and/or money to their cause.

Make friends from different races – it is a good idea having close relationships with people from different races to prevent racism.

Support Mental Health Services – Racial and ethnic minorities have less access to the services compared to whites. Though there are mental health services available, the huge cost and lack of insurance coverage was the most common reason for not using the services across all racial and ethnic groups. Help and support them when they need care, they receive good quality service.

Organize awareness campaigns – Campaigns and demonstrations are powerful ways to combat racism in your community. Organize an awareness campaign and invite all your community people, lawmakers, institutional policy makers, and Government Authority Officials. Distributing giveaway gifts are a great way to reach your message in a perfect way to the audience and increase awareness. Though there are a variety of promotional items available, choosing customized awareness wristbands wristband with an awareness message is the best choice, in view of the popularity and the reach they have among people. People love to wear these stylish, fashion accessories that are easily available online in different colors, types, and sizes and in addition, they are easily customizable. These products are not only used as stylish accessories, but also used by people for creating awareness and other purposes.

We all join our hands and swear, raise awareness to prevent mental illness among young adults from racial discrimination.

Racism and hatred are nothing new in this world. They have created horrendous problems over the years for black people and all minorities.

Japanese Americans were not exempt from the racism, hatred, prejudice, and discrimination that have been exhibited against minorities for decades. These Americans who had been born of immigrants from Japan were used to hardship because of racism, but it came to a head when the United States entered World War II.

Although Japanese immigrants at that time were fearful of what would happen to them with the nation of their birth at war with the nation which had become their home, they thought their children were safe. Being born in the United States, their children and grandchildren were American citizens. They should have been protected by the Constitution because they were innocent of any wrong doing.

Then President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 on February 19, 1942, which allowed the military to remove any people from certain areas. Although it could have been used against others, the order was only applied to people of Japanese heritage. Almost everyone was in favor of the order against the Japanese people because of the racism that existed. The Quakers and a few others tried to help them to no avail. A few people protested, but the order was enacted against the people of Japanese descent who were living on the west coast of the continental United States.

Some of the American citizens with Japanese parents had graduated from college by that time. There were doctors, lawyers, and teachers who had trouble finding meaningful work in their fields of study because of racism. Their lives were brought to a virtual stand still when they were forcibly removed from their homes and placed in American concentration camps. Most of these American citizens and their parents lost everything for which they had worked hard.

Life was extremely difficult in the camps. Yet they kept hope alive for the most part. They persevered against less than ideal living conditions. They tried to endure the best they could. Racism and hatred had taken a big toll on their lives and livelihood.

Although they were originally called non-citizens or enemy aliens at the beginning of the war, the United States decided that these American young men could be helpful in the military. A segregated unit called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team/100th Battalion was organized of young men of Japanese heritage from the camps, from Hawaii, and some others in the mainland United States who had not lived on the west coast. Others served in the U.S. Army Military Intelligence Service. Their patriotism, valor, sacrifice, and dedication helped bring light to the darkness which Japanese Americans experienced.

The Japanese American Story As Told Through A Collection of Speeches and Articles is a book which covers much of this part of American history. Told through speeches and articles which were presented over a ten year period, the book tells about Japanese Americans and their fight to gain civil rights and fight racism.

Conditions eventually improved for the Japanese Americans after the war’s end. It took hope and perseverance to not give up when darkness seemed to prevail. Their story is one of hope and light in the midst of racism and hatred.