For decades, standing up for truth, social justice and diversity requires role models to fuel constancy of mission and substantive mission-focused actions.
You watch folks, how they respond for years to issues like Bill Lanh Lee, former Assistant US Attorney General; now CA Attorney General Rob Bonta; your own family and friends-my husband, my dad who all fought for the marginalized; my friends like Jorge Emmanuel- the very first environmentalist who introduced the concept of electric cars at least 2 1/2 decades ago; Abe Ignacio whose archival collection gave birth to the Forbidden Book cataloguing the images of the media from 1800s to 1910 – illustrating how Filipinos were ridiculed, demeaned and compared to savages, monkeys and more – supremacy in America and white supremacy fueling racism, with some Blacks too.
Blacks are my role models for how they respond to challenges with grit and determination, just like Barack Obama and now, VP Harris and our 46th US President who is a steady, inspiring, pragmatic, unifying leader.
Don Nakanishi, who at UCLA mentored academics, including myself, a non – academic, wife to an academic nurtured potentials of all ethnicities. I miss coming to him and in turn, he gives you a strategic plan of action.
One day, at lunch, he shared me a list of potential Master’s and PhD graduates but have not, all Pinoys and Pinays. I volunteered to follow up, took responsibility for 3 folks whom I will follow up with.
Happy to report to you, Don Nakanishi may his soul rest in peace, two finished their doctorates, are teaching while another is about to finish writing her dissertation. We all have blockages and sometimes, sitting down with them to figure out that personal barriers are temporary: death, cultural gaps, diminished self confidence and even sexual assault. Pay attention to them, but keep their confidences!
My son is also a sensitive caring person – he referred two of his peers, I sat down with them, and like Don, listened for hours and gave them a challenge. One is now a tech entrepreneur and author of at least two books and even founded an organization of techies. It doesn’t take much to listen – only a courageous, open heart that can see potentials, not judgment.
Another is the generous, caring community of musicians who are so generous and positively harvest goodness and generosity.
I am also inspired by my #princess2015la who has the right attitude of knowing who she is – loved, living, smart, kind and compassionate. She draws and creates and works with nature, an influence from her grandpa and her parents.
Congress, let’s move with President @Joe Biden! We need jobs, jobs, jobs and blue collar job training and development in community colleges. Let’s move America forward towards the light!
