Discover Nikkei

https://www.discovernikkei.org/en/interviews/clips/1194/

Considers Pittsburg his home, but always wanted to live in Japan

My home, my home is Pittsburg…my home is, you know, my hometown is Pittsburg, but, you know, my…my life is in Japan. I definitely feel that way. Because in the…in the U.S., you know, I really wasn’t able to find my niche, as far as what I wanted to do, especially when I got out of college, but they only thing that I can think about whenever I was in college and when I was studying, you know, and thinking about what I wanted to do—it was always connected to Japan—it always…you know whenever…I decided to come to Japan, and I said that I was gonna come here, I was gonna try to become an enka singer, but if I wasn’t able to become an enka singer, I would definitely use my studies from college and use them somewhere in Japan. So I always wanted to be in Japan and improve my Japanese and live in Japan.


hapa identity racially mixed people

Date: March 30, 2010

Location: California, US

Interviewer: Yoko Nishimura

Contributed by: Interview by Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum. Courtesy of Japanese American Cultural & Community Center

Interviewee Bio

Jero (Jerome Charles White, Jr.) was born on September 4, 1981, in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. His African American grandfather met his Japanese grandmother as a U.S. serviceman during World War II. They married and had a daughter, Harumi, and eventually moved to his grandfather’s hometown of Pittsburgh. Jero’s parents divorced when he was young so he was raised with a strong sense of Japanese culture. He was introduced to enka by his grandmother and started to sing enka under her encouragment. After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 2003, he moved to Japan and worked as an English teacher and as a computer engineer, but started to pursue singing professionally after promising his grandmother that one day he would perform at the Kohaku Uta Gassen, the New Year’s Eve musical special that she enjoyed.

Jero’s mix of traditional enka with a youthful, hip hop style has revitalized a singing style that has been slowly dying out by attracting people from all age groups. He won over many hearts after hearing about his promise to his grandmother and was a highlight of the night when he did appear on the Kohaku Uta Gassen in 2008. He won the Best New Artist award in the Japan Record Awards that year. He has gained popularity among Nikkei and performed for sold-out audiences in the U.S. in 2010.

(March 2010)

Dale Minami
en
ja
es
pt
Minami,Dale

Reflections on the importance of history

(b. 1946) Lawyer

en
ja
es
pt
Johnnie Morton
en
ja
es
pt
Morton,Johnnie

Growing up and identity

(b.1971) Professional football player.

en
ja
es
pt
Mako Nakagawa
en
ja
es
pt
Nakagawa,Mako

Message for future generations

(1937 - 2021) Teacher

en
ja
es
pt
Chiye Tomihiro
en
ja
es
pt
Tomihiro,Chiye

Don’t Make Waves

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

en
ja
es
pt
Chiye Tomihiro
en
ja
es
pt
Tomihiro,Chiye

What to Do Next

Chaired the Chicago JACL's Redress Committee.

en
ja
es
pt
Roberto Hirose
en
ja
es
pt
Hirose,Roberto

From the "middle" Nikkei (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

en
ja
es
pt
Roberto Hirose
en
ja
es
pt
Hirose,Roberto

Advantages of being Nikkei (Spanish)

(b. 1950) Nisei Chilean, Businessman

en
ja
es
pt
George Yoshida
en
ja
es
pt
Yoshida,George

We’re Still Japanese

(b. 1922) Musician

en
ja
es
pt
William Marutani
en
ja
es
pt
Marutani,William

Childhood shame for being Nikkei in Enumclaw, Washington

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

en
ja
es
pt
Kathryn Doi Todd
en
ja
es
pt
Todd,Kathryn Doi

On the Impact of the Camp Experience

(b. 1942) The first Asian American woman judge

en
ja
es
pt
Johnny Mori
en
ja
es
pt
Mori,Johnny

Thoughts on the term, "Nikkei"

(b. 1949) Musician and arts educator and adminstrator.

en
ja
es
pt
William Marutani
en
ja
es
pt
Marutani,William

Post-redress future of Japanese Americans

Judge, only Japanese American to serve on CWRIC.

en
ja
es
pt
Clifford Uyeda
en
ja
es
pt
Uyeda,Clifford

Mentality of Issei and Nisei

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

en
ja
es
pt
Clifford Uyeda
en
ja
es
pt
Uyeda,Clifford

Treatment by Chinese students

(1917 - 2004) Political activist

en
ja
es
pt
Kazuomi Takagi
en
ja
es
pt
Takagi,Kazuomi

Need generational change in Japanese community (Spanish)

(1925-2014) La Plata Hochi, Journalist

en
ja
es
pt