Danielle Arikawa
Danielle Arikawa is 3rd generation Japanese American. She was born in South Carolina to a half-Japanese mother and an American father in the Navy. She spent most of her life moving every few years - from Florida to Maine. Her father was stationed at small bases where they were the only Japanese in the area. She learned what it was like growing up different than the other families. Danielle is currently a home schooled 17 year old, but she plans to attend college to be a veterinarian.
Updated April 2008
Stories from This Author
Growing Up Japanese in the South
April 2, 2008 • Danielle Arikawa
“Tazuko, don’t marry him! He’s an American!” My grandma’s father was very against her marrying my grandpa, an American GI. It had only been 20 years since World War II had ended, and he still did not trust Americans. To him, all Americans were bad, especially American soldiers. During WWII, they had broken into his house and stolen everything of value, including family heirlooms that had been in the family for generations. But my grandma, being a rebellious 25 year-old, …
