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Cherry Kinoshita receives Jefferson Award

This article features Cherry Kinoshita in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer Reporter, as she is awarded for her efforts in the Redress and Reparations movement. As recognition for the significant work that she carried out in making the acquisition of justice a reality for the Japanese American community, this is proof that what she did was very important to the campaign.

However, in reading her responses to the article, she attributes much of her success to others, rather than spotlighting herself in the matter. This kind of a reaction to her award can be a mix of many things, namely humility, refusal to take credit alone for work that many carried out, perhaps gender-related cultural tendencies, and the want to acknowledge those who did make her efforts possible.

But Cherry’s situation aside, it is reactions and attitudes like these that are also common of Japanese American women, especially Isseis and Niseis, where they do not want to receive lots of attention for any particular occurrence or action. Rather, they would prefer to stay in the background and be somewhat invisible to the public eye. Drawing this sort of attention to oneself can be looked upon as distasteful to some who value that role for women as the domestic, obedient sex.

Nevertheless, it is very well that this article should recognize and applaud her efforts in the Redress movement, while also publicizing her achievements. There should be more articles and publications of this sort to acknowledge, without embarrassing, these women for their amazing accomplishments.

Source: Seattle Post Website, http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/163082_kinoshita04.html