| Program Summary | |
| The 2004 Day of Remembrance was a very special day because it was also the premiere of Stand Up for Justice, the Ralph Lazo Story, a 30 minute film detailing the story of a Mexican/Irish-American who volunteered go to the Manzanar Concentration Camp with his Japanese American friends. The event at the Japan America Theatre of the JACCC was completely sold out with dozens of individuals on the wait list.
The film was a production by Visual Communications and Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress. Director John Esaki who spent six years on the project called it the end of a long process, a long journey that involved hundreds of volunteers from the local community. The NCRR Education Committee, which served as “project directors” spent the same six years working with Esaki to hone the script, recruit extras, fundraise, and cater food during the filming phase of the project Ralph Lazo’s daughter and son took part in the candle lighting ceremony that commemorated Lazo, as well as Visual Communications’ Executive Director Linda Mabalot and NCRR spokesperson Bert Nakano, both of whom had passed away the previous year.The Muslim Public Affairs Council, the Japanese Latin Americans’ Struggle for Justice (Campaign For Justice), Quakers and American Friends Service Committee, Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates, Fred Korematsu and the American Civil Liberties Union were also among those honored. Lazo's youngest son, Daniel Lazo, spoke on behalf of the family, recalling his father’s close kinship with the Japanese American friends he made while attending Belmont High School in Los Angeles. “My father was honored to be a part of this community… From a young age, he talked about his nihonjin friends, recalling fond memories of them.” he said adding, “he did not regret his actions, but regretted that there was a Manzanar." A 16-year-old at the time Executive Order 9066 was issued, Lazo sympathized with the injustice and suffering inflicted upon Japanese Americans. While saying his farewell to friends at the train station, Lazo decided to sneak on board, according to the film. Drawing the ceremony to a poignant close, actress Brittany Ishibashi, who played Lazo’s friend Ruby in the film, joined mother Lisa and grandmother Mary Kageyama Nomura on stage in a soulful rendition of “I Can’t Fool This Heart of Mine,” The song was written by Nomura’s late husband Shi Nomura in the 1940s during the courtship of his soon-to-be bride, the famed “Songbird of Manzanar.” |
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| 2004 Day of Remembrance..., Rafu Shimpo, 2/5/04, DOR to recognize Fighters for Justice | |
| volunteers..., Rafu Shimpo, 1/28/04, My Surreal Life Experience | |
| Bert Nakano..., Rafu Shimpo, 10/1/03, NCRR leader in Redress Movement Dies | |
| Muslim Public Affairs Council..., Website: www.mpac.org | |
| Campaign For Justice..., Website: www.campaignforjusticejla.org | |
| American Friends Service Committee.., Website: www.afsc.org | |
| Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates, Website: www.kiwa.org | |
| close kinship with the Japanese American friends..., Los Angeles Japanese Daily News, 1/9/02, Nikkei Community loses Loyal Friend | |