Kiana's Bday

Maiya and her preschool friend Kiana's 5th bday 

381 Miles for Justice and Back (in one day)

On Memorial Day weekend, Tony, Maiya and I rented a car and drove 381 miles to Phoenix to join the march protesting SB 1070, the recently signed Arizona law that will allow/force/legalize racial profiling against people of color.  It will authorize police to stop "suspected" undocumented immigrants based on the color of their skin and ask them for their papers.

We left at 3:30 in the morning, and arrived in Phoenix about 9:30 am.  I actually only slept about 2 45-minute naps the night before, and drove the first 3 hours.  Anyways, we found a place to park a few blocks from the beginning of the route, having seen that there was a train line that would take us back at the end of the day.  We had heard that the organizers were expecting about 50,000 people, but I really couldn't tell... altoarizona.com reported 100,000 people. Walking 6 1/2 miles in 90+ degree heat and not wanting to spend any money in Phoenix was something that I think our little family will always remember and was why we decided to go and come back in the same day.

Maiya wrote and decorated her own picket sign: 

"SB 1070: It's Not Right! Treat People Good"

Tony's sign compares SB 1070 with racist laws in our

history that target individual communities of color

Phoenix was hot... we heard 97 degrees... 

this is before we got to the 6.6 mile start line.

We were towards the back of the march. 

 Lots of families and strollers where we were.

Trying to beat the heat with popsicles, fruit, veggies and water

This sign was at the very end of the march, and passed us a few times.

Maiya's Si Se Puede Yoda sign was a big hit--

many people wanted photos and kids loved it.

Our sign "We drove 381 miles for justice" caused several 

groups of Arizonans to thank us for the support

KuidaOsumi--together for social justice

Some of the signs we saw said things like "Do I look illegal?" "Brown is not a crime." "We are all human." "European American immigrants were illegal.  1492." After walking almost 5 hours or so, we almost made it to the end. We actually got within about 7 streets from the end of the march and we could hear the speakers and the music.  We could see the State Capitol building just ahead of us. 

Unfortunately, I had kind of a dizzy spell/episode where the world started spinning and I started to feel like I was going to pass out.  I went to sit down, and kind of fell onto the grass in slow motion.   Anyways, after yet another bottle of water and a 20 minute rest, I was able to walk back to the train (yes, we did actually spend $3.50 in Arizona for trainfare and $2 or $3 for popsicles from marching vendors) to take us back to our car, where we took pictures in the parking lot.

After that, we got in our car, and Tony drove us 6 hours back home, stopping in Blythe for gas and making pita bread cheese and salami sandwiches out of the cooler in the backseat of the car.  I am glad we were able to go--since we missed the Los Angeles May Day immigrant rights march on May 1st.  It was Maiya's first trip to Phoenix.  And the only other time I had been to Arizona was about 17 years ago when I went with my parents and my brother Darin to the Gila River Camp Reunion/Pilgrimage, where my dad was incarcerated as a 10 year old during WW2 for being of Japanese descent.  

It was a hot and physically exhausting day, but an unforgettable journey... As I said to one Latino man about my age who thanked us for coming such a long distance, "We had to come."  Because according to Maiya, "SB 1070:  It's not right!  Treat People Good."

~~~~~~
This post is dedicated to the memory of father, husband, activist, organizer, teacher, poet, friend, 
John Delloro, who passed away at the age of 38 on June 5th, may he rest in peace and justice.

In the car this morning...

Funny things come out of the backseat during carpool.

Maiya:  Mommy, is Devin a Asian man?
Jenni:  Um, Devin is a young Asian man.
Devin:  I'm an Asian men!
Maiya:  Asian pear!
Devin: Asian taggie!
Maiya:  Asian apple!
Devin:  Asian duckie!
Maiya:  Asian Jacaranda!
Devin:  Asian blossom!
Maiya:  Asian street!
Devin:  Asian meat!

Not exactly in that order, but you get the picture.  It actually went on and on, but I couldn't  remember after the first few of them.  But this little game got us from Central and 20th to about Central and 9th Street.  And each new one brought on a gaggle of giggles.

(Photo by Mickie Okamoto at Angelina Family Literacy Fun Night)

Don't kill the spiders... Yoda would say that

One thing is for sure, Maiya hates spiders.  She doesn't like them at all.   The tiniest of spiders in her room and she screams and carries on and wants them removed.  There is one in the corner of our bedroom ceiling and she looks up at it every night.  Even more surprising that I overheard this conversation in the backseat of the car this morning during carpool.

Maiya to Devin:  "Devin, if you see a spider, you shouldn't kill it or stomp on it or step on it or something like that.  Because it might be a daddy or a mommy or a big sister or a little sister.  Yoda would say that."

Then she opened her eyes big, faced Devin, nodding her head up and down while smiling and repeated, "Yoda would say that.  So instead you could take them outside with a cup or a piece of paper."

It's all about what Obi Wan Ka-Tony says.  Or what a makes a good Jedi.  Or what Yoda would say.

Busy Weekend: Chopping with our hashi

Yesterday we shot a music video B.Y.O. Chopstix, a new Great Leap project--5am set up craft services, prepped and dished up the "props" food, getting to feel a bit like a waitress, enjoyed being part of the production crew all before 7:30 am... Tony & I picked up Maiya from her sleepover at Auntie Keiko's, watched her run the Chibi K in J-town, rushed back to Gardena by 9:30 to continue helping with the video shoot, then cleanup, then rushed home to unload the car at 5pm, we dropped Maiya off with Uncle Bill, then headed to Westwood to catch the bus and a few zz's to Hollywood Bowl, saw an incredible concert with Carole King & James Taylor (best seats ever! first date night in practically forever!), back on the bus to Westwood, back to pick up Maiya and come home after midnight.

  

Today, Maiya slept till 10, we made pancakes, 5 loads of laundry, 2 hours of dishes, took a nap (me & Tony), dinner w/Lily @ Tender Greens and the house is still a mess.  Great weekend.  Had to blog it here because it wouldn't fit on my FB status.  Lots more pics to follow.

Minna loves Jasmine: The Beginning

This is Minna, one of my dearest childhood friends.  

I have known Minna since the 2nd grade when

 she came to school with a note on her jacket 

saying that she came from Taiwan and didn't speak English.

Fast forward to 2010. 

Here is Minna's new daughter Jasmine from Taiwan, 

who was adopted by Minna and her husband Joe

a month ago.  Jasmine is 5 and is learning English, 

just like her mom did almost 40 years ago.  

Isn't she beautiful?  I love this story. 

 The Beginning.

Moments in Manzanar 2010

Drove up to Manzanar for the day this year.  Left around 9am, got up there just after noon, stayed for the program and then went to the interpretive center, then hit the road to go home.  It was nice that my brother Darin's family came up, as did Nobuko and Dan.  Nice to visit with our friends from NCRR.  It was the first time I've been there in 12 years that I wasn't working, running around behind or onstage.  It was nice to kind of sit, eat the hummus, pita, tabouleh, carrots, apples and stuff that Tony packed for us.  And that, in a photo nutshell, was the 2010 Manzanar Pilgrimage... Maiya's 5th trip in her 5 years.

FB Parenting Quiz totally accurate

Kind of Crunchy:  You lean more toward Attachment Parenting, natural births, homepathic remedies, and living green! You tend to question modern medicine and mainstream parenting. You tend to delay vaccines or use an alternate schedule. You aren't bothered by the fact that people tend to question your parenting style. You feel strongly about the way you're raising your kids. You believe that it's our duty to make the earth a better place for our children by being more eco-friendly. You buy organic foods whenever you can and you use cloth diapers or seriously considered it. You've also considered homeschooling. When people see you with your baby you're usually wearing her in a sling or wrap. 


You tell new moms who complain about lack of sleep to try co-sleeping with baby and let them know how much you love co-sleeping. You believe in breastfeeding and baby led weaning, but to a point. And you'll nurse in public but modesty is important to you. You aren't afraid to disagree with your Dr about delaying solids or vaccines. You don't like to let your baby cry and cry-it-out methods make you cringe. However, if nothing else is working you are willing to try it once the baby reaches a certain age. You read different books about parenting and take what you feel will work for you and your family. You tend to believe in trusting your instincts when it comes to raising your kids.

Easter '10 & the 40s

Easter '10 and the 40s

This year we celebrated Gayle, Lee & Tony's birthdays on Easter.  

This was the first time the cousins got together to dye eggs.  

Kids had a nice time playing outside in Grandma Machi's backyard.

Then, the Mad Dash for the egg hunt.  

For me, it was fun to hide the eggs.

 We watched the crazed kids come out ready to snatch up those eggs.

Then, we ate a feast and a half.

Saori made a stunning cake for the 43, 44 and 45 yr old Aries' in our family.

Can't believe how big the kids are getting.

Even more unbelievable is how old we adults are!

And many more!

More Maiya Basketball

Practice shooting

Hustling

Going for it!

Bruins/Jr. Lakers 2010

Jr. Lakers BBQ at the park (with Mikail and Rahel)

Getting a trophy and certificate from Coach Fred

5K Leapin' Leapers for the Arts

Maiya's 5th 5K in 5 years... here we are at the LA Marathon 5K at Dodger Stadium last Saturday morning.  Ten of us walked the 5K as a fundraiser for Great Leap.  You can't help but notice our beautiful green "Leapin' Leapers for the Arts" t-shirts.  Our youngest was Maiya at 5, and our oldest was Beatrice at 78, who actually came in 1st place our of 3 in her age group (women from 75-79).

Bea, Jo, Donna, Mike & Maiya in our new t-shirts

Maiya, Nobuko, Luke & Corazon marching in Elysian Park

Maiya and Auntie Nobuko walking backwards uphill.

Group shot of the 10 of us

Me & Maiya holding our medals at the finish line 1:13!

Afterwards, met Mamie (101 yrs old) & Clara at Empress for dim sum 

in Chinatown, our GL post marathon tradition

As I mentioned above, this was Maiya's 5th 5K, but actually it was her 2nd one to walk the entire 5K.  And she did fantastic.  Because she's older now, she can handle the walking--no more strollers.  She held my hand for the beginning of the walk, but also ran around with Luke, Corazon & Auntie Nobuko.  We enjoyed the pretty hills of Elysian Park, although I missed the grittiness of walking through downtown LA and the garment district.  Actually, about 3/4 of the way through the walk, Maiya was jumping around, fell and got a bloody arm and scraped up hand, so I carried her for about a minute while she cried.  After some comforting, she walked the rest of the way, stopping to rest a few times. 

5K Times with Maiya over the years:

2007 - 1:41 (Placed 2237 out of 2240) 

2008 - 1:15 (Placed 1897 out of 2137)

2010 - 1:13 (Placed 1781 out of 1867)

We are still tallying up the pledges, but I think Kuida-Osumi raised around $1,500.  

The impact of these generous donations for Great Leap is IMMEDIATE. 

Next year, we hope you'll join the Leapin' Leapers for the Arts.