1/ About Oka Elementary School in #HuntingtonBeach. It is connected to the history of endangered #AAPI National Treasure #HistoricWintersburg, which Steel failed to recognize or help save while OC supervisor & now as a congressional rep.
The school is named after Isojiro Oka.
The school is named after Isojiro Oka.
https://twitter.com/RepSteel/status/1442931834346631169
2/ Isojiro Oka was arrested & taken by FBI on January 28, 1942, for the sole reason of his Japanese ancestry.
He arrived in Huntington Beach circa 1907. Isojiro Oka and Hisamatsu Tamura purchased land in Talbert (Fountain Valley) specifically to build a school.
He arrived in Huntington Beach circa 1907. Isojiro Oka and Hisamatsu Tamura purchased land in Talbert (Fountain Valley) specifically to build a school.
3/ They got a building from Standard Oil, moved it to the property, & it became one of the four Japanese language schools in Orange County. He continued to contribute to schools his entire life, sharing produce grown on his farm.
4/ After his arrest, Isojiro was separated from wife Kaoru & family, then later reunited with them at the concentration camp "Poston", Arizona.
While in Poston, they got word their son Private 1st Class Teddy Oka, 442nd Company G, had been injured fighting for the US in Italy.
While in Poston, they got word their son Private 1st Class Teddy Oka, 442nd Company G, had been injured fighting for the US in Italy.
5/ Pause for a moment: Teddy was fighting for the US in Europe during WWII while his parents & family, were incarcerated in the US due to their ancestry.
The Oka family picking peppers on their farm in Huntington Beach. This was home. They returned after being released in 1945.
The Oka family picking peppers on their farm in Huntington Beach. This was home. They returned after being released in 1945.
6/ GOP California Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) introduced a resolution in 1990 stating the incarceration of Japanese Americans was militarily justified.
A number of his fellow GOP legislators avoided the discussion & vote by skipping out. They were silent.
A number of his fellow GOP legislators avoided the discussion & vote by skipping out. They were silent.
7/ This included Doris Allen (R-Cypress), Dennis Brown (R-Los Alamitos), Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach), John Lewis (R-Orange) and Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove).
They didn't show up & remained silent about Gil Fergeson justifying WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans.
They didn't show up & remained silent about Gil Fergeson justifying WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans.
8/ It wasn't until @AsmMuratsuchi introduced HR77 LAST YEAR that the California Assembly formally apologized for the treatment of Japanese Americans during WWII.
apnews.com/article/califo…
apnews.com/article/califo…
9/ Meanwhile, in Steel's district, there is a nationally significant endangered #AAPI National Treasure historic place #HistoricWintersburg that she has remained silent about.
It's facing demolition by neglect from current owners @RepublicService
savingplaces.org/places/histori…
It's facing demolition by neglect from current owners @RepublicService
savingplaces.org/places/histori…
10/ It's just lip service about #AAPI history or finally signing on to anti-Asian hate action (after defunding OC Human Relations), while failing to save places that teach this history. That's what would be constructive in pushing back on anti Asian hate.
This is on your watch.
This is on your watch.
11/ I'm probably "doing CRT" right now, the dangerous act of teaching actual history, what we can learn from it, and how it is being erased in real time.
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