“Never Give Up! Minoru Yasui and the Fight for Justice” relates the life history of an American hero. Minoru (Min) Yasui was born and raised in the small farming town of Hood River, Oregon in 1916, by Japanese immigrant parents, Masuo and Shidzuyo Yasui. He was the first Japanese American attorney in Oregon and during World War II, he initiated a legal test case by deliberately violating military orders that lead to the incarceration of over 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in U.S. War Relocation Authority concentration camps. He spent 9 months in solitary confinement awaiting his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled against him.

After the war, he moved to Denver and continued to defend the human and civil rights not only of Japanese Americans but for Blacks, Latinos, Native Americans, religious minorities, children and youth, the aged, low income people, etc. As Executive Director of the Denver Commission on Community Relations, he helped to initiate and oversaw a plethora of programs and organizations serving diverse communities.

In the 1970s and 80s, he spearheaded the redress movement to win reparations and a formal apology from the government for the injustices against Japanese Americans during World War II. He also reopened his wartime case, and it was in appeal when died in 1986. He is buried in his hometown of Hood River, Oregon.

Doors Open: 6 pm for snacks and conversation. Stay for speaker & audience discussion.

Co-sponsors: Mt. Baker Community Club, So. Seattle Climate Action Network.