Educational Background

• University of Chicago (Projected Completion Date - 2011)
  • Enrolled in the Doctoral Program in History with a focus on East Asian (Japanese) History
• Inter-University Center for Japanese Language Studies (2006-2007)
  • Completed year-long intensive Japanese language program in Yokohama, Japan.
• University of California, Los Angeles (2005)
  • Master of Arts in Asian American Studies
  • Thesis: “Ganbateando: A History of the Okinawan Peruvians in Los Angeles”
• University of California, Los Angeles (1995)
  • Bachelor of Arts in History and English-American Studies
  • Specialization in Asian American Studies

• EOL, Inc. (2006-2007)
  • Position: English Language Conversation Teacher
  • Conducted language conversation classes in business professional environment.
• The Go For Broke Educational Foundation (2003-2005)
  • Position: Webmaster
  • Duties included development and maintenance of organizational website.
• UCLA Asian American Studies Department (2005)
  • Position: Teaching Assistant
  • Taught undergraduate writing section of Asian American Studies 10W (History of Asian Americans) under the direction of Professor Valerie Matsumoto.
• The Asian Pacific American Legal Center (1999-2003)
  • Position: Media Director
  • Duties included media/public relations work, graphic design and layout, development and maintenance of organizational web, multimedia development work, donor database management, and community outreach.
• The Imoyase Group, Inc. (1997-1999)
  • Position: Research Assistant
  • Duties included assisting non-profits with program evaluation, developing evaluation tools, developing organization’s website, and conducting field and desk research.
• Visual Communications (1996-1997)
  • Position: L.A. Link Internship
  • Duties included coordinating youth participants, assisting in video-conferencing program, developing projects, and understanding film/editing processes.
• East/West Community Partnership (1995-1996)
  • Position: Administrative Assistant
  • Duties included graphics support, office management, inventory control, maintaining research library, and assistance in media relations.
• UCLA Academic Advancement Program (1994-1995)
  • Position: Political Science and History tutor
  • Duties included tutoring multi-ethnic students in American political systems and Japanese history, and coordinating tutoring with appropriate faculty.
• UCLA Academic Advancement Program (1993-1994)
  • Position: Peer Counselor
  • Duties included counseling multi-ethnic students, coordinating with tutors and faculty, and providing referral services.

• Advanced reading, writing, and speaking ability in Japanese and Spanish.
• PC and Macintosh experience: ACT!, Adobe Illustrator 10.0, Adobe Photoshop 7.0, Adobe Pagemaker 6.5, Donor Perfect, Final Cut Pro HD, Macromedia Dreamweaver MX, Macromedia Fireworks MX, Microsoft Office XP (Excel, Frontpage, Powerpoint, and Word), Quark Xpress 5.0, SPSS 8.0, Winfax Pro 9.0, WS-FTP.
• Knowledge of basic PC maintenance and repair.
• Experience with both on-line and off-line video editing systems.

• “’Transculturation’ and Adaptation: A Brief History of Japanese and Okinawan Cubans.” Afro-Hispanic Review 27:1 (Spring 2008), 91-104.
• ”Interview with Pat Sumi.” In Asian Americans: The Movement and the Moment, ed. Steve Louie. Los Angeles: UCLA Asian American Studies Center Press, 2001. 16-31.

• Fujino, Diane C. and Kye Leung. “Radical Resistance in Conservative Times.” In Legacy to Liberation, ed. Fred Ho. San Francisco: AK Press, 2000. 143-144.
• Ishizuka, Karen L. Lost & Found: Reclaiming the Japanese American Incarceration. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 2006. 116.
• Lipsitz, George. “Stan Weir: Working-Class Visionary.” In Singlejack Solidarity, ed. Stan Weir. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2004. 355.
• Needleman, Ruth. “Building Relationships for the Long Haul: Unions and Community-Based Groups Working Together to Organize Low-Wage Workers.” In Organizing to Win: New Research on Union Strategies, eds. Kate Bronfenbrenner, Sheldon Friedman, Richard Hurd, Rudolph Oswalld, and Ronald Seeber. Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998. 74.
• Saito, Leland T. Race and Politics. Urbana and Chicago: University of Illinois Press, 1998. 125- 128, 157.
• Wang, Oliver. “Rapping and Repping Asian: Race, Authenticity, and the Asian American MC.” In Alien Encounters: Popular Culture in Asian America, eds. Mimi Thi Nguyen and Thuy Linh Nguyen Tu. Durham: Duke University Press, 2007. 49, 51.

• Producer/Director, “Arnold Moreno = Pi” - A film about the L.A. County Health Care System.
  Screened at the 21st Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, the 2005 Vancouver Asian Film Festival, the 2005 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival, and the 2006 Chicago Asian American Showcase.
• Producer/Writer, UCLA: Next, Episode #53 - “L.A. Dreams”

• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS Title VI) - Summer, 2007
• U.S. Department of Education Group Projects Abroad Fellowship - 2006-2007
• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS Title VI) - Summer, 2006
• UCLA Institute of American Cultures Graduate Fellowship - 2004-2005
• George and Sakaye Aratani Graduate Fellowship - 2004-2005
• Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship (FLAS Title VI) - Summer, 2004
• Graduate Opportunity Fellowship Program - 2003-2004
• Charles F. Scott Graduate Fellowship - 2003 - 2004
• California Japanese American Alumni Association Scholarship - 1994-1995
• McDonnell Douglas Scholarship Foundation Scholarship - 1990-1994
• Deans’ Honor’s List (3 Quarters)

• Member, Phi Alpha Theta - History Honor Society
• Member, Sigma Tau Delta - English Honor Society
• Member, Association for Asian American Studies
• Member, Association for Asian Studies
• Member, Latin American Studies Association

• Presenter, “A History of the Japanese and Okinawan Cubans.” Presented at “A Changing Cuba in a Changing World” Conference Organized by the Bildner Center for Western Hemisphere Studies - Cuba Project, New York, NY, March 2008.
• Presenter, “Ganbateando: A History of the Okinawan Peruvian Community of Los Angeles.” Presented at the Waseda Daigaku Okinawa Kenkyukai, Tokyo, Japan, August 2007.
• Presenter, “Ganbateando: A History of the Okinawan Peruvian Community of Los Angeles.” Presented at the Imin Kenkyukai, Tokyo, Japan, June 2007.
• Presenter, “Ganbateando: A History of the Okinawan Peruvian Community of Los Angeles.” Presented at the UCLA Center for Japanese Studies Annual Graduate Student Conference, Los Angeles, CA, April 2006.
• Presenter, “Okinawan Peruvian Community of Los Angeles.” Presented at the Asian Migrations Conference, Binghamton, NY, March 2006.
• Presenter, “Ganbateando: A History of the Okinawan Peruvians in Los Angeles.” Presented at the Latin American Studies Association Annual Conference, San Juan, Puerto Rico, March 2006.
• Presenter, “Ganbateando: A History of the Okinawan Peruvians in Los Angeles.” Presented at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Asian Pacific American Graduate Students Organization Conference, Urbana-Champaign, IL, March 2006.
• Presenter, “Diasporic Conflagrations: Anti-Military Organizing in Okinawa and the U.S.” Presented at the Association for Asian American Studies Conference, Boston, MA, March 2004.
• Presenter, “Rethinking Gangs: The Criminalization of Youth of Color” Panel. Presented at Critical Resistance, Berkeley, CA, September 1998.

• Guest Panelist, “Conversations: A New Asian America.” Sponsored by PanAsia and the Asian Pacific American Graduate Student Collective. University of Chicago. Chicago, IL. November 2005.
• Guest Lecturer, “The Asian American Movement.” Presented in “History of Asian Americans” class (AAS 10W), with Professor Valerie Matsumoto. UCLA, CA. March, 2005.
• Featured Speaker, “Asian American Social Movements.” Sponsored by the Claremont Colleges Asian American Advisory Board. Claremont Colleges, CA. January, 2005.
• Guest Lecturer, “Contemporary Japanese American Communities.” Presented in “The Japanese American Experience” class (AAS 130D), with Susan Nakaoka. UCLA, CA. April, 2002.
• Guest Panelist, “Community Building = Consciousness-Raising Today Panel.” Presented as part of “Asian Americans: The Movement and the Moment.” UCLA, CA. September, 2001.
• Guest Artist, Unleashing Tongues, VI. Sponsored by the UCLA Asian Pacific Coalition. UCLA, CA. May, 1997.
• Featured Speaker, “Asian American Movement: Rap with Japanese American Activists of the 1970s and the 1990s.” Sponsored by the Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California and ACTION. Gardena, CA. October, 1996.
• Guest Artist, Vote and Revolt: A Political Social Cultural Excursion to Defeat Prop. 209. Sponsored by the San Diego Student Coalition. University of California, San Diego, CA. September, 1996.
• Guest Artist, Unleashing Tongues IV. Sponsored by the UCLA Asian Pacific Coalition. UCLA, CA. May, 1995.
• Guest Artist, Unleashing Tongues. Sponsored by the UCLA Asian Pacific Coalition. UCLA, CA. March, 1994.
• Guest Panelist, Ethnic Polarization at UCLA. Sponsored by Omega Sigma Tau. UCLA, CA. December, 1993.

• Rafu Shimpo Columnist (1994-2007) - Currently contribute monthly op-ed pieces on various issues at Los Angeles Japanese American newspaper.
• UCLA Asian American Graduate Students’ Association (2003-2005) - Worked on various campus and community issues in organization.
• People’s Community Organization for Reform and Empowerment (1996-2005) - Currently working on developing and training API activists in Los Angeles area.
• Okinawa Peace Network of Los Angeles (1997-2005) - Currently working in organization dedicated towards reducing and removing the U.S. military presence in Okinawa.
• Okinawa Association of America (1997-2005) - Worked on Young Okinawans committee and currently serve on History committee for organization.
• KPFK API Collective (2002-2004) - Worked in radio collective and co-produced RadioBomb, a show highlighting API electronica and turntablist artists in the context of urban dance music.
• Asian Left Forum (1997-2000) - Worked in national organization which sought to organize API leftists and promote discussion and dialogue on domestic and foreign issues.
• Asian Pacific Islander Collective To Initiate Opportunities Now! (ACTION) (1995-99) - Helped found multi-ethnic activist API progressive collective with a focus on youth and the arts.
• People of Color Against War (1999) - Worked in multi-racial coalition against the War in Yugoslavia.
• The World Is Yours! (1996-98) - Published a journal of progressive API arts, focusing on youth and community issues.
• Internship at Visual Communications (1997) - Worked on L.A. Link project which used technology to connect Marshall and Belmont High students with students at Crenshaw High.
• Asian Pacific Islanders For Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (API-FIRE) (1994-96) - Worked in multi-ethnic organization on issues pertaining to welfare and immigrants’ rights.
• UCLA Concerned Asian Pacific Students for Action (1993-95) - Played role in supporting Jessica McClintock Boycott campaign and worked against Proposition 187.
• UCLA Human Rights/Affirmative Action Coalition (1994-95) - Aided in formation of multi-racial coalition against Proposition 187 and in favor of Affirmative Action.
• Internship at the Rafu Shimpo Newspaper(1995) - Submitted articles and opinion pieces for Japanese American newspaper.
• UCLA Asian Pacific Coalition (1993-94) - As Co-External Director, worked with API member organizations on API issues, organized forums, and developed ongoing poetry series.
• UCLA Nikkei Student Union (1993-94) - As member of the Japanese American Awareness Committee, helped educate members on issues effecting Nikkei and API communities.
• Yellow Brotherhood Tutorial Project (1993-94) - Volunteered on tutorial project for multi-racial youth in Culver City.
• Pacific Ties (1993-94) - Submitted articles and kept a regular column on this UCLA API newspaper.
• Alliance Working for Asian Rights and Empowerment (1993-94) - Played role in Orange County organization focusing on Asian mugshot issue.
• Internship with New Otani Hotel Workers Support Committee (1994) - Supported drive of multi-ethnic coalition for unionization of hotel workers.
• Conscious Students of Color (1992-93) - While in multi-racial coalition, worked for the implementation of a Chicana/o Studies Department at UCLA.
• Barrio Youth Alternatives Project (1992-93) - Participated in tutorial project for Latino students at Jefferson High School.
• Office of the External Vice President, USAC (1992-93) - Provided political education to Marshall and Fairfax High students on national issues, such as National Service.
• UCLA Unicamp (1990-91) - Participated in youth diversion program for south Los Angeles youth.