PLEASE JOIN US
ONLINE OR IN PERSON
Saturday, April 5, 2025
2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. PT
Activists Inspiring Action
Igniting Justice
University of Oregon
NE Portland Campus
Campus Center, #212
2800 NE Liberty St
Portland, OR 97211
PLEASE JOIN US
ONLINE OR IN PERSON
Saturday, April 5, 2025
2:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Activists Inspiring Action
Igniting Justice
University of Oregon
NE Portland Campus
Campus Center, #212
2800 NE Liberty St
Portland, OR 97211
In 2016 Oregon’s legislature designated March 28 Minoru Yasui Day to honor the state’s only Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee’s tireless fight for equality, justice, democracy, and civil rights.
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In 2025, we celebrate the 10th anniversary of Minoru Yasui being posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama. We also celebrate the 2025 Minoru Yasui Student Contest winners and 10 organizations whose work advances civil rights, social justice, and democracy.
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
PREPROGRAM MUSIC & OPENING SONG
Mack Yasui, Minoru Yasui’s great grandnephew, on piano
WELCOME & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Peggy Nagae, MYLP Co-Founder & Committee Member
Minoru Yasui: Activism Igniting Justice
Emcee: Chani Hawkins, MYLP Committee Member and granddaughter of Minoru Yasui, sharing personal insights on Grandpa Min and speaking to his cross-cultural advocacy for diverse and marginalized communities.
PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM CLIP
Video of President Obama’s citation and honoring of Minoru Yasui’s lifelong fight for justice with the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
ORIGINS OF THE MINORU YASUI LEGACY PROJECT
Lynn Fuchigami Parks, MYLP Committee Member, shares the journey of MYLP, the pursuit of the Presidential Medal of Freedom for Minoru Yasui, and evolution of MYLP with the Japanese American Museum of Oregon (JAMO).
HONORING ACTIVISM
Minoru Yasui Activist Awards: Chani & Penn Hawkins (great-grandson of Minoru Yasui) honor ten outstanding organizations with the Minoru Yasui Activist Award for their advocacy in education, law, policy, culture, history, and art, driving meaningful change in their communities.
Student Contest Awards: Emily Thackary, Minoru Yasui Student Contest Committee Co-Chair and educator at Arts & Communications Magnet Academy (Beaverton, OR), announces the 2025 Minoru Yasui Student Contest winners featuring artwork inspired by the 2025 theme: Human Rights Activism That Inspires.
History Igniting Activism: Minoru Yasui Activist Awards
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Japanese American Museum of Oregon & Beyond Barbed Wire virtual tour.
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Oregon Historical Society
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Densho
Art Igniting Activism: Announcement of the Student Contest Junior Division Awards.
Culture Igniting Activism: Minoru Yasui Activist Awards
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Portland Japanese American Citizens League
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Tsuru for Solidarity
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Japanese Ancestral Society
Art Igniting Activism: Announcement of the Student Contest Senior Division Awards and Educator Engagement Award.​
Laws & Politics Igniting Activism: Minoru Yasui Activist Awards
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American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon
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Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon
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Perkins Coie LLP
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Western States Center
CLOSING
Maija Yasui, MYLP Committee Member
CLOSING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Led by Mack Yasui, attendees are invited to join us in a group song of "Fireworks," lyrics provided at the event.
Presented by the Minoru Yasui Legacy Project in collaboration with the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, this event honors Min’s lifelong fight for equity.
Special thanks to our hosting sponsor, the University of Oregon School of Law.
