Dr. Henry “Hank” Oyama

Memorial services for Dr. Henry “Hank” Oyama were held today at St. Augustine’s Cathedral, 192 S. Stone Ave, with hundreds of people from the Tucson community in attendance. Dr. Oyama was 86 years old and passed away on March 20. He was born and raised here in Tucson, and at age 15 was innocently interned along with 120,000 other Japanese Americans in relocation camps in the western United States. Hank was sent to such a camp north of here in Poston, Arizona with his mother and sister. He was drafted into the U.S. Army after spending 15 months in that internment camp, and later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, from which he retired as Lt. Colonel.

After returning to Tucson he earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at the University of Arizona in education, and taught at Pueblo High School for 18 years. Following that he was hired at Pima Community College as director of bilingual and international studies, later became Associate Dean of that program, and eventually retired from PCC in 1991 as Vice President Emeritus. He was bilingual in Spanish and was well know for his advocacy for Hispanic students in Tucson, and established the Hispanic Student Endowment Fund. In 2003 an elementary school in Tucson was named after him at 2700 S. La Cholla Blvd.

Today’s service started off with a welcome by Bishop Gerald Kicanas, who said that Hank was “proud of his roots” and “rejoiced in them here in Tucson.” He also said that Hank “taught by example.” Father Gonzalo Villegas said that Hank exemplified Pope Paul VI’s statement “If you want peace, work for justice.” Particularly touching were when “Amazing Grace” and “Ave Maria” were sung.

Beautiful eulogy delivered today by Ward 5 Councilman Richard Fimbres (also a pallbearer), who spoke of Hank as a “man of integrity, a role model for all”, and listed the many awards/honors that Hank received over his lifetime including Pan Asian Man of the Year in 2005. Hank’s only surviving daughter Mary Catherine Tate spoke of her dad as the person she “learned tenacity from” and that “love is a choice.” Hank was survived by his 2nd wife Laura Ann Toledo Oyama, four children, five stepchildren, fourteen grandchildren, six great grandchildren.

Attending today’s service were many notables:

Ruben Reyes for CD 3 Congressman Raul Grijalva
Former State Senator Victor Soltero
LD 3 State Rep. Macario Saldate (pallbearer)
Pima County District 4 Supervisor Ray Carroll, District 5 Supervisor Richard Elias
Tucson City Councilmembers Richard Fimbres, Karin Uhlich, Regina Romero, former Councilman Steve Leal
TUSD governing board members Adelita Grijalva, Mark Stegeman, Kristel Foster, Cam Juarez
Sunnyside board member Eva Dong Carrillo
former TUSD Superintendents Roger Pfeuffer, Stan Paz

In 1959 he and his Caucasian college sweetheart Mary Ann Jordan challenged Arizona’s anti-miscegenation law which prohibited a Caucasian person from marrying someone Asian American. The actual statute stated: “The marriage of a person of Caucasian blood with a Negro, Mongolian, Malay or Hindu is null and void.” Hank and Mary Ann became plaintiffs in the ACLU of Arizona’s first case, to challenge this law, which was stuck down by Pima County Superior Court Judge Herbert Krucker, but then appealed to the Arizona Supreme Court. Before that court could rule, the Arizona legislature repealed that law, so Hank and Mary Ann’s case was dismissed as moot.

I (an ACLU state board member for five years) attended the ACLU of Arizona’s 50th anniversary dinner on March 20, 2009 where the attorneys for that case were honored, as well as Hank. His wife Mary Ann had passed on by then, but Hank said that she should have been there that night, because she had a harder time with the verbal abuse she endured by being a white person married to a non-white person back then. For Hank and Mary Ann, love was indeed a choice, and they had to fight to remain together and get married.

He received an honorary doctorate from the University of Arizona for this civil rights challenge.

More about Hank in

Arizona Daily Star: http://azstarnet.com/news/local/tucson-education-civil-rights-advocate-hank-oyama-dies/article_fa0197ee-9185-11e2-b1b5-0019bb2963f4.html

Rum Romanism Rebellion (by former State Rep. Tom Prezelski): http://www.rumromanismrebellion.net/2013/03/21/dr-henry-hank-oyama-1926-2013/

Rest in peace civil libertarian and “father of bilingual education” Henry “Hank” Oyama.

The Neighborhood Support Network (NSN) has been in existence for over 5 years in Tucson, and just recently set up a new website (click here). More information below and on the website, which includes about 160 neighborhood associations and 330 neighborhood leaders. If you want to sign up to become a “member” (for free) contact coordinator Donald Ijams of Peter Howell Neighborhood Association at 520-795-0770 or dsijams at gmail.com.

The Neighborhood Support Network builds relationships of trust and support among diverse citizens engaged in neighborhood enrichment in the greater Tucson region.

The Network offers a unique capacity to build connections among stakeholders and elected neighborhood leaders, past and present, as they work to improve Tucson’s quality of life.

The Network’s primary focus is on
· Making connections through which knowledge can be shared
· Identifying and promoting the use of best practices in neighborhood problem solving
· Mentoring new leaders
· Coordinating issue forums
· Maintaining an internet-based information storehouse
· Assisting members in forming coalitions and partnerships for joint action.

The Neighborhood Support Network seeks to
· Reach across political boundaries
· Be inclusive and open
· Promote carefully selected policy options judged to be in the best interests of the community.

The Network sponsors periodic meetings of all members, as well as topic-oriented meetings as needed.

As a representative of my neighborhood association, I have been to a number of NSN meetings and workshops over the years, and have developed some friendly relationships, and have profited from the network of information sharing.

So if you join the NSN and have a neighborhood issue you are passionate about, then you can start up a discussion on the website, and find out what others are thinking or doing about the same issue. I wish someone would just figure out a way to fix the ubiquitous potholes in our city streets (in addition to waiting for City of Tucson Street Maintenance).

Arizona Gives Day is a day for Arizonans to come together to make donations to as many nonprofits as possible in 24 hours. On March 20, 2013, from 12:00 am to 11:59 pm, supporters of Arizona nonprofits will go online, connect with causes they care about, and make tax-deductible donations. Supporters will search for participating nonprofits and simply click to donate. The donation stays local and helps our nonprofit community provide much needed services in the state of Arizona.

On March 20, 2013, go to azgives.org to search for the nonprofit organization you want to support, and click “donate” to enter the appropriate donation information. If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to Razoo Foundation’s friendly customer support team: 866-437-1952 or support@razoo.com. Only donations made online with a credit or debit card on March 20, 2013 will be a part of Arizona Gives Day.

The Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits and the Arizona Grantmakers Forum present Arizona Gives Day as a way to promote the nonprofit community, increase public awareness about their contributions to the state’s economy and quality of life, and inspire Arizonans to come together on one day as a powerful giving community demonstrating support for our communities.

And the minimum donation amount requested is $10. There are supposedly about 2000 nonprofits in Southern Arizona, so there should be many to choose from on March 20.

“One day goes a long way”.