コミュニティ

Pioneer Spirit Award recipients are dedicated, long-standing community volunteers and leaders of the Japanese / Japanese American Community.

Deen Matsuzawa – Nominated by the Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council (posthumously)

Deen Matsuzawa was born in Yamanishi ken, Japan, to Atsushi Thomas Matsuzawa and Kazue Matsuno. Immediately after Matsuzawa was born, the family moved to Tokyo, then Osaka and finally to Kobe before returning in 1930 to the United States. Upon returning, the family first moved to Oakland, Calif., then lived in Honeyville, Utah; Brawley, Calif., and finally settled in Gardena, Calif.

In 1942, during World War II, Matsuzawa and his family were evacuated to the Santa Anita Assembly Center, then sent to the Rohwer, Arkansas War Relocation Center. In the weeks before the family was sent to the relocation center, Matsuzawa remembered his father was taken from the family in Gardena by the FBI for questioning. During his internment in Rohwer, Matsuzawa completed middle school and graduated high school in Cincinnati.

Matsuzawa attended Northwestern University in Illinois for one year and then transferred to Miami University of Ohio where he completed a degree in business administration. Upon graduation, Matsuzawa moved back to Gardena and was drafted in the army during the Korean War. Matsuzawa completed his basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., then sent to Korea and participated in the Battle at Inchon, which resulted in the recapture of the capital of Seoul.

Although Matsuzawa was trained as an infantryman, he was soon transferred to a military intelligence unit when it was discovered he was proficient in Japanese, Korean, and partially in the Chinese language. This ability aided his unit to interrogate North Korean prisoners. During his service, Matsuzawa was awarded a Bronze Star and received his United States citizenship with his honorable discharge.

An extremely active member of the Nikkei community, Matsuzawa participated with many community organizations. He served as president of the Suburban Optimist Club of Buena Park from 1984-1985 and remained on the board of directors and performed the duties of chaplain for many years thereafter.

He was commander of the Kazuo Masuda Memorial Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3670 in 1992 – 1993. Matsuzawa served on the board of directors and was the active post chaplain for more than 30 years. He was an active board member of the Japanese American Korean War Veterans organization and performed chaplain duties for 23 years.

Among the many organizations he helped, Matsuzawa was proud of being a charter board member of the Astronaut Ellison S. Onizuka Memorial Committee. He also served as athletic commissioner for the South East Youth Organization (SEYO) baseball leagues from 1966 – 1970 and scout master for a Boy Scout troop in Orange County.

Matsuzawa was always an active and faithful member of the Wintersburg Presbyterian Church in Santa Ana, Calif., until his passing on February 2, 2019.

The Frances K. Hashimoto Community Service Award recognizes businesses and organizations for their outstanding support to the Southern California Japanese / Japanese American Community.

Okinawa Association of America, Inc.

The OAA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote Okinawan culture and contribute to local and international cultural exchanges. The OAA was formed by Okinawan immigrants 110 years ago and has since grown into a multigenerational organization that provides cultural, educational, and social programs for its members and the larger community. Although the OAA has changed its name, structure and mission to reflect the changing times, the basic goals of mutual aid and retention of Okinawan identity have remained the same.

During the period between 1896-1900, the first Okinawan settlement in the continental U.S. was formed in San Francisco. An Okinawan kenjinkai (mutual aid organization) was founded in 1902, but the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 prompted many Okinawans to move to Los Angeles, joining about 30 others who had settled there from Mexico. In 1909, the two groups united to form the Nanka Okinawa Kenjinkai, the predecessor to the OAA.

During World War II, organizational activities were halted as most of the members were placed in American internment camps. Returning from the camps to Los Angeles after the war, the Okinawans started not only rebuilding their own livelihood but also organizing relief efforts to aid war-devastated Okinawa. From 1945 to about 1953, activities were almost entirely devoted to helping rebuild their homeland.

The OAA found a permanent home in 1999 with the opening of the OAA Center in Gardena. A number of volunteer-run groups within the OAA work hard to serve the organization’s mission: cultural and event committees are in charge of creating programs and coordinating performances; different clubs host social and informational gatherings that are geared toward seniors, women, and young people; special committees are tasked with managing membership, preserving the OAA’s history, and developing the center’s growing library of Okinawa-focused books. The organization also presents annual high school scholarships and Okinawa prefecture-sponsored study abroad opportunities for young members of Okinawan descent.

The OAA leadership believes that the Issei (first generation) pioneers would be proud to see how dynamic and diverse the community has become. Factors like an increase in programs, an active internet presence, and the strengthening of local and international connections have helped the organization reach a wider audience. With more than 900 members and more young people taking an interest in their heritage, the OAA continues to abide by its 100^th anniversary theme, “Ichi nu ichimadin: from generation to generation,” ensuring that the Okinawan culture will live on for generations to come.