On May 2, 2024, Parsons’ litigation attorney Garrett Kitamura gave remarks at the Idaho State Museum to mark the opening of the Museum’s special exhibit “Courage and Compassion: Our Shared Story of the Japanese American World War II Experience.” The exhibit tells the stories of Japanese Americans who were forcibly relocated and interned by the U.S. government in response to Imperial Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor.
A board member of the Foundation for Idaho History, Kitamura spoke about his Japanese American heritage and how his family’s internment experience shaped his understanding of the exhibit.
“When I think about the series of events in my family’s story that led to me being here tonight, I feel a sense of gratitude for the efforts and sacrifices made by my ancestors. But their story also reminds me of an important lesson: that history is not predetermined,” Kitamura said in his remarks. “Tonight’s exhibit tells a story of the Japanese American community’s resilience in the face of prejudice. Their story is all the more commendable when we bear in mind that they did not possess the assurance of historical hindsight. They did what they could, with what they had, in the time they were living in. And we must bear that in mind as we learn their stories.”
Kitamura also welcomed special guest speaker Dr. Mitchell Maki, the president and CEO of the Go For Broke National Education Center a nonprofit organization that works to preserve and honor the unique legacy of Japanese American World War II veterans.
“Courage and Compassion” will be open to the public at the Idaho State Museum beginning May 4, 2024. Parsons Behle & Latimer is a proud supporter of the Idaho State Museum, having recently served as a title sponsor for “So Ready for Laughter: The Legacy of Bob Hope.”
