Drug Laws, Racism, and Women

Illustration by Vidushi Yadav for the Association for Women’s Rights in Development.

BY: SOPHIE LOVERING, SUMMER 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

Black Americans account for 30 percent of all drug-related arrests, even though only 12.5 percent of substance users are black [1]. Black and white Americans use substances at equal rates; however, black Americans are about six times more likely to be incarcerated for drug-related offenses than their white peers [1]. In court, prosecutors are twice as likely to pursue mandatory minimum sentences for black defendants than white defendants, and black defendants are less likely to evade these mandatory minimums [1]. 

In 1971, President Richard Nixon established the war on drugs, which in turn increased sentencing and enforcement actions for low-level drug offenses [1]. 15 years after Nixon’s presidency, Congress passed the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, establishing mandatory minimum sentencing for drug-related offenses [2]. The increased criminalization of substance use tied with increased drug law enforcement led to the American phenomenon of mass incarceration. Since 1980, the number of American arrests for drug possession has tripled and today one-fifth of the prison population is serving time for a drug-related offense [1]. 

This mass incarceration has differentially impacted black Americans. The Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 included sentences for offenses involving crack cocaine, used more commonly by black Americans, that were one hundred times more severe than sentences for offenses involving the equally dangerous powder cocaine, used more often by white Americans [2]. As aforementioned, prosecutors are more likely to seek the mandatory minimum sentence for a black defendant than a white defendant even when the defendants are charged with the same crime [3]. 

Often, the criminal justice reform narrative has centered on men. It is also important to recognize how the war on drugs has affected women, and specifically women of color. Since the war on drugs and subsequent tough on crime initiatives, the number of female inmates in the United States has increased by 646 percent, which is nearly double the rate for men [4]. In 1988, Congress amended the Anti-Drug Abuse Act and applied mandatory minimum sentences to any member of a drug trafficking conspiracy; this includes activities such as “living where drugs are sold, being present during a drug sale, or counting money” [4]. Considering not only that women are expected to contribute to the household but also that women often remain in relationships with men involved with drugs because of fear of assault, women are frequently at a heightened and unfair risk of incarceration [4]. 

Black women are almost twice as likely as white women to be incarcerated for drug-related offenses, even though drug use occurs at similar rates across racial groups [5]. In addition to these continued racial disparities in sentencing, black women were unjustly labeled “welfare queens” in the 1980s [6]. Policymakers and the media depicted black women as unfeminine cheats who gave birth to “crack babies,” wrongly blaming them for the cause of the social and economic decline of the late 20th century [6]. 

Prejudiced people and laws have impacted not only how many people get arrested, but also who gets arrested. Drug law enforcement initiatives have targeted black Americans. Often, women who are in fact victims are incarcerated on conspiracy charges, and this disproportionately impacts black women. Unfair arrest practices and sentencing create cycles of not only poverty, but also racism, and perpetuate long-standing ills of American society. To address these wrongs, we must fundamentally amend drug laws and their enforcement practices and examine our own prejudices.

References

[1] Pearl, Betsy. “Ending the War on Drugs: By the Numbers.” Center for American Progress. June 27, 2018. https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/criminal-justice /reports/2018/06/27/452819/ending-war-drugs-numbers/.

[2] HISTORY.COM Editors. “War on Drugs.” May 31, 2017. https://www.history.com/topics/crime/the-war-on-drugs#section_6.

[3] Drug Policy Alliance. “The Drug War, Mass Incarceration and Race.” January 25, 2018. http://www.drugpolicy.org/resource/drug-war-mass-incarceration-and-race-englishspanish.

[4] Mesic, Aldina. “Women and the War on Drugs.” Public Health Post. May 16, 2017. https://www.publichealthpost.org/research/women-and-the-war-on-drugs/.

[5] Drug Policy Alliance. “Women and the Drug War.” https://www.drugpolicy.org/issues/women-drug-war.

[6] Harris-Perry, Melissa. “The rest of the story: Black women and the War on Drugs.” The Undefeated. September 15, 2016. https://theundefeated.com/features/the-rest-of-story-black-women-and-the-her-story-of-the-war-on-drugs-jay-z-melissa-harris-perry-nyt/.

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Sophie Lovering is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and minoring in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. She has a passion for criminal justice reform and is involved in Beyond Arrests: Re-Thinking Systematic Oppression.

When Amazing Grace Finds You

An impromptu rendition of Aretha Franklin's Amazing Grace by Councilwoman Adrienne Adams of New York City Council, 28th district. Art by Yang Sun.

BY: SHANIA THOMAS, SUMMER 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

Last year, in an interview with us, Councilmember Adrienne Adams was asked what injustice angered her most. At that time, it was the Eric Garner case. This both surprised me yet was not shocking at all. What were the odds that this interview would mention the same injustice that has been so vividly brought to light over the last week: police brutality and the killing of innocent black people? That is, in turn, what surprised me the least. That even though we had just fought the battle for Garner, a battle fought and lost with the effective acquittal of Officer Pantaleo, we were here again fighting for the right to survive as black Americans.

As the sick irony of it began to subside to the same hopelessness I had felt since I saw the video of a man die from knee strangulation, the sweet sound of Amazing Grace began to play. It was Adam's voice echoing in the cathedral as she paid tribute to the late Aretha Franklin.

As she soared through the hymn, I couldn't help but feel calmed and renewed. This song of hope, salvation, and redemption pierced my broken heart. It is no wonder that all people across the nation, black, white, Christian, or not, feels the power of these words almost as if it were another national anthem. Perhaps its universality comes from us all knowing that each of us, just like our country and the institutions of which she is built, may be broken, but no one and nothing is beyond redemption. Change and the ability to be rescued from the storm of your own wrongdoings is not out of reach. The best is yet to come if we hold on to Grace.

Thinking about how a song that gave me hope for a better future was written by a slave trader turned theologian, a new irony presented itself. Is it not true that fantastic art, especially music, has such a transcending power in its ability to speak in ways that seemed impossible? As council member Adams said, music allowed her "to find [her] voice, not just as a singer, but as an advocate and an activist in [her] community." 

My hope is that we will all use our voices, in every form they come in, to bring about our country's redemption. In the same way, Adam's song helped me, we each have a gift that will give us amazing grace.

Video editing and art by Yang Sun. You can find more of her amazing work on her Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/littlemomentsinart/. 

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Shania Thomas is a rising senior at Brandeis University majoring in Health Policy and Politics with minors in Social Justice Policy and Legal Studies. She is also an Associate Justice for the Student Union and a Central Massachusetts Organizing Lead for the Every Voice Coalition. She has a passion for all things healthcare and believes the injustices against Black Americans to be one of the greatest public health crises of her time.

Power in Place's Dedication to Racial Equality

Art by Yang Sun.

By: Sophie Lovering, Summer 2020 Collaborator at Power in Place

Power in Place has dedicated 2020 as the year we celebrate women of color. In 1920, women were granted the right to vote; but not all women. Women of color and immigrant women continued to battle for voting rights. Thus, we have dedicated this summer to exploring this narrative and celebrating women of color in the political sphere. 

As evidenced by police brutality and inequality in our criminal justice system, America still has a long way to go in the fight for racial equality. Power in Place would like to bring attention to the systemic racism that perpetuates our society and provide resources should you have the means to donate or participate in some other way.

There are several actions you can take to participate in change. Donating, signing petitions, having meaningful discussions, considering your prejudices, and joining peaceful physical movements are all beneficial to yourself and your community. The link at the end of this post will direct you to a list of resources compiled by Power in Place collaborators. This list is by no means exhaustive, but it should help if you are looking for direction. 

Power in Place will continue to uplift Black women in politics. Please continue to check our blog and social media accounts for further information. Click here to find the aforementioned resources.

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Sophie Lovering is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and minoring in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. She has a passion for criminal justice reform and is involved in Beyond Arrests: Re-Thinking Systematic Oppression.

Powerful Positions Dictated by our Mothers

BY: BELLA LEVAVI, SUMMER 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

The women who come before us are what make us who we are today. The female role models in our lives show us all we can accomplish and empower us to achieve great feats. 

While looking through the role models of the women on our website, I found they all had feisty mothers and grandmothers that worked hard to create communities and help others. It is no coincidence that our mothers, aunts, and grandmothers are the first women we see interacting with the world because they dictate what we will accomplish later on. It is clear that these mothers put all the female politicians on our website in the positions they are today.

Maura Healey, Massachusetts Attorney General, said, “I remember my grandmother as the backbone of the family...[I] saw the power and strength of a woman for the first time first hand through that experience.” 

Maura Healey and many other women we interviewed saw these powerful women in their own lives, and said I can do that too, and took the power that they saw and turned it into positions in government. 

As a young woman myself, I see other women around me creating great undertakings whether it is running for office or doing other work to uplift the community. I use their power to give myself the confidence to keep their legacy going and work hard to create change. These stories of ancestors of hard working women are not just single journeys of going against the current, but a chain of women uplifting each other to create even greater good every generation to come.

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Bella Levavi is a rising junior at Smith College majoring in Government and English. She is involved in Smith's newspaper the Sophian and the college radio station. She is passionate about vegetarian co-ops, writing, and social justice.

On Self-Advocacy

Photograph by Billy & Hells for Time Magazine.

By: Sophie Lovering, Summer 2020 Collaborator at Power in Place

Oregon State Senator Sara Gelser represents Senate District 8; she did not begin her career in public service as an elected official, however. When she had her first child, Sam, she spent much of her time in intensive care units and hospitals. She began to notice that “the privileges that [she] had meant that he was making faster progress than other kids whose disabilities organically might not have been as severe.” This realization inspired her to begin advocating for young kids with disabilities. Since running for office, she has dedicated her professional career to advocating for people who have been hidden or separated from communities not only by continuing her disability rights advocacy, but also by representing individuals lost in the criminal justice and foster care systems. Best said by her son Sam, Senator Gelser is a role model because she protects others. 

Senator Gelser has done more than advocate for her son Sam and countless other individuals in Oregon, however. In 2017, Senator Gelser spoke up about sexual harassment and was later featured as one of Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year” Silence Breakers. This path did not come without its difficulties. According to Senator Gelser, “it’s a lot harder to advocate for [yourself] than it is to advocate for other people.” Prior to breaking her silence, she had done work around domestic and sexual violence advocating for other people. She knew the steps involved in the process, and she knew what was to come, but it did not prepare her for what it felt like. As explained by Senator Gelser, it was uncomfortable to need to have her story affirmed and she began to question herself. “Did I perceive this the right way? Did I explain it the right way? Am I doing the wrong thing? Am I being too mean? Do I just lack a sense of humor? Nobody will ever like me again.” 

By sharing her story, Senator Gelser sparked important change in the Oregon Capitol. Her experience advocating for herself also taught her how to better advocate for others. Having a discussion about herself made her think differently about how she works with people on issues such as foster care and disability rights. She now asks herself: “Am I keeping those individuals centered and not inadvertently exploiting or pushing their stories in ways that are not helpful to them?” By becoming a self-advocate, Senator Gelser has improved not only her life but also the lives of those she represents. We can certainly agree with Sam that Senator Gelser is one of our favorite female role models.

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Sophie Lovering is a junior at the University of Pennsylvania majoring in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics and minoring in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies. She has a passion for disability rights advocacy; she was involved in Best Buddies in high school, and in college she serves as the Vice President of Penn Special Olympics and as a hearing ally of the Philadelphia Deaf community.

Speaking with Council Woman Evelyn Clarke about Feminism and Blackness

BY: Hakima SmithStone, SUMMER 2020 COLLABORATOR AT POWER IN PLACE

I always refrained from speaking about feminism because I could never differentiate the movement from the definition. I believe that men and woman are equal so I guess I’m a feminist... but when I look at the feminist moment today, I don’t see a place for me, for women of color that is. When I arrived at college, my first year was my first time attending a predominantly white institution and I learned quickly that there is a difference between the way I as a black woman view womanhood, and the way my white female peers did. When I look back at my life I view it through a lens of race. I think about the way people have treated me because I’m black. I think about the things people have said to me about my hair and my skin. I revisit my old desires and the ways I understood beauty standards as a little black girl. Only then can I begin to understand the way that society has shaped me as a woman. This is where it all becomes blurry to me and I usually find myself asking “did this happen to me because I’m black or because I’m a woman?”

On the way to Port Ewen, New York, to meet town council woman Evelyn Clarke at the Sojourner Truth statue in Ulster County, I thought about the word “feminist” for most of the drive. I thought about Mrs. Clarke and wondered what her life has taught her about feminism, womanhood, blackness and what she was going to say during her interview. I’ve only been a black woman in America for a short amount of time at 21, so I was excited to discuss her experience as a black woman in this country as both a citizen and a politician. I was also a bit nervous that my experiences and options would differ from Clarke’s and that we wouldn’t have much in common because of our age difference.

Evelyn Clarke started off the interview kind of shy as we sat in her living room with all eyes on her. As I asked more and more questions she began to open up, she answered my questions and soon got lost in the memories of her childhood, family, and career. She explained to us her duties on the town council and the road that led her there and to the church. The image she painted of her childhood community in Corning, New York, of her father who became a civil rights leader in their neighborhood, pushed me to understand how much has changed in America as well as what hasn’t. I could see in her eyes that she was empowered by Sojourner Truth’s legacy and was proud of the Truth statue that stood tall in the center of her town. I learned about Truth’s childhood in slavery and how she became a freed woman who would go on to help the suffragettes and meet American heroes like Fredrick Douglass. I thought to myself, “everyone should know that many of the suffragettes only wanted the vote for white woman and that Truth fought against this by supporting both the suffragette movement and the abolitionist movement.” But this is not the feminist history most of us are taught in school. As our discussion moved from Evelyn’s life to Sojourner’s we found that Truth’s life represented the struggles of intersectionality for black women when it comes to feminism. Clarke explained that Truth was focused on survival and avoiding slavery while white women were focused on issues that Truth didn’t have time to be worried about. As our conversation went on I could see that there might be a generational divide amongst black women when it comes to the idea of feminism, but there is also a common thread that connects us. It’s the same thing that connects us to women like Sojourner Truth, it’s the desire to be a part and to attain self-validation and love.

Evelyn Clarke ended her interview by saying that black Americans have built America and deserve to be a part of all aspects of the country. She is a great example of a woman in politics who has worked hard to be a part of her community and ultimately a part of this country. She gives a voice to the people of her community.

Travels through Oklahoma

My recent Power in Place (PiP) travels through Oklahoma spanned from Valentine’s Day to Presidents’ Day (extremely fitting since PiP was conceived from my passion for political parity). In 5 days with much driving in-between, I was able to photograph and interview 9 female politicians and 4 nominees.

“I was moved by the overall support, and respect they all shared for one another, regardless of party affiliation.”

Booking the various electeds, I sent invites to a diverse group of female politicians. I was aiming for a range of age, race, party, and geographic settings. Not only was my vision fully realized by the Oklahoma women I featured, but I was moved by the overall support, and respect they all shared for one another, regardless of party affiliation. Often, the legislators would ask who signed onto the project and when I recalled the list, they would recount virtues rather than cast aspersions on character. To me, this is a hallmark of what makes women in politics so necessary. We are not weaker, or less scrupulous– –rather we are (on the whole) apt to appeal to civility over disparagement. During this polarizing time, I see the potential of women in politics as a beacon of hope pointing to a more measured dialog at the governing table.

 Power in Place enjoys spotlighting “firsts”––women electeds achieving historical milestones ––like Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley, the first woman of color from Massachusetts to go to Washington.

Here are the PiP Firsts this month:

Cherokee Nation Councilwoman Mary Shaw

PHOTOGRAPHED by the stream that runs into the lake near her home in Broken Arrow, OK

FIRST shoot of 2019 and my first Cherokee Nation woman featured.

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was learning from Mary that she taught Chief Wilma Mankiller (the first woman elected to serve as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1985) how to use a cell phone.

Cherokee Nation Councilwoman Janees Taylor

PHOTOGRAPHED at the Saline Courthouse by the Spring House, Locust Grove, OK

FIRST participant to bring along 10 other women (now that’s devotion) to her shoot wearing the most brilliant traditional Native American dresses.

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was being surrounded by the swirl of colors from women of the Pocahontas Club and feeling the love and support the women share for each other.

Tulsa City Councilwoman Crista Patrick

PHOTOGRAPHED at Tulsa State University

FIRST whimsical portrait in a theater costume department, where a rainbow of clothing options hung above us & they doubled as a lively backdrop to match Crista’s personality.

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was when Crista and her nominee, Stasha, told each other why they appreciate the other during the interview. Their relationship is clearly built on trust, respect and mutual gratitude. So beautiful to witness this amongst women of different generations.

State Representative Carol Bush

PHOTOGRAPHED at the cycling trail head of the Gathering Place in Tulsa, OK

Not my first shoot that incorporates bicycles into the office holder’s place of special meaning but my FIRST attempt to capture the spirit of will, dedication and strength of Rep Bush, who started an all-female cycling club, which has grown over the years to 200+ riders.

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was witnessing the friendship that Carol engenders. Two cycling girlfriends showed up to lend a hand (and their bikes) on a damp, cold and dreary afternoon. They were more than accommodating and happy to help, even though their fingers were frozen to the bone throughout the shoot. 

Norman, OK Mayor Lynne Miller

Photo: Steve Sisney

PHOTOGRAPHED at the Bizzell Memorial Library at Oklahoma University

FIRST shoot conducted entirely in whispers. The Mayor chose the library’s Great Reading Room as her setting. It’s one of those traditional “old school” elegant study halls where any minor sound reverberates tenfold. So I had to be extra quiet directing Lynne while photographing her. 

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was the admiration I felt for Lynne for entering public service after retiring from teaching. She is able to serve her community with wisdom and experience.

State Represent Ajay Pittman & (Mom) State Senator Anastasia Pittman

PHOTOGRAPHED at the Oklahoma State Capital Building

FIRST mother & daughter elected duo for Power in Place. What a treat!!! Often legacy politics is a father-to-son hand down, but these two courageous souls bucked the national trend. 

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was realizing that these two women are not only mother/daughter, but they are each other’s best friend, to the point where they would finish each other’s sentences. What made me chuckle the most was how physically they were in sync. Without any prompting from me, they would cross arms at the same time. In addition, when they first walked into the building, I mistook Anastasia for Ajay.

Oklahoma State Representative Nicole Miller

PHOTOGRAPHED at her home in Edmond, OK

Even though Rep Miller was the 2nd person on our Oklahoma roster with the last name “Miller,” she earned her individual distinction of being PiP’s FIRST female office holder to pull off a flawless mid-air split. She requested to be photographed with her son (who also inherited Nicole’s athletic prowess). So I suggested they jump around on their backyard trampoline. 

The shoot was also, PiP’s sweatiest portrait session due to all the physical exertion. I had Nicole and her son repeat many of their airborne poses, so I could get the framing just right. Bar none, the SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was beholding the joy that Nicole’s son brings to her. 

Oklahoma County Commissioner Carrie Blumert

PHOTOGRAPHED on the steps of Oklahoma County Courthouse

It wasn’t the first time I’ve shot in front of a courthouse, but it was the FIRST shoot on which an elected official brought along her sister to personify their shared passion for criminal justice reform. As children, Carrie and her sister experienced first-hand the whims of a system that punishes those with metal health and substances abuse issues. Luckily their family received the support they needed, but they’ve seen too many people fall through the cracks.

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was being in the presence of a newly elected woman public office holder, who is absolutely energized by the possibilities of her new role as a public servant. Carrie’s positive disposition and dedication to the job makes one believe in the possibilities of government to change lives for the better through dedicated advocacy.

Oklahoma City Councilwoman Nikki Nice

PHOTOGRAPHED at her alma mater, Northeast Academy in Oklahoma City

Not only is Rep Nice genuinely nice, she is an ardent champion for her community. Her ward has always been her home, and, as a young woman, her high school was the center of her world. Nikki is the FIRST in her family to attend Northeast Academy, a school whose court-mandated integration in the 70s led to a racially diverse student body. As her mom always suspected, Nikki flourished magnificently at Northeast, even though initially she didn’t want attend a magnet school.

SHOOT HIGHTLIGHT was getting to know a humble, genuinely honorable soul. She does not put on any pretenses and her radiant smile makes one feel at ease. I also enjoyed hearing about her days as a radio personality before she ran for office.

Izzy Barry interviewing Commissioner Carrie Blumert, CK Morris interviewing Representative Nicole Miller, Stasha Cole interviewing Councilwoman Crista Patrick and Emily King interviewing Representative Carol Bush

When I left Oklahoma, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Not only was I impressed by the women office holders, I was also inspired by the amazing young female nominees. So a big shout-out to PiP’s Women on the Rise, who not only assisted me during the portrait shoots but who also posed insightful interview questions to their nominators. It is these young female students that will help bridge us toward a more equitable society. So THANK YOU-- Izzy Barry, CK Morris, Stasha Cole, and Emily King--you are the BEST!!!!

Regina Bateson: Candidate for California's Congressional 4th District

Photograph by Katrina Hajagos.

“I was talking to one of my former high school teachers trying to get him to run. He flipped it around and said you should actually run. You got the local roots, you got the national and international experience . . . But I said no.”

“I hope they remember ordinary people stood up and were able to make a difference… Something that motivated me to run for Congress is the fact that I have three kids. I know in the future they’re going to look back and say, “what did you do?””

“There was an article recently about women who ran for the House of Delegates in Virginia, particularly looking at women with young children who ran there, so I read it with great interest. I was a little disappointed to see that …”

Click here to find the web link Regina shared to continue the conversation.

Living History with Washington State Rep. Sharon Tomiko Santos

Before my interview with Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, I admit I wasn’t completely knowledgeable about the tragic history of the Japanese incarceration camps. I knew the incarceration was a great stain upon America. As a nation, we denied 120,000 people of Japanese heritage (the majority of them were citizens) their constitutional rights of due process and equal protection. Naively, I thought everything was neatly sorted out: reparations were made, the government officially apologized and the Supreme Court must have ruled it unconstitutional to incarcerate Japanese Americans without due process. However, as I dug deeper, I found that the story is far more complicated, especially the Supreme Court component.

Washington State Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos at her place of special meaning–Keiro Nursing Home, Seattle.

With the headlines of the legality of a Muslim registry and the Japanese internment camps cited as a precedent by Carl Higbie, a Trump surrogate during his presidential election campaign, I decided to reexamine Representative Santos’s interview in 2015, when she posed for her Power in Place portrait. Her maternal family (mother and grandparents) had been forcefully relocated to an incarceration camp in 1942. As a child, Representative Santos grew up with the sense that a great injustice had been committed against her community. Sorting through her interview, I started to realize that this incredible woman was a witness to the post-incarceration rebuilding and healing of her community and the legal battles to follow. As she put it: “History unfolded and I happened to be there, like the Tom Hank’s movie Forrest Gump, where he's getting to be a witness throughout history. I was a Japanese American female Forrest Gump, in this case." 

“History unfolded and I happened to be there, like the Tom Hank’s movie Forrest Gump, where he’s getting to be a witness throughout history. I was a Japanese American female Forrest Gump, in this case.”

A group of Japanese-Americans arrive at the Manzanar incarceration camp carrying their belongings in 1942.

 As much as her parents shielded Sharon Tomiko from the family’s economic and psychological repercussions of incarceration, she grew up feeling the continued discrimination toward Seattle’s Japanese-Americans. “People in the community were very angry about being mistreated, not heard, effectively patted on the head and told to go away.” Combined with early civic engagement and a personal call to action, Sharon Tomiko was part of a larger community discussion "about how do we get a place at the table.” It first began as a fight for redress—obtaining an official governmental acknowledgment that a great injustice was perpetrated upon her fellow Japanese Americans by incarcerating them during World War II.  "Seattle achieved renown for having organized the very first Day of Remembrance in the country. As a high school student, I was able to galvanize my fellow students to help organize and volunteer at the event. We were, collectively, as the organizing committee, very surprised at the overwhelming response we received from the greater Seattle area. We thought we would be lucky to have ten/twenty cars show up, but a caravan stretched several miles long from Seattle to Puyallup, which was the first assembly center where they assembled all the Japanese Americans,” for mass detention.

Later on in college, as a student of history and specifically governmental and constitutional history, Sharon Tomiko's senior project focused upon the coram nobis case of Gordan Hirabayashi.

Gordan Hirabayashi was one of only three Americans to defy the U.S. government's incarceration of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

"Since Gordon Hirabayashi is a Seattle person, his coram nobis case actually took place right downtown, in our federal courthouse.  So as a college student, I was able to watch history unfold.”

Gordon Hirabayashi’s initial case was heard by the US Supreme Court in 1943. He had openly defied Roosevelt’s imposed wartime curfew upon Japanese Americans. His resistance challenged the very premise of the executive order of exclusion, as well as deportation and incarceration. At the time, the Supreme Court’s decision focused around a narrow legal interpretation of the necessity of allowing curfew policies if our national security is threatened during wartime.

In 1982, newly unearthed documents suggested that US government officials did indeed hide evidence that demonstrated there was no true military reason for Roosevelt’s exclusion order.  Thereby, Japanese Americans were denied due process under US law when they were forcefully deported to camps.

“US Supreme Court never had the opportunity to rule on the constitutionality of the policy of Japanese American incarceration. Thus, technically, the wartime exclusion order still stands today. ”

Using a writ of coram nobis (a legal order allowing for a correction in judgment of court cases when new information surfaces that proves key evidence was concealed during the initial court proceedings), Hirabayashi’s case was reopened by US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. In 1984, his conviction was subsequently overturned. As a result, his case never made it back to the US Supreme Court, thus the high court never had the opportunity to rule on the constitutionality of the policy of Japanese American incarceration. Thus, technically, the wartime exclusion order still stands today.

President Reagan signing the 1988 Civil Liberties Act.

Sharon Tomiko and her people’s fight for redress wasn’t in vain. To compensate the victims who suffered gross injustice and hardship caused by wartime incarceration, Congress passed the Civil Liberties Act in 1988 when she was in graduate school. It was a formal presidential apology to every surviving US citizen or legal resident immigrant of Japanese ancestry incarcerated during World War II. The Act also provided a provision for a public education fund to prevent a future recurrence of forced incarceration and the loss of one’s inalienable rights. Two governmental agencies were established to implement reparations payments to eligible individuals. 

Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos never forgot the lessons of her community’s trials and tribulations. To this day, she remains a vocal advocate for her legislative district’s diverse population. In particular, she holds special regard for the elderly—“the immigrant Japanese pioneers who, with nothing more than just hopes, came to the United States, like so many other immigrants and found that there was opportunity here. But because of rampant racism and discrimination, the dreams for opportunities were really not theirs to be able to reach and achieve. These elderly pioneers managed to still work very hard on behalf of their children’s opportunity. Their resilience, the lessons that they imparted to their children, and ultimately to their grandchildren, is why I've been able to succeed, and become a voice for those who are under-represented. Most importantly, I try to serve as a reminder to my colleagues about the deep meaning of the Constitution and our obligation, not just by words, but by real actions to continue to hold its relevance for future generations.” 

Thank you, Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos, for imparting your family’s historic and personal narrative to Power in Place. Your story isn’t a relic of the past. It is as relevant as it was in 1942 and 1988. I’m reminded to stay vigilant and never assume that civil liberties are unassailable or guaranteed by our courts and government.  The suppressed history of transgression against freedom must always be unearthed and understood as a warning for future generations who believe in true democracy.

For further study & understanding the history of the Japanese American community and their World War II experiences, Rep. Santos highly recommends Densho: The Japanese American Legacy Project www.densho.org.

Proud and Honored

By: Aishwarya Cozby, Mayor Barb Miranda’s PiP’s Youth Nominee

"I want to nominate you." These are powerful words; words that hold a humongous responsibility. Whether it’s for a student government or a city council position, you are asked to be a part of something important in your life and the lives of the people around you. It’s a big decision to make: to accept the responsibility they are asking and make them proud. So, when Mayor Barb Miranda pulled me outside at Sunnyside (where I work part-time) and spoke those five words to me, a million things raced through my mind. But the thought that will continue to stay with me is She thought of me. She asked me. It will be a moment I will forever cherish.

As I drove home after our conversation, I became extremely nervous. This is an important privilege. A chance to make a difference. Questions and doubts ran through my mind. What if I am not the right person to ask? What if I say the wrong thing or present myself differently than what others know? It wasn't until I met Katrina Hajagos at the interview and photo shoot that I began to worry less. Katrina soothed my doubts and fears. She made it simple by taking things slow and one step at a time.

The photoshoot was beautiful. She asked me to pose on an island of sand at Gustavus Beach that was slowly being washed away by the incoming tide. I felt vulnerable, exposed, excited, and empowered all at once. All while trying to follow Katrina’s directions, the ocean was taking the island away. By the end, we were surrounded by water; we had to cross shin deep in water to shore. But Katrina captured the moment perfectly: the sunlight on my skin, the strong mountain view behind me, and the power of the ocean all in one shot. We were in the right place and the right time.

Click HERE to view Aishwarya’s official Power in Place portrait.

After drying out at Katrina’s cabin, we began the interview. I have never been more nervous. My hands were sweaty and shaky, my heart was pounding against my chest, and my brain was overloading of the different questions she was going to ask. The questions opened new doors for me to have a better understanding of myself and my role as a young female. The interview was a moving moment for me. But my interview wasn’t close to the highlight of this experience.

I have known Barb Miranda for over ten years. She started out as my neighbor, but soon transformed into a person I admire and care for deeply. Barb is a driven, nurturing, and powerful woman. A strong woman that inspires me! I had no doubt when I learned she was being interviewed as an influential woman figure in our community. I was proud. Knowing that I was coming from a community with strong females from every corner makes me extremely honored to call this place my home. And being a part of Barb’s interview and photoshoot showcased the change she will make.

Throughout Barb’s interview, I listened to her talk about her past, how she came to Gustavus, why she built Sunnyside Market and Deli, our town’s health-food store, and why she ran for mayor. I had the privilege of learning all the steps and decisions she made that has shaped the leader Barb is today. It was an inspiring moment. One that brought me closer to Barb. A moment that made my respect for her grow. Watching her shine as she talks about her beliefs and her goals made me want to conquer the mountains. She made me beyond excited for where my life is going and the changes I will make. She gave me the confidence to start out strong and never stop fighting. I had a moment to think about what types of leadership roles I want to pursue and take, in college and in life. And as we both move on with our lives, we will always have this moment to share and look back on.

My Power in Place interview with Mayor Barb Miranda.

Power in Place is an inspirational organization. Its goal is to share the unique stories of females in politics of small towns to large cities. By sharing these stories, it gives not only the future generations of powerful women but the current generations role models.  Power in Place provides hope. It creates opportunity. It will spark change. And I am incredibly honored to be a part of the change.

Photograph by Kim Heacox.

Aishwarya Cozby was born in Mumbai, India on April 1, 1999. At the age of two, she was adopted by a loving family. Aishwarya has grown up in Gustavus, Alaska, a remote town in Southeast Alaska that is only assessable by boat or plane, for sixteen years. Her favorite things to do is participate in sports, explore surrounding scenery, and spend time with family and friends. Now, Aishwarya is working towards a BSN at the University of Alaska in Anchorage. Her life goal is to become a traveling nurse, all while fighting for the rights of all people, no matter their gender, race, sexual orientation, religion.