Yuri Kochiyama’s activism was sparked by her time spent in the Japanese internment camps, where she grew deep pride for her roots. After living an idyllic childhood in California, Kochiyama’s life changed when her father was arrested by the FBI and held for six week for being a supposed threat to national security. He died days after his release and the rest of her family were forced into the camps. Her release led her and her husband to New York City, where she grew enraptured by the civil rights movement and would later become friends with Malcolm X. After meeting the famous activist, Kochiyama began advocating for the liberation of marginalized peoples around the world. The fight extended heavily into her work for the Asian community and she had several causes, including the opposition to the Vietnam War and advocating for internment camp survivors to receive compensation. (Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuri_Kochiyama)
