Asian Descent > Japan Archives

Carolyn Hisako Tanaka

Nicknamed Road Runner for her unflagging energy and enthusiasm, Carolyn Hisako Tanaka served in Vietnam in spite of a scarring childhood memory.

Susan Kikuchi was a member of the Martha Graham Dance Company (MGDC) and served as Director of the Graham Ensemble and School, and Artistic Program Manager of MGDC. She has re-staged many Graham works for the MGDC, Joffrey Ballet, Boston Conservatory and other companies.

Yuriko Kikuchi

American dancer and choreographer.

Mary Matsuda Gruenewald

Mary Matsuda Gruenewald, a fearless and determined advocate for education, has demonstrated that the pursuit of knowledge is an act of resistance against injustice.

Mitsuye Yamada

Japanese American poet, essayist, and feminist activist.

Aki Kurose

A teacher and activist, Aki Kurose spent her life advocating for education and social justice through pacifism. Through her beliefs in peace and nonviolence, she worked towards the betterment of her community, advocated for desegregation, and strove to improve education.

Naomi Osaka

Naomi Osaka is one of the world’s greatest tennis players, having won numerous tournaments and awards and reaching the rank of World No. 1. Her openness about her struggles with mental health and the pressure of expectations inspired many athletes and others to share their own stories.

Dr Linda M Dairiki Shortliffe

Dr. Linda M. Dairki Shortliffe built a successful career in the relatively new field of pediatric urology when very few women surgeons were doing such work. Since 1988, she has been at the Stanford University School of Medicine Medical Center and Packard Children’s Hospital as chief of pediatric urology. Since 1993, she has also been director of the Urology Residency Program at Stanford, and has been successful in recruiting more women physicians to her specialty.

Dr Vicki Sato

Biologist, immunologist, and biotechnology executive with decades of experience leading teams in drug research and development. Molecules and therapeutics developed under her leadership have become critical treatments for HIV, cystic fibrosis, inflammation, multiple sclerosis, and Hepatitis C.

Mitsu Yashima

Japanese-American artist, children’s book author, and civic activist who worked with the OSS (predecessor to the CIA)