Special Edition: WWII Nisei Cadet Nurse Mary Tamura

In this episode, I’m joined by special guest Mary Tamura and her daughter Barbara. Mary, a Nisei, or second generation born Japanese-American, shares her family’s experiences of being forcibly removed from their home in Southern California, transported, and incarcerated in Arizona’s Gila Japanese-American Relocation Camp after the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. Facing racial prejudice and oppression, Mary and her family’s deep sense of faith, family and community carried them through years of uncertainty. Mary’s decision to take advantage of a new federal program - the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps - changed the trajectory of her life. Mary reflects on her historical journey with grace and resolve. She's joined by her daughter Barbara, who shares how she learned of her family’s history, and how that’s shaped her own life. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOTXPFfU9zU