I always identified Japanese American. It was always, I was a Sansei, and that was always a really important part of my identity, that this was my community and this was my family and I was very proud of traditions and of everything that Japanese Americans have been able to achieve in this country in the face of tremendous discrimination and horrible things like the imprisonment of my family during the war.
Contributed by: Watase Media Arts Center, Japanese American National Museum; Japanese American Bar Association
Interviewee Bio
Judge Holly J. Fujie is a Sansei judge on the Superior Court of Los Angeles County in California since 2012. She grew up in West Oakland, California in a diverse neighborhood. Both of her parents were incarcerated as children during World War II, but did not share their experiences with her until she was an adult. This affected her view on laws and government and led her to pursue a career as an attorney and later as a judge.
As a lawyer, she became involved with various minority bar association, including the Japanese American Bar Association, and mentorship programs. She became the first Asian American President of the State Bar of California in 2008. (July 2019)