Title: 80 Years Later: The Legacy of Japanese American Incarceration and Korematsu v. The United States
Date: February 17, 2022
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 p.m., Central
Format: Virtual via GoToWebinar
CLE Credit (Texas): 2.0 hours of MCLE; 1.0 hour of Ethics
Program Description: This program begins with a screening of “Alternative Facts: The Lies of Executive Order 9066,” a one-hour documentary about the false information and political influences which led to the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. This documentary also depicts the process undertaken to overturn Fred Korematsu’s conviction for violating an internment order in Korematsu v. The United States. After the screening, panelists will discuss the making of the film, the history of Korematsu v. The United States, the role of state judiciaries in protecting individual rights, and the importance of civic engagement.
Speaker Bios:
Jon Osaki is an award-winning filmmaker who produced the documentary “Not Your Model Minority,” along with other documentary films including “ALTERNATIVE FACTS: The Lies of Executive Order 9066” and “Reparations.” Jon’s initial interest in film grew from his desire to share the stories of the Japanese Community Youth Council, where he has served as Executive Director since 1996. Jon views film as the next step in his lifelong pursuit of social justice and equity.
Professor Lori Bannai was part of the coram nobis team that overturned Fred T. Korematsu’s 40 year conviction. She served as Director of the Fred T. Korematsu Center for Law and Equity and Professor of Lawyering Skills at Seattle University School of Law. Professor Bannai has directed the Academic Support Program at the University of California Berkeley Law School; taught at the University of San Francisco and New College of California Schools of Law; and was an inaugural faculty member in the Law and Diversity Program at Western Washington University.
Justice Frances Bourliot was elected to the Fourteenth Court of Appeals in 2018. Justice Bourliot began her legal career as a staff attorney with the Texas Defender Service and the Texas Innocence Network, representing indigent capital clients on federal and state habeas appeals. She was also an Adjunct Faculty Member at the University of Houston Law Center for several years overseeing the Death Penalty Clinic and co-teaching Innocence Investigations. She then joined the Appellate Division of the Harris County Public Defender’s Office when it opened in 2011 and continued to work as an Assistant Public Defender in the appellate, mental health, and felony trial divisions until 2017 when she started her own practice. She joined a plaintiff’s law firm in 2018 and represented clients in personal injury, medical malpractice, and appellate matters. Justice Bourliot has taught CLEs on Batson challenges, jury charge issues, mitigation, and mental health related topics.
(Moderator) Heaven Chee joined Stop Repeating History’s leadership in 2020, after having been heavily involved in the Asian American Bar Association of Houston and organizing multiple educational events on civil rights and legal history. While her practice is focused on high-stakes commercial litigation and appeals, with particular emphasis representing clients in the financial services and technology industries, she has maintained an active pro bono practice, handling matters such as Establishment Clause violation claims by would-be LGBT foster parents and Section 1983 claims by prisoners. Heaven is a native Houstonian and alumni of Rice University and the University of Virginia School of Law. She currently practices at Yetter Coleman LLP.