Essay by Ty Shimizu

Ty Shimizu is the grandson of NVC Lifetime Member Francis Fukuhara and a senior at Seattle Preparatory School. He is the president of Seattle Prep’s Asian Pacific Islander Club, is on the track team, and has also competed on Prep’s e-sports and baseball teams. He works for the non-profit organization, APICAT, doing community engagement and advocacy around tobacco, marijuana, and other health-related issues. This fall, Ty plans to study computer engineering at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo.

There have been many family members who lived out the motto of “okagesama de” for me in life such as teaching me how to perform in school and how to be loving and kind to others. The person who exemplified it the most was my grandpa by showing me a way to bounce back from hardships and be a leader.  My grandfather, George Shimizu, and my late grandmother, Terumi Shimizu, grew up in Hiroshima and moved to America shortly before the horrific Hiroshima bombing. I have always admired my grandparents’ ability to keep moving forward despite missing their friends and family back home. This has inspired me to persevere through any hardships I face in life. Whether it be the minor things in my life such as navigating a rigorous academic schedule to preforming on the baseball field, I always try and replicate the bravery and strength my grandparents demonstrated during their time in turmoil. 

When I was 10 years old, I would face my biggest struggle yet; my mother, who has always been my greatest source of strength, passed away from an unexpected brain aneurysm. After losing my mother so suddenly and at such a young age, it felt almost impossible to muster up the strength to keep moving forward and find hope in the coming days. During this time, I spent countless hours with my Grandpa George, who was always there to cook for me, play catch with me, and most importantly act as my beacon of hope in a time that was filled with darkness. He has always been a man of few words; however, his comforting presence and never-ending love truly helped me to regain the strength and courage I had before my mother passed. Years later, I learned about the suffering his friends and family back in Hiroshima endured during the horrific bombing, and once again I felt inspired to walk through life bravely not only for my mother but for him and my siblings as well. 

My grandpa’s leadership during my darkest times has inspired me to lead and support others with the same strength and compassion he showed me. Due to both of us being introverted, I related to him a lot by not showing my affection for others verbally, but instead through my actions. To make sure everyone feels loved at my school, I try to create safe spaces for the clubs I lead so they can talk to me about anything they need. Along with this, I aim to show the underclassman how to be a man and woman for others by being compassionate and considerate to everyone. Also, I learned how to be resilient from him. His ability to keep moving forward despite losing some loved ones from the bombing taught me the importance of carrying your loved ones in your heart and keep moving forward. I strive to embody the resilience he showed me by treating everyone with kindness. Having experienced the pain and sadness of losing a loved one, I make it a priority to be compassionate, knowing that everyone may be facing their own struggles. Every day, I try my best to be a role model for others; just like my grandpa was for me during the darkest moments in my life. 

Hearing about my grandparents’ unjust incarceration and the struggles they endured to build a better future has inspired me to work hard and ensure their efforts were not in vain. I feel very fortunate today to be able to attend a school where I can receive a good education and celebrate my Asian ethnicity. By working hard academically, I try to honor the past by making the most of the opportunity they gave me. Whenever I felt like complaining about school, I thought about how much my grandpa went through and it remotivates me to keep pushing forward and how these issues were nothing compared to his. Knowing about the previous incarceration has also motivated me to make sure everyone at my school is treated equally. To ensure this, I have joined the diversity council and am the president of the Asian Pacific Islander club. By being a part of the diversity council, I can work with my peers and teachers on how to make sure all Prep students are being treated equally. 

Whatever challenges I may face in the future, I will remember how miniscule my problems were compared to my grandpa’s and how he was able to overcome all of them. I will try to live out his kindness and strength he showed to me during my dark times and be a person for others. I will try to embody his leadership and legacy he has passed on to me and keep moving forward, just like he did. I want to be an Okagesama de for the future generations of my family; just like my grandpa was for me.