Hey, everybody. Gather 'round, because it's time to meet the Angry Reader of the Week, spotlighting you, the very special readers of this website. Over the years, I've been able to connect with a lot of cool folks, and this is a way of showing some appreciation and attention to the people who help make this blog what it is. This week's Angry Reader is Scott Okamoto.
Who are you?
Scott Okamoto
What are you?
Recently retired English professor, dad to three cool kids (Ethan, Audrey, and Owen), husband to hot chick dentist Geri, writer, dutiful volunteer for Tuesday Night Café, and full-time dreamer (Spinal Tap, anyone?) I love playing music (guitar) with my friends and fly fishing any time I can.
Where are you?
Pasadena, California
Where are you from?
Born at Fort Dix, NJ (my dad was a captain), grew up in Pasadena and Arcadia, went to UC San Diego and University of San Francisco.
What do you do?
I drive my kids all over the place. I am writing a book about my time at Azusa Pacific University, which chronicles the funny, scary, depressing, and, um, heartwarming world of crazy conservative evangelical culture at a university.
What are you all about?
Truth, beauty, social justice, and taking a stand for all of those things. I quit my job because I was in constant trouble for showing love and support to gay and minority students, hence the book. Community is so important to me, which is why I give my time, money and energy to Tuesday Night Café, a place where art, music, poetry, and dance unite us around crucial issues of identity, justice, and love. Be sure to give, if you can, to their annual fundraising campaign.
This blog is so important (thank you, Phil) to keep Asian Americans wary, informed, thinking, and working for change. I have to confess that I've been using the moniker, "Angry Asian Prof" for my Facebook account in honor of this blog. It's empowering to embrace a positive Asian American anger not often seen or assumed in our society.
What makes you angry?
Lazy ignorance. Reluctance to engage in social justice and refusal to look at ourselves to figure out what assumptions keep us enslaved to the status quo. I am guilty of this at times. But every time my kids hear "ching chong" from other minorities at school (there are only like 5 white kids), every time I see conservatives and evangelicals trash the poor, the gay community, or minorities, every time I see Asian Americans try not to make waves or trouble and content themselves with their mid-level privilege, I remind myself to keep fighting and teach my kids to fight, too.