KERRY HADA NAMED TO NATIONAL MUSEUM BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Attorney Kerry Steven Hada, who maintains his private practice law offices in Englewood, Colorado, has been appointed to the Board of Governors of the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, the largest private nonprofit national organization dedicated to promoting greater understanding for America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the experiences of Japanese Americans.

Hada, who was born and raised in Denver and earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of Denver, College of Law, his master’s degree from Colorado State University Graduate School of Business, and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder, has been active in supporting and promoting the National Museum’s national conference, "Whose America? Who’s American? Diversity, Civil Liberties, and Social Justice", set for July 3-6 at the Hyatt Regency Denver. The conference is part of the multi-state project, Enduring Communities: The Japanese American Experience in Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, and Utah, organized by the National Museum with major support by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., the Institute of Museum and Library Services, and Aratani Foundation.

Hada’s background is wide-ranging, including a three-year stint in the U.S. Army, a career as a professional ski racer and instructor, and employment with CF&I Steel Corporation in Pueblo and Denver. After earning his law degree, he worked as a law clerk at Manville Corporation and also served in the management offices of Merck Corporation.

Besides his law practice, which includes federal and state criminal law defense, civil litigation, plaintiff personal injury, divorce and family law, Hada remains active as a volunteer for organizations such as Big Brothers while providing services to underprivileged children. Hada has supported a number of projects affiliated with civil rights pioneer Minoru Yasui, who fought the illegal mass removal of Japanese Americans from their homes by the U.S. government during World War II, but lost in his court case. Yasui moved to Denver in 1944, where he spent the rest of his life fighting for civil rights. Hada is the 2008 recipient of the Minoru Yasui Community Service Award from the Asian Pacific Bar Association (APABA) of Colorado.

Bob Sakata, proprietor of Sakata Farms, Inc., of Brighton, Colorado, noted that "Kerry Hada will be a great addition to the Japanese American National Museum’s Board. All his life he has demonstrated his dedication to public service. He is also committed to preserving the stories of Japanese Americans."

Thousands of Japanese Americans were unlawfully forced from their homes on the West Coast and from Hawai`i during the war. While some were able to relocate to states such as Colorado, many were imprisoned by the government in detention camps, including one located near Granada, in southeast Colorado. Former Colorado Governor Ralph Carr was one of the few elected officials to invite displaced Japanese Americans to his state. 9News political reporter Adam Schrager, who is the author of the book, The Principled Politician: The Ralph Carr Story, will be the keynote speaker at the conference luncheon on Saturday, July 5 at the Hyatt Regency, and will elaborate on Carr’s story, which cost him his political career. He will be joined by U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye of Hawai`i, former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta and former Secretary of Transportation and former Denver Mayor Federico Pena as keynote speakers at the conference. Individual tickets for the luncheon and the dinner are available for those not registered at the conference.

Deadline to pre-register for the conference is Thursday, June 5. All-inclusive pre-registration fees for National Museum members are $405, but on-site registration is $500. For non-members, all-inclusive pre-registration is $465, but it rises to $560 for on-site registration. Conference packages include all July 3-6 sessions and activities, luncheon and banquet dinner on July 5, and a bus trip to the Amache campsite. For teachers and educators, continuing education credits from the University of Colorado at Boulder are available for those attending the national conference. Educators can register for the all-inclusive package for $325 or for only day of the conference activities for $100. For more information, go to http://www.janm.org/projects/ec/conference/.

The Japanese American National Museum was incorporated in 1985 and opened to the public in its historic building in Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo in 1992. It has developed innovative exhibitions, traveled displays to the Smithsonian Institution, Ellis Island Immigration Museum, Brazil and Japan, and organized educational programs like Enduring Communities that promote greater appreciation for America’s diverse history.