Noriko Sawada Bridges Flynn

Noriko Sawada Bridges Flynn, also known as Noriko Flynn, was a prominent advocate for the civil rights of Japanese Americans and an activist for peace and justice. Born on December 6, 1926, in Yokohama, Japan, Noriko grew up in an affluent family that valued education and social status. In 1939, at the age of 13, Noriko and her family moved to the United States, settling in Los Angeles, California.

During World War II, Noriko and her family were among the 120,000 Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to internment camps. Noriko's family was sent to the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming, where they were held for three years. While in the camp, Noriko completed high school and went on to attend the University of Nebraska, where she earned a degree in social work.

After the war, Noriko worked as a social worker for the Japanese American Citizens League and the American Friends Service Committee, helping Japanese American families resettle after the internment. She also worked with civil rights organizations, including the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), advocating for racial equality and social justice.

In 1951, Noriko married Jack Bridges, a civil rights activist and lawyer who had been involved in the legal defense of Japanese American internees during the war. The couple had two children and remained active in the civil rights movement, fighting against discrimination and working to promote social justice.

Noriko's activism took on a new focus in the 1960s, when she became involved in the anti-war movement. She traveled to Vietnam in 1965 as part of a delegation of peace activists and later became a leader in the anti-war movement in the United States. She also worked to promote peace and disarmament, serving as a board member of the SANE/Freeze Campaign and the Nuclear Weapons Freeze Campaign.

In 1983, Noriko married James Flynn, a fellow peace activist, and moved to Maine, where she continued her activism and community work. She was involved in numerous local organizations, including the Maine Women's Lobby and the Maine Council of Churches, and worked to promote environmental sustainability and social justice.

Throughout her life, Noriko Sawada Bridges Flynn was a tireless advocate for the rights of Japanese Americans, a vocal opponent of racism and discrimination, and a committed peace activist. She died on December 1, 2009, in Belfast, Maine, at the age of 82. Her legacy lives on through her work, her activism, and her commitment to social justice and equality.