Paul Igasaki

Paul Igasaki is a prominent Japanese American civil rights leader, born on May 4, 1953, in a Japanese American internment camp in Arkansas. He is known for his advocacy work for the rights of Asian Americans and other minority groups in the United States.

After graduating from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1978, Igasaki began his legal career working as a staff attorney at the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, where he worked on a number of cases related to discrimination against Asian Americans. In 1981, he became the legal counsel for the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, where he focused on cases related to voting rights and affirmative action.

In 1994, Igasaki was appointed by President Bill Clinton to be the director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, where he worked to ensure that companies receiving federal contracts were not discriminating against minorities or women. He also worked on efforts to improve the diversity of the federal government's workforce.

In addition to his legal work, Igasaki has been a vocal advocate for the Japanese American community and has worked to preserve the memory of the Japanese American internment during World War II. He has served on the board of the Japanese American National Museum and has been involved with the Japanese American Citizens League, serving as the organization's national president from 1998 to 2002.

Igasaki has also been involved in other civil rights organizations, including the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association. He has been a prominent voice on issues related to immigration, voting rights, and diversity in the workplace.

In recognition of his work, Igasaki has received numerous awards and honors, including the Japanese American Citizens League's National Civil Rights Award, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center's Thurgood Marshall Civil Rights Award, and the American Bar Association's Spirit of Excellence Award.

Today, Igasaki continues to be involved in civil rights advocacy work, and he is widely recognized as one of the most important and influential Japanese American leaders of his generation.