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Big, Bold Steps
The San Pedro Firm Building: The Legacy of Judy Nishimoto Ota
posted 7/12/04
this article, which tells some of the story of struggle of Little Tokyo LA, through the activities of one of its activists, Judy Nishimoto Ota, is reprinted with the permission of the author, Kathy Masaoka
“Sisters” (Excerpt from Eulogy, March 12, 2002)
We shared a great childhood in Boyle Heights.
Ballet lessons at the West Coast Tap and Ballet Studio.
Summers at Santa Monica or Long Beach with our dad
And French vanilla ice cream at Curry’s afterwards.
Coming home on the streetcar with our mom after shopping downtown.
Piano lessons with Mrs. Kono and the dreaded recitals at Tenrikyo Hall.
Performing skits for Adolf, our German neighbor who played the accordion.
Watching our mother give Mrs. Blosat permanents while Judy made fun of
her accent.
She would call Judy “fresh.”
Judy was “fresh.” She took big, bold steps, sometimes falling but sometimes succeeding. The San Pedro Firm Building was one of those big, bold steps that succeeded.
Little Tokyo People’s Rights Organization: Seeds of Activism
Judy’s interest in community and in affordable housing began in
the late 60’s as a member of the Asian American Social Workers and
increased in the 1970’s as a member of the Little Tokyo People’s
Rights Organization (LTPRO). She had been a social worker in East Los
Angeles but felt there was another way to improve the lives of people.
Wanting to challenge the system, Judy entered UCLA Law School under the
affirmative action program, joining the less than 10 Asians in her class.
As part of the redevelopment plan for Little Tokyo, the Community Redevelopment
Agency (CRA) ordered the eviction of the residents of the Sun, Beacon,
Narasaki and Matsushima Hotels, the tenants of the Sun Building and the
small businesses in the Weller Street trangle to make way for the New
Otani Hotel. Because of her Spanish language skills, Judy worked with
the Latino families in the Sun Hotel. LTPRO was able to force the CRA
to move up the timetable on the construction of the Tokyo Towers and Miyako
Gardens. They pressured the CRA to open up the Old Union Church and Old
Nishi for community and cultural groups, to provide rent-subsidies in
Japanese Village Plaza for the small businesses and to relocation benefits
for those displaced by future redevelopment, such as the Tomoye and New
York Hotel residents.
