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Floyd Mori: Reconnecting with the Japanese-American Identity

Oral History Center of The Bancroft Library
816 subscribers
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For complete oral history, visit http://ucblib.link/OHC-FloydMori from the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program. For all project interviews, visit http://ucblib.link/OHC-STARCH. Video excerpted from the oral history: Hon. S. Floyd Mori Member of the California State Assembly from the 15th District, 1975–1980 Mayor of Pleasanton, California, 1972–1975 May 10 and 17, 2021 All interviews conducted online. By Shanna Farrell Oral History Center, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley S. Floyd Mori was born in Murray, Utah in 1939. He was a member of the California State Assembly from the 15th district from 1975-1980 as Mayor of Pleasanton, California from 1972-1975 as a representative of the Democratic party. Before his birth, his parents immigrated from Japan. His father worked on the railroad before owning and operating a farm in Sandy, Utah and is one of seven siblings. He attended the University  …...more
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Floyd Mori: Reconnecting with the Japanese-American Identity
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11Views
2022Oct 14
For complete oral history, visit http://ucblib.link/OHC-FloydMori from the California State Archives State Government Oral History Program. For all project interviews, visit http://ucblib.link/OHC-STARCH. Video excerpted from the oral history: Hon. S. Floyd Mori Member of the California State Assembly from the 15th District, 1975–1980 Mayor of Pleasanton, California, 1972–1975 May 10 and 17, 2021 All interviews conducted online. By Shanna Farrell Oral History Center, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley S. Floyd Mori was born in Murray, Utah in 1939. He was a member of the California State Assembly from the 15th district from 1975-1980 as Mayor of Pleasanton, California from 1972-1975 as a representative of the Democratic party. Before his birth, his parents immigrated from Japan. His father worked on the railroad before owning and operating a farm in Sandy, Utah and is one of seven siblings. He attended the University of Southern California before joining the Army Reserve and moving to Hawaii for a mission for the Church of Latter Day Saints. He then transferred to Brigham Young University and graduated in 1964. He continued his graduate studies there, earning a Master's degree in Political Science. After finishing his graduate degree, he worked for Richard Wirthlin, a future pollster for Ronald Reagan and became an instructor of economics at Chabot College. He moved to Pleasanton in 1968 and began his mayoral campaign. When he later ran for State Assembly, he was endorsed by George Takei. As an assemblymember, he worked on issues related to reforming a unitary tax bill, Title IX, international trade, and authored the 1979 spousal rape bill SB546, chapter 994. In this interview, Asm. Mori discusses his early life, family, growing up on a farm, experience during World War II, participation in the Mormon church, education, experience in Hawaii on a mission assignment, developing an interest in politics, time working as an economics instructor, grassroots approach to both mayoral and assembly campaigns, relationship with the media, importance of endorsements, growth of Asian Americans in the political world, experience in Sacramento, decision to vote to decriminalize marijuana, oversight of the agriculture labor relations board committee, authoring bills, perspectives on economics, colleagues, time at the Office of International Trade, visiting Japan, serving as national president of the Japanese American Citizens League, working on a bill to preserve WWII Japanese American incarceration camps, creation of a Asian Pacific American Heritage month in Utah, involvement in the Asian American Pacific Islander caucus, time as CEO of Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies, and reflections on his career in civil service.

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Oral History Center of The Bancroft Library

816 subscribers