Mako Nakagawa

Mako Nakagawa, born Masako Takahashi, (February 1, 1937 – April 24, 2021) was a Japanese American educator, director of the Japanese American Cultural Heritage Program and the Rainbow Program, and influential member of the Japanese American Citizen's League.

Early life Nakagawa was born in Seattle, Washington to Hisako and Masao Takahashi. She was the third of four daughters. As part of this order, Nakagawa was incarcerated at the age of five. She was incarcerated with her mother and sisters at Puyallup Assembly Center, Washington and Minidoka Incarceration Camp, Idaho. They did not reunite until 1944, when Nakagawa and her family were sent to Crystal City Internment Camp in Texas.

Education Nakagawa earned a Bachelor's degree from the University of Washington and a Master's degree from Seattle University.

Career and Activism Nakagawa worked as an educator for many years. Nakagawa co-developed and directed the Rainbow Program, a diversity training program for elementary school students in the Seattle Public School system.

Nakagawa started her own educational consulting business, Mako & Associates, which specialized in assisting clients interested in projects related to diversity training and Japanese American experiences in World War 2. She translated his testimony to English and read it aloud during the hearing, as well as served as a translator for her father. Nakagawa spearheaded JACL's campaign to eliminate the euphemistic wording that is commonly used when describing Japanese American experiences during World War II.

Personal life Nakagawa had three children, Daren, Bradly Kenji and DeeAn. The JACL has published multiple handbooks, implementation plans, and educational curriculum about these terminologies.