Minn Matsuda

Shizu "Minn" Matsuda (1911-2003) was a Japanese-American activist and a co-founder of Asian Americans for Action (also known as "AAA" or "Triple A"). In 1969, inspired by the Black Power Movement, Matsuda and her friend, Kazu Iijima (1918-2007), a survivor of the World War II Japanese internment camps, co-founded the New York-based AAA, one of the first U.S. East Coast pan-Asian organizations promoting awareness of pan-Asian identity and heritage, civil rights, and equality.

Early life and career Matsuda was born in Seattle, Washington in 1911. Her maiden name was Utsunomiya. At some point, she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area and earned an art undergraduate degree at the California School of Arts and Crafts in 1933. She received some recognition for her watercolor paintings. She worked for a time for the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the federal art project. In Salt Lake City, Utah, Matsuda managed to find a job creating ads for a retail store despite hostility toward people of Japanese heritage. Her artwork from the WPA was included in an exhibit at the Utah State Arts Center in 1939. The women originally conceived of an organization focused on Japanese-American identity, but were convinced by Iijima's son, Chris Iijima, to make it pan-Asian, that is meant to bring shared political and cultural identity across all Asian people. The AAA was community-based and aimed to promote Asian heritage, especially amongst the younger population. Its scope expanded from awareness of cultural heritage to civil rights, women's rights, and equality. The AAA emerged as part of Asian-American activism during the late 1960's by increasing political participation in marginalized communities. Like many organizations, it brought isolated efforts to a more unified approach. Bearing the fruits of its work; it contributed to the expansion of civil rights efforts.

The organization's first meeting was held in New York City, April 6, 1969. The first members of AAA included activist Yuri Kochiyama. Nevertheless, AAA had an ever-lasting impact on Asian American activism, which became increasingly professionalized with focuses including cultural/heritage preservation and civil rights.

Later life and death Matsuda was a witness of the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center.