Asian Americans Advancing Justice Mourns Loss of Senator Daniel Akaka
Washington, D.C. — April 6, 2018 — Asian Americans Advancing Justice mourns the death of Senator Daniel Akaka, who served in the House and Senate for three and a half decades. After being hospitalized for months, he passed away early this morning in Honolulu. He was 93.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, releases the following statement:
“Senator Akaka was a true inspiration to all of us. He was a powerful advocate for Native Hawaiians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders and served the people of Hawaii with grace and compassion. A strong supporter of veterans, he was also part of the leadership that secured benefits for Filipino World War II veterans. Senator Akaka was a vocal advocate for the investigation into the U.S. treatment of Japanese Latin Americans during World War II. The detention of Hawaiian Japanese Americans and the incarceration of Japanese Americans affected him deeply. Before he served in Congress, he was in the U.S. Army and was a public school teacher.
Senator Akaka was a true champion and lifelong public servant for our communities, and we will always remember his aloha spirit.”
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Asian Americans Advancing Justice is a national affiliation of five leading organizations advocating for the civil and human rights of Asian Americans and other underserved communities to promote a fair and equitable society for all. The affiliation’s members are: Advancing Justice | AAJC (Washington, DC), Advancing Justice – Asian Law Caucus (San Francisco), Advancing Justice – Los Angeles, Advancing Justice – Atlanta, and Advancing Justice – Chicago.