Mr. Norman Mineta spoke out to oppose the sale of Keiro facilities on Jan. 23 in a Little Tokyo meeting. (Cultural News Photo)
Video: Mr. Norman Mineta’s speech in English is followed by Japanese translation.
Four facilities for Japanese and Japanese American seniors are being sold to a for-profit property management company by the current management of the Keiro Senior Heathcare without the any consensus of the Japanese American community in Los Angeles.
Since September 2015, the Ad Hoc Committee to Save Keiro has been formed to stop the sale of the Keiro facility and regain the trust among the community.
After a few emergency public meetings had been held to alert the community about losing invaluable services and properties which have been built for 50 years, the first community meeting to express the community members’ views and voices about the pending sale of the Keiro on January 23 at the Centenary United Methodist Church in Little Tokyo.
For three hours, more than 20 people spoke out their concerns about current and future conditions of Keiro facilities which serve about 600 seniors. More than 200 people including Robert Sumner, Special Counsel for Legislation of California State Department of Justice, from Sacrament, attended the public meeting.
Former U.S. cabinet member Norman Mineta, 84-year-old, appeared in the meeting and spoke out as following:
…… I have always taking interest in housing issues and also taking positions on my jobs that to speak out for those who are under representative or not representative at all……
…. I try to listen all explanations about buy and close of Keiro. None of them seems to make any sense……….
I will like to let my voice to oppose the closing Keiro and help and support residences and trying to make it sure proper thought is given to all issue. In this morning, I had talked with Congress member Judy Chu. I will also be in touch with Attorney General Kamala Harris. So I am proud to be with you here today and proud to join all of you speaking out to save Keiro.
Thank you very much.
(C) Cultural News Video 2016