Letter from Traci to Mina and Malcom

EPCC NEWS
June 07, 2010

( Note; We published the letter of Traci to the family of John Delloro, a union leader who passed away unexpectedly. We pay tribute to this great guy -Editors)

Saturday, June 5, 2010

Dearest Mina and Malcolm,

I'm sure this finds you alongside a large pile of notes, letters, and cards on your dad for you and your mom. I wanted to share some thoughts with you - thoughts that will surely live among an infinite number of countless stories that so many of us out here in the world have about your dad. I hope they all reach you, hold and lift you with the love we have for him and all of you. This is just one of an innumerable many.

I met your dad when we were both in college. He was a fresh, young and fiery organizer at UCLA and I was a curious student at Cal State Fullerton in Orange County. I was going all the way to UCLA from Fullerton just to be around the great energy of new friends working for the justice, peace, health and happiness of all. It was a profound time of finding I was not isolated, not such a minority after all - there were many others who saw the identity of all people-loving people as their own. Ryan Yokota, Alyssa Kang and others introduced me to great folks and spaces around the campus community there.

On some random day in the spring when I was ditching class back in Orange County I was reading material from a table at a community fair on the UCLA campus. This guy asked me if I had heard about the Jessica McClintock campaign and I of course knew nothing. He spent the time right then and there to break it down to me - the campaign, the garment industry, the bigger picture. It made complete sense and there was urgency and care because this guy was talking about real people. He introduced himself to me...John Delloro.

He asked me what he asked many students that day, "What are you doing tomorrow?"
There was a march the next day at the Jessica McClintock boutique in Beverly Hills - you could pull up and a valet would come to park your car for free while you step out right in front of the boutique to join the rally. And so I did. I got out of my car to hear the chanting, led by an impassioned voice who was singing, really. That was your dad.

Not only was he singing and yelling those chants, he was dancing, running, jumping about in a tight formal dress and makeup on his face to make the most riveting and compelling chant leader I'd seen or heard before or since.

There was a reason why Jesse Jackson called your dad the "Asian James Brown" - he truly is one of the best organizers around.

Not just for his style in breaking down the information with ease and clarity, and leading chants in the platform of song and theatre, but for his passion in building the most of all important things - real relationships and understanding each individual's personal story.

He was humanity.
He was dignity and respect.
He was love for all people.

And he loved you all so very much. After his first heart attack, he was constantly reflecting on how he would change his lifestyle out of full-time union organizing in order to take the time for his health, for you.

Of course, he never really stopped being a "full-time organizer", but he was always dedicated through and through to doing it better in order to be there for you.

Whenever we got together, whether to just hang out or to meet about a project or one of his classes, every extended conversation would inevitably lead to how he was trying to make smarter decisions for the sake of his health because you all were his main priority above all else.

Susan, Mina, Malcolm - I know I am far from being alone in offering my full support and love for all of you.

I promise you, Mina and Malcolm, I will tell you every story I can ever remember about your dad and from your dad about you. I promise to support you as you grow up and continue to share these stories with those I grow with - he will continue to live on through you and all of us. It is because of him that this world is not only better off, but it is because of him that we may continue.


As much as many of us had big plans with him in the mix, we will find ways for him and because of him.

Honestly, I don't, at the moment, know how I will do that without him, but that's just because I don't want to. No matter what was going on or how much work need be done, he always took the time to ask if i was happy and good and doing well. For everything he is to all of us, this is a change I'm not quite ready for.
But I trust we will all keep on keepin' on together, and with your dad alongside us in our spirit and our hearts. Your dad is one of the biggest reasons I am inspired to move and keep moving.

I have so much love and care for you, we all do. Please know you will all have us in your corner as you grow.

With great respect and love,

traci akemi