LEAP is Deeply Saddened by the Passing of Secretary Norman Y. Mineta
May 4, 2022
For Immediate Release
Linda Akutagawa
Norman Y. Mineta: Committed Public Servant, Trailblazer, and Role Model
Yesterday, we lost an extraordinary American. LEAP is deeply saddened by the passing of Secretary Norman Y. Mineta, a committed public servant, trailblazer, and role model. His accomplishments are many, and most notably as a person of firsts, he was:
The first Asian American mayor of a major city (San Jose, California)
The first Japanese American from the mainland to be elected to Congress
The first Asian American to serve in a presidential cabinet
While we grieve his death, it’s also fitting to celebrate and honor his life and achievements in May - Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. A commemoration that we have because then Congressman Mineta, along with the late Congressman Frank Horton, co-sponsored and introduced legislation on May 4, 1979 to proclaim the first week of May, Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week.
A relentless defender of civil liberties and civil rights, shaped by spending a part of his childhood in a U.S. internment camp for Japanese Americans during World War II, Secretary Mineta spent a lifetime in public service working to make positive change. First as the Mayor of San Jose, later as an 11-term congressman, and ultimately as a cabinet member for both a Democratic and Republican President. He was appointed Secretary of Commerce by President Bill Clinton, becoming the first Asian American Cabinet Secretary. He then continued to serve as a cabinet member when he was appointed Secretary of Transportation by President George W. Bush. When he stepped down, he was the longest serving Secretary of Transportation in American history.
Norm was not just an elected and appointed leader, he was a much beloved leader in the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities. Through his presence, his mentorship, and his walk-the-talk role modeling, he inspired many of today’s current and emerging Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander leaders. His advocacy for greater API representation in government led to the founding of the Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS) and the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC). He also understood the importance of legacy and history and worked to ensure that he and his family’s experience and the experiences of 120,000 Japanese Americans did not go unforgotten through his leadership as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Japanese American National Museum.
His support and influence touched organizations like LEAP and so many others. We’re comforted by knowing his legacy will endure through all the many people whose lives he touched and were encouraged by his leadership. Our sincerest condolences to his family and the people who loved him. He will be greatly missed.
