Scott Tanaka
In celebration of Pride Month, join AARP and the Asian American and Pacific Islander community for a riveting conversation with “Star Trek” star and activist George Takei on June 29 at 7 p.m. ET.
With an uncanny eloquence and his signature wit, Takei will share the story of his family’s forced internment as Japanese Americans during World War II. He will also go into the feeling of what it was like to be a kid watching it all unfold in front of him.
Having Takei share his personal story is so important because we know that so many others who lived through this experience have not had their stories told. I think about my paternal great-grandparents and grandparents who were imprisoned at the Manzanar and Poston incarceration camps and how they never talked about what happened.
Although they are no longer with us and their stories have not been told, I believe their experience has been passed down through the generations and impacts who I am today. These stories must be told so that we do not forget what happened.
Takei will also take audiences through his rise to celebrity as a sci-fi icon, his remarkable journey as a social media megainfluencer and his passionate fight for LGBTQ rights and marriage equality in America. His conversations have empowered others to beat the odds and make a difference.
In addition, he will talk at length about feeling tormented when he wasn’t out. He felt that his peers and colleagues were coming out and risking their careers and relationships for it, but he felt the need to keep his romantic life hidden for the sake of his career. Takei credits the work of LGBTQ activists for paving the way for him to come out in an easy way.
To register to join this powerful conversation, visit https://aarp.cventevents.com/d/skqcyr/. Please note, AARP membership is not required.
AARP’s unwavering commitment to the LGBTQ community reflects our core belief in the dignity, worth and potential of every individual. We reject discrimination based on a person’s age, race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender identity.
Our commitment can be measured by what we say — and what we do. At AARP, we work hard every day to fight for and empower people to choose how they live as they age.
“What we do, we do for all” is a guiding principle articulated by our founder, distinguished educator Dr. Ethel Percy Andrus, and we proudly carry it forward.
To learn more about AARP’s commitment to the LGBTQ community, visit aarp.org/pride.
Scott Tanaka is a member of the JACL Washington, D.C., chapter and is a policy, research and international affairs adviser at AARP.
