The School of Law recently announced third-year Anne Marie Burke, and second-year Gabe Naganuma, as the 2020-21 Minoru Yasui Fellows. Both Burke and Naganuma were chosen for their commitment to the values reflected in alumnus Minoru Yasui’s legacy and life. 

We are proud to have Anne Marie and Gabe represent one of our most distinguished alumnus, Minoru Yasui,” said Jennifer Geller, managing director of the Public Law and Policy Program. “The Yasui Endowment supports scholarship, public service, and academic offerings in human and civil rights law - and these students demonstrate a strong commitment to these core values.” 

Burke joined Oregon Law after earning degrees in Economics and East Asian Studies at Colby College in 2013. Before law school, she worked for five years in the sports industry, primarily in digital and social media at the National Basketball Association in the United States and China. 

She currently serves as the executive editor of the Oregon Review of International Law. Her other law school activities include participating in pro bono work, being a research assistant, and volunteering with Oregon Law Admissions. She has also served as a member of the Student Bar Association for three years and was recognized in 2019 with the Anne Haugaard Award for creative student leadership.  

Naganuma will serve a second year as a Minoru Yasui Fellow. As a Double Duck, Naganuma earned his undergraduate degree in Philosophy and was a member of the orchestra. He is involved with the civil law clinic which assists low-income clients with housing law issues.  

This past summer, Naganuma received an OLSPIF stipend to support his work with Legal Aid Services of Oregon’s Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic. He is interested in pursuing a career advocating on the behalf of indigent clients. 

About Minoru Yasui 

Minoru "Min" Yasui was a Japanese American lawyer from Oregon. Born in Hood River, Oregon, he earned both an undergraduate degree and his law degree at the University of Oregon. He was one of the few Japanese-Americans after the bombing of Pearl Harbor who fought laws that directly targeted Japanese-Americans or Japanese immigrants. His case was the first case to test the constitutionality of the curfews targeted at minority groups. 

His case would make its way to the United States Supreme Court, where his conviction for breaking curfew was affirmed. After internment during most of World War II, he moved to Denver, Colorado in 1944. In Denver, Yasui married and became a local leader in civic affairs, including leadership positions in the Japanese American Citizens League.  

Congress finally apologized for the government's discrimination during World War II against Americans and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry with the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. The Yasui Fellowship honors Yasui’s legacy and reminds us all of the need for vigilance in the name of liberty.  

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The Legacy of Minoru Yasui 
Minoru Yasui Justice Award 
Minoru Yasui Fellowship 

By School of Law Communications