There is an old Japanese proverb: “The nail that sticks out will be pounded down”, meaning that if you stand out, you’ll be subject to criticism. I’ve been feeling a call to speak up, stick out, and to talk about things that are often not talked about, even avoided, such as race, ethnicity, identity, and privilege. This blog is my response to this call. Here goes!
Susan Okamoto Lane is a Sansei (third generation Japanese American), a baby boomer ("lightly seasoned" as one diplomatic young medical technician delicately described after seeing her birthdate).
Susan is a wife, mother, sister, daughter, cousin, aunt, friend, mentor, and life-long learner. Some have described her as "the iron fist in the velvet glove", a sometimes confusing and surprising combination of her direct, even fearless communication, especially when advocating for others and the cultural indirect and conflict averse Japanese approach.
Susan Okamoto Lane 