CAPAL Mourns the Loss of Former Secretary Norman Y. Mineta
May 4, 2022
Washington, D.C. – CAPAL is deeply saddened by the passing of Secretary Norman Yoshio Mineta. Secretary Mineta was a trailblazer as the first Asian American cabinet member, a champion of civil rights, and a towering mentor to our community.
Secretary Mineta made history when he was appointed as the Secretary of Commerce by President Bill Clinton, and then as Secretary of Transportation by President George W. Bush. He was the first Secretary of Transportation who previously served in another cabinet position, the only Cabinet member to serve under two presidents from different political parties, and the longest-serving Secretary of Transportation at the time of his departure from the role.
Secretary Mineta’s experience as a 10-year-old Japanese American boy incarcerated at Heart Mountain, Wyoming during World War II shaped his commitment to public service. Prior to his Cabinet appointments as a Congressman, Secretary Mineta introduced a timely bill to establish Asian Pacific American Heritage Week in the first 10 days of May. It was later extended to become the month-long celebration as we know it today. He founded the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, becoming its first Chair, and helped found multiple organizations to serve the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community – some of whom are CAPAL’s longtime partners. He also led successful efforts for a formal apology from the United States and redress for the World War II Japanese American incarceration, and was a featured speaker at our 25th Anniversary Gala.
Secretary Mineta was a champion of public service and served as a mentor to Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islanders across generations, including some of CAPAL’s founders, Board Members, Advisory Council Members, and Scholars & Interns. We join the community, the nation, and his loved ones in grieving the loss of a community giant.
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