Two of the three main characters of We Hereby Refuse were born in Sacramento, so it’s fitting that the first news coverage of the book’s publication should come in their hometown paper.  

The story by Ashley Wong, the AAPI Issues Reporter for the Sacramento Bee, was posted today by the Sacramento Bee, and is set to appear in print in the Sunday Features section of the newspaper on May 16. 

I’m very glad that Ashley spoke with Elissa Ouchida, whose 2011 academic journal paper on Mitsuye Endo’s state employment case provided much of the research used to create Endo as a character on the page. Elissa is the niece of Endo’s close friend Janet Masuda, and you will see how many personal details recalled by Masuda made it into the story and drawings. 

Ashley separately tweeted out the page we provided to her that introduces the character of Endo. Here’s your first preview of that amazing artwork by Ross Ishikawa.

More coverage of the graphic novel is coming in May and June, including interviews with The News Tribune of Tacoma, the South Seattle Emerald, the International Examiner, the Discover Nikkei blog, and a broadcast interview with “APEX Express” on KPFA-FM in Berkeley.  

If you’re interested in reviewing We Hereby Refuse for your publication, please contact publisher Bruce Rutledge at [email protected].