Abstract:

"'All this identity thing. What is it you're looking for?" asks the elderly aunt of leading Japanese American poet, Lawson Inada. Through this intimate portrait, we explore Inada's answer to this complex question. His poetry, which deals with multicultural experiences of Asian Americans, is interwoven with scenes from his life as he visits the Chicano neighborhood where he grew up, plays with his son, and travels through the streets of downtown Fresno, California with its graffiti, bars and Nisei Barber Shop.