Actor George Takei was incarcerated in Japanese-American internment camps during World War II as a young boy. Takei is a strong advocate for gay rights and Japanese American groups and has a prominent social media presence. He is best known for his role as Lieutenant Sulu in the original "Star Trek" television series.

Takei’s father passed on the belief that “Our democracy is dependent on people who cherish those shining ideals and actively participate in the process.”

Directions

Watch this A Democracy Minute video by Life Stories without taking any notes and reflect on one or two key points that stood out to you (for more background on Takei, click here). Then watch it again and write down your response to the following question:

What shining ideals of democracy do you carry?

You can make your response as short as the quote above or feel free to expand more. Discuss your excerpt with a partner or together as a class noting the commonalities and differences in students' responses.

Share your response under Life Stories' Instagram post and tag @NewsHourExtra, so we can see it, too!

Check out the following list of topics and accompanying learning resources released each Thursday leading up to the presidential election:

Life Stories is a nonprofit media organization that creates documentary films and educational resources about people whose lives inspire meaningful change. This interview is also featured in the HBO documentary "The Soul of America."

Additional resources

In 2019, George Takei wrote the graphic novel, "They Called Us Enemy," about the trauma of his family's being rounded up by the U.S. government and sent to internment camps during World War II. How might the format of a graphic novel help Takei express his memories and experiences in a way that other media may not (i.e. television, movies, books)? Learn more here:

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