Lee A. Tonouchi, Okinawan Yonsei, stay known as “Da Pidgin Guerrilla” for his activism in campaigning for Pidgin a.k.a. Hawai‘i Creole for be accepted as one legitimate language. Tonouchi stay da recipient of da 2023 American Association for Applied Linguistics Distinguished Public Service Award for his work in raising public awareness of important language-related issues and promoting linguistic social justice. His Pidgin poetry collection Significant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son: One Hawai‘i Okinawan Journal won da Association for Asian-American Studies Book Award. His Pidgin children’s picture book Okinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos won one Skipping Stones Honor Award. And his latest book stay Chiburu: Anthology of Hawai‘i Okinawan Literature. He going serve as the Hawaiʻi Poet Laureate from 2026 – 2029.
- Find his series of interviews at Discover Nikkei: https://
discovernikkei.org/en/journal/ author/tonouchi-lee/ - A performance of Pidgin on Trial: https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=wYhDcD5yE6A - 2021-2022 Tony Quagliano Poetry Award – Selected Works
- Find his books at your local book store or local publisher Bess Press
