Looking back, it’s shocking how long it took for Asians to be accepted in Hollywood as anything other than stereotypes and stock characters. But since 1965, the actor known in L.A. simply as Mako worked tirelessly to showcase Asian actors and build a dynamic Asian theatre tradition. “Though the invention of Asian American theater was a collective act, Mako was its center, its heart, its founding father, the glue that held all else together.” Mako died in mid-July, leaving behind a vast legacy.