CATS Summer Reading Series "God Said This": Unity Through Diversity

"My disease finally brought my family together. I am happy." 
This short phrase perfectly reflects the main message of God Said This, a comedy drama  and the first performance of the Contemporary Asian Theater Scene (CATS) Summer Hangout Series of Staged Readings featuring Asian American playwrights presented on June 17th and 18th.

God Said This is a story about love and forgiveness: about a family in which everyone is unique. Masako (Haley Tomtoro), the Japanese mother undergoing chemotherapy treatment in the hospital, is happy that her family is together again for the first time in seven years. James (Miles Bayer), the American father, is a recovering alcoholic who has recently become passionate about collecting rocks and desires to make peace with his daughters who hate him. Sophie (Katy Hedrick), the younger daughter, is a born-again Christian whose faith helps her to deal with her mother’s illness. The elder daughter, Hiro (Whitney Moore), has returned from a successful and fancy life in New York City to be with her mother. She spends time with John (Patrick Rivera), a high school friend who is a single dad. John’s relationship with his 13-year-old son provides a contrast to Hiro's childhood memories of family life.

The phrase ‘It is unfair!" is repeated many times during the play. The family cannot deal with their mother's illness and blame each other for all of their past traumas. During the family’s disagreements the characters ask themselves: ‘Why you, but not me?’, ‘Why are you not like me?’ and ‘Why are we so different?’. The family attempts to find different ways to connect with each other as best they can. 

Despite the excitement, the actors reveal the full depth of emotions and feelings of their characters gradually over time. Some characters initially appear in an unfavorable light, but step by step, new details emerge about the characters throughout the performance which were previously hidden behind their emotions.

Director Chris Sicat and the young actors (Miles Bayer, Haley Tomtoro, Katy Hedrick, Whitney Moore, and Patrick Rivera) delivered a great combination of reading and play. As a staged reading the play is surprisingly dynamic. James (Miles Bayer) gets up from time to time and addresses the audience directly, giving monologues about his troubled life at Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. In one of the most dramatic moments in the play, we see Hiro, who is running, faster and faster. Some of the scenes consist of smartphone conversations which are integral to the play. The actors were very professional when they changed scenes during the reading, and used all of the props they had. And, of course, staging the reading at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) adds a historical dimension to the reading.

It is really sad to realize that only the bad moments keep bringing people together.  Sometimes we feel lonely with our families, and sometimes we may struggle with all sorts of family problems. This is a very universal story, a powerful message for anyone who has the fear of losing family or friends. The play is very deep and meaningful, and relatable for a lot of people living far away from their friends and relatives. 

The author, Leah Nanako Winkler, is a Japanese American playwright who was born in Kamakura, Japan and grew up in Lexington, Kentucky. She wrote the play while her own mother was undergoing chemotherapy.  

I am looking forward to seeing the next CATS Summer Staged Reading The Great Leap on July 8th and 9th at the Akiyama Wellness Center and hope to see you there.  Tickets can be obtained through the CATS website.

By Elena Usanova

Watch the Recording: Seventh Annual Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution

On January 30, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) helped organize the Seventh Annual Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, an event created to honor the Japanese American civil rights leader and build upon his legacy of advocacy and civic education. This year’s event was held virtually and kicked off with presentations of vintage 48-star flags signed by Japanese American incarceration camp survivors, followed by a panel discussion revolving around the theme, “Building Resilience in the Fight for Racial Justice: Learning from the Past to Build a Better Future.” 

Featured panelists included Dr. Karen Koremetsu, founder and executive director of The Fred T. Korematsu Institute and daughter of Fred Korematsu; Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Johnny Gogo, who spearheaded the flag signing project; and Zahra Billoo, executive director of Council on American-Islamic Relations - San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA). Adena Ishii, a student at Santa Clara University School of Law and a JAMsj volunteer, moderated the panel.

In case you missed the event, you can watch the recording below. We’ve also included a transcript for the first half of the panel discussion

Besides JAMsj, other official sponsors of the event included The Santa Clara County Superior Court, The Fred T. Korematsu Institute, Asian Law Alliance, CAIR-SFBA, Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, and Santa Clara University School of Law.

Panel Discussion - Partial Transcript

Below is a transcript of the first half of the panel discussion. 

Note: The transcript has been edited for clarity.

• Introductions

• Racial justice and building resilience

• Allyship in the 21st century

• Resilience of Japanese American WWII camp survivors

Introductions

“We need to agree to disagree, find that common ground and build upon that, so we can make the changes in our country. That’s what this day represents. ”

— Dr. Karen Korematsu

Adena Ishii: I introduced myself a bit earlier, but just to say a little more, my name is Adena Ishii, and I am a student at Santa Clara University School of Law, third year there, as well as a volunteer with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. I myself am Japanese American, and I'm proud to be here today to moderate our panel. 

Let's have the panelists introduce themselves. I'd like to start off with Dr. Karen Korematsu. Thank you so much for being here with us, and also happy birthday to your father.

Dr. Korematsu: Well, thank you, Adena, and hello, everyone. Yes, happy Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, and as I always say, Happy Birthday, Daddy. He would have been 103 years old, which is incredible. But more importantly, his legacy just seems to grow in leaps and bounds. Thanks to everyone across this country. It's truly amazing. 

For people that don't know, Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is the first day in U.S. history to be named after an Asian American, and so that's what my father's day represents. Especially during this time of our big divide, obviously in this country and even around the world, I want you to know that my father lived by his principles of right and wrong. He treated everyone like he wanted to be treated. 

Certainly he had pushback. He had criticism. People were against him. His own Japanese American community in 1942 vilified and ostracized him for taking a stand against the government, but he kept on for what I call like a quiet warrior. He just never would give up, and this day represents our civil liberties and the Constitution. 

My father never blamed anyone. He was never angry. He just believed that the government was wrong, and he was right to take a stand — that's what we all have the ability to do, as long as it's not hateful, as long as there's no violence — that truly we need to respect each other, respect each other's differences, to try to understand each other's differences and to appreciate them and to listen. We need to agree to disagree, find that common ground and build upon that, so we can make the changes in our country. That's what this day represents. 

The incredible project — I must have to add again, my deepest, profound thanks to Judge Gogo, for this flag project. I have to tell you and share. Fred Korematsu Day is also recognized in Hawaii and Virginia and Florida, New York City, and now even the state of Arizona. I'm taking this flag to Arizona, presenting it actually. We're meeting with the Senate and the House. They're going to be reading the proclamation or the legislative bill for Fred Korematsu Day, and I'm going to show them the flag, because they have two incarceration camps, Gila River and Poston, and because they took an oath to uphold our Constitution, and this is what this is all about, and to encourage civic participation, because that's how we're going to make a difference. 

Judge Johnny Gogo presents to Dr. Karen Korematsu a vintage 48-star flag signed by Japanese American internment camp survivors.

I don't care which party you're with, but to help support our country and find those causes that we believe in. So I'm looking forward to our conversation, and thank you all, especially Judge Roberta Hayashi, for your inspiration and creating the seventh annual Fred Korematsu Day for Santa Clara and San Jose, and all those who participated behind the scenes and in front of the camera. So thank you all very much.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Judge Gogo, if you could introduce yourself, please. And also just your connection with — I know your flag signing projects, of course, but otherwise.

Judge Gogo: Thank you very much, Adena, for being our moderator. It is an honor and a pleasure for me to be on this panel. I've actually watched these presentations for Fred Korematsu Day here in San Jose, like Judge Roberta Hayashi said, since 2015, and that's how I got involved in learning more about the events. My connection again, so starts back to 2015, and then continues as I got appointed to the bench in late 2019, and was invited to be a speaker. Again, I just thought to myself, how can I get more people involved in learning about this injustice, so that we can try and prevent these atrocities from happening again? 

So that's, in a nutshell, how I got involved in the project, the Korematsu Day, but I would be remiss if I did not also acknowledge the legal team that worked on Fred Korematsu's case, in particular, Dale Manami, Peter Irons — who's a professor at U.C. San Diego, was one of my professors back at U.C. San Diego back in the day — Don Tamaki, Robert Rusky, who recently died December of 2021. Just really, within weeks ago, Karen Kai, Lorraine Bannai, Eric Yamamoto, Leigh-Ann Miyasoto, Edward Chen, Dennis Hayashi, Donna Komure- Toyama, and Marjie Barrows. That was the legal team, as Dr. Karen Komatsu knows, that helped overturn the conviction with the coram nobis. So thank you to them. This 48-star flag signing project was born [out] of my participating and listening to Karen Korematsu, Dale Minami, Roberta Hayashi, other speakers, and it's been my honor to travel the country to have those survivors sign these flags. 

We now have five flags that we have signed. The first flag is donated to the Japanese American Museum in San Jose. The second flag, I plan to donate that to the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. The third flag has been donated to the Fred T. Korematsu Institute. The fourth flag is going to be traveling with Dr. Karen Korematsu to the Arizona state legislature tomorrow, and then hopefully we can match that up with Professor Billingslea's project and have that travel to different colleges and universities to help educate future generations of students. And then the fifth flag actually has been donated to the Japanese American Museum in Portland, Oregon. We can't forget about the state of Oregon, city of Seattle, which also suffered from the Executive Order 9066. So, let me stop there, because I know that we have other questions and other panelists, and so I'll turn it back over to you, Adena.

Adena Ishii: Yes, thank you, Judge Gogo. Zahra, if you could introduce yourself,

Zahra Billoo: Thank you so much, Adena, and really thank you to my co-panelists, the Korematsu Institute, the Santa Clara County Superior Court, and Santa Clara University for making this possible. Karen, I haven't seen you in person in a couple of years. I remember in 2020, I thought COVID might just be two weeks, and here we are in 2022, doing this program virtually. It's really an honor to be here with all of you again today.

My name is Zahra Billoo. I'm the executive director at CAIR-San Francisco Bay Area. We're the nation's largest American Muslim civil rights organization, and our work includes both protecting the rights of American Muslims and frankly, by extension, all Americans, because when we protect one minority group, everybody benefits — when one minority group is targeted, everyone is at risk — but also empowering the American Muslim community, to speak up and protect themselves, to advocate for legislation, to tell their stories, and to hold people accountable when they are harming us. 

Korematsu Day is very personally and professionally important to me, because when I was just 17, and 9/11 happened, I remember, before any community came forward, it was the Japanese American community that reached out to the Muslim community and said, we've been here. We know what this is like, and we know what happens on day two to all of you, and so we won't let that be the case. I remember I was in Southern California at the time. The Japanese American leaders stepped forward. They joined our community at press conferences, they raised their voices, and they advocated for us. So when I began my work at CAIR, I got to meet Dr. Karen and learn more about her father's legacy. 

One of the questions that many of us continue to ask is, why don't more people know about this? Could we protect ourselves from future harm by learning from our history, and not just from our history in terms of what happened and what was done in under the false guise of national security, but also, Fred's courage in speaking out against all odds, speaking out when it was frightening, speaking out, frankly, when his community wasn't always there with him, and the forces of the government were seeking to harm him. 

So today's special, because our work remains to be done. We see as we look at what is happening to Afghan refugees coming in, as we look at Central American migrants coming in, and as we look at how black and brown people are treated right here, in our country, when they're already here and have been here for generations, we're reminded that we have to continue to talk about the Korematsu legacy.

Racial Justice and Building Resilience

“We build resilience by celebrating the wins, by engaging in self-care, and by building solidarity across communities, so that we know that when we’re in the middle of it, we’re not alone.”

— Zahra Billoo

Adena Ishii: Thank you so much for introducing yourself and for sharing why this day is so important to you and should be important to all of us. I really want to start with talking about our theme for the day. 

Today our theme is “Building Resilience in the Fight for Racial Justice.” We have these events every year, and I think that's very important, but I want to acknowledge that we're in this time where people are so separated politically, but also physically with the COVID pandemic. We had planned in hopes to have this event in person, and here we are, online, and that has presented its own challenges. 

But in any case, our theme again, “Building Resilience and Fight for Racial Justice,” and the question I have for you — first off, the U.S. Constitution provides that all persons are entitled to equal protection under the law, and that no person may be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The concept of racial justice started when the Fourteenth Amendment passed after the Civil War, but over 150 years later, it's not fully realized. So I'm curious, for all of you, what does racial justice mean to you? Also, how are you building resilience in your work? Maybe I'll send it back to Zahra first, since we just heard from you.

Zahra Billoo: Racial justice to me, and the work that I do, is about realizing that promise. The first step is acknowledging that we are so far from them, that the people who wrote that promise, were themselves, often working to undermine it. When we start there, and we acknowledge where we are, we can then start to say, okay, what needs to happen? Racial injustice happens in so many ways, structurally. A lot of times, we focus on individual hatred and individual crimes, and that's important, but a lot of times it is the case that our government is perpetrating these harms. So we have to name the problem, we have to look at the many ways in which injustice is happening, and then we have to work towards resolving this for all communities - the Japanese American community, the American Muslim community, Black Americans, Latinx individuals, and not just racial and religious groups, right, but different economic status, different citizenship status, and so on. And the work is hard. 

Your question of resilience is one that resonates deeply, because the work is hard, and it's exhausting. Frankly, we're here talking about this on a Sunday, and so it's not just even a nine-to-five job for people who choose to take an interest in it. It is a life calling. We build resilience by celebrating the wins, by engaging in self-care, and by building solidarity across communities, so that we know that when we're in the middle of it, we're not alone.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Yeah, I want to come back to this engaging and communities and self-care piece later. Dr. Korematsu, would you like to respond?

Dr. Korematsu: Yes, thank you. Our focus at the Korematsu Institute is civics and civic engagement and participation. So we start with education. That was what was so important to my father, that we carry on with education, but now we need to be more purposeful. This is not about just talking about history. History is now present, and we need to teach our young people about the collective marginalization of all ethnicities, including the indigenous friends and American Indians for whom this has been happening since day one, that these struggles have been ongoing. It's not like just all of a sudden, we've had anti-Asian hate and violence. This history goes even beyond the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. 

This is what we do in our country. People should not be afraid of that. This is what's really of concern to me now, that people are concerned. Even when we're talking about injustice — to me, injustice is book burning, or book banning, or to attack some of the curriculum that's in schools. I'm fighting for ethnic studies across this country to be in school, so that we can learn about each other's diversity and appreciate it. The injustice comes in all different levels, and happens to all different ethnicities, and the way that we build this is together, to build that resilience to work together, to say, okay, these are the issues. We're not always going to agree, but to find that common ground, and to build on that. That's the civil liberties that we need to promote and preserve, and our Constitution. 

I mean, we have free speech, and as long as we appreciate that, we not may not always agree, that's okay, but to do it in a mindful way, where we can learn from each other, and to listen and to keep pushing, because, as my father... I mean, mind you, when Executive Order 9066 was issued, all due process of law was denied, and we need to be mindful of that. That's when you speak up and say, no, this is part of our Constitution. You can't do that. At least we now have the organizations to support each other and to work together. I know we're going to talk a little bit about allyship, but that's part of it as well.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Judge Gogo, do you have anything you'd like to add?

Judge Gogo: Just briefly. In the chat. I'm hoping that people were able to see the name that I just put in there, Mas Hashimoto, Liberty Lost ... Lessons and Loyalty. One of the fantastic stories from this flag signing project journey that I embarked upon was my meeting of Mas Hashimoto and his wife, Marcia Hashimoto, who live in Watsonville, California. Mas, when he was a young boy, was imprisoned with his family at the Poston prison camp in Arizona. Mas had some brothers who ended up serving in World War II. Mas himself, when he was eligible, served in the military in the Korean War, to show their loyalty to the United States, the country that unfortunately had imprisoned them during World War II. Mas later becomes a U.S. history teacher at Watsonville High School. He retired a while ago, but he taught for nearly 35 years, and he put together this TED talk that was put online in 2018. 

I would invite the audience to Google that TED talk from Mas Hashimoto and listen to his message, because as a U.S. history teacher, Mas, and I, as a minor in history myself, I really do appreciate the lessons of history, and Mas takes us back to the days of our Constitution that did not outlaw or prohibit slavery, in through the Chinese Exclusion Act that Dr. Karen Korematsu mentioned, and then the Alien Land Law Act that prohibited primarily the Japanese Americans and the Japanese nationals from owning land here in California through World War II, the Executive Order 9066. That's what I would add to this part of the conversation, that this history has been going on for a while. Please listen to Mas Hashimoto's short 20-minute TED Talk to understand more about that.

Allyship in the 21st Century

“The point to allyship is getting out of our silos, and working even across the aisle, working with different people in different organizations, and finding that common ground where we can make a difference.”

— Dr. Karen Korematsu

Adena Ishii: Thank you. I'd like to return to this conversation that we had just briefly about resilience and allyship. In the videos earlier, we heard a little bit about how Japanese Americans really got involved after 9/11 to prevent discrimination and hate against Muslim Americans. That allyship is very important in many of our different fights for racial justice. So if I could have Zahra speak a little bit more about what does allyship mean in the 21st century, or anyone else for that matter?

Dr. Korematsu: Well, allyship, really the meaning of the word is to work together. As I pointed out, in 1942, when the Executive Order 9066 was issued, there weren't the organizations around to stand up and speak out against this. You had the Quakers, who were very peaceful. You had the ACLU, but they even threatened Mr. Besig, who was the executive director of the Northern California affiliate that wanted to take on my father's Supreme Court case, with ouster. The ACLU President, Roger Baldwin, said, we don't take on cases, only amicus briefs, but then, he was friends with President Roosevelt, and everyone was willing to support the war effort. I mean, that's come no different than what happened after 9/11, and certainly, we rally around as Americans, as we should. 

But at the same time, there was no one, and at least now, as I said before, we do have organizations that can help each other to support each other and to make sure that we get out of our silos. The point to allyship is getting out of our silos, and working even across the aisle, working with different people in different organizations, and finding that common ground where we can make a difference. 

I know the governors of each state are now meeting in Washington, D.C. They're having a [National] Governors Association meeting, because I just met with Governor Ducey. They've said, we don't always agree. They come from different parties, but they still try to find that common ground to find those issues that they can build upon, and then try to understand each other's differences and where the problems are. It's not easy. It takes a lot of time. You're not always going to agree, but we all have to try. We have a privilege in this country, where we can do that. In other countries, you cannot. It's a matter of appreciating each other's differences in trying to understand them. Building allyship is to work on those issues and even voting. 

Goodness sakes, right now voting is such a big issue. Everyone should be a part of that, ally, and work together to make sure that people are registered, have the right that can be there, to vote, understand the issues, whether it's community, state, national. It's all part of what we need to do to make this country better. To me, allyship is being American and supporting our efforts and our citizenship.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. Zahra, I saw that you had unmuted. Did you want to say something?

Zahra Billoo: Dr. Karen put it all really well. I would offer some additional considerations around allyship. The first is we have to let the most impacted people lead, right. So if I want to be an ally to people in different parts of the U.S. that are facing restrictions on their voting rights, right, they tell me what to do. If I want to be an ally to black communities who are facing just continued police violence, they tell me what to do. So that's the first thing I remind myself around allyship, which is to follow the lead of the most impacted people. 

The second is that so much of allyship is contingent on relationship building. So if I have never talked to my neighbors, I've never talked to my friends, I've never gotten out of my silo, and I show up in a time of crisis to be an ally, sure the effort is sincere, but it may be jarring for people who don't know me there. They're asking, who are you? How do I know that I can trust you? 

And that takes me to my third point, which is that allyship is at times most tested when it is uncomfortable. The Japanese American community risked unpopularity, risked discomfort, and continues to be really principled in their solidarity with the Muslim community, and so the question is, are you there for me when it's hard? Are you there for me when you have something to lose? 

When we consider these three things together, that's honestly when I think we get the strongest allyship. I let the most impacted person lead. I invest in my relationship with them. It's not an exchange of allyship, I am there for them as a friend, as a community member, and as the neighbor. And I am there for them, when it is less popular to do so. I'm there for them when I may take a personal or professional risk to be in solidarity with them. So as we think about allyship, in this era, when so many times the allies are the ones that come under attack, and everyone is nervous and doesn't know who to trust, these are the things I would suggest we consider.

Adena Ishii: Thank you. I appreciate that perspective. I think that's very important. Oftentimes I have seen folks who are trying to be allies with projects that I'm working on, and they sort of come in, and they have an idea of how things should be, and it's with the best intentions, right? But you know what they say about that, right? The road to hell is paved with the best intentions. So, you know, keeping in mind who is at the center of this? Thank you. 

Judge Gogo, did you have anything you want to add about allyship?

Judge Gogo: Just one small part, again, tying it back to the flag, because many people on this panel may not know, and in the audience may not know that I'm actually from the beautiful island of Guam. And so I'm Guamanian, right, Pacific Islander American, and I'm not Japanese American. Some people say, you know, Johnny, you're not Japanese American, why are you doing this project? Ultimately, it's because I'm an American, and I want to do the right thing. When you talk about allies and allyship, when I took the flag down to the 48 star flag down to Los Angeles, for the Los Angeles community to sign the flag, I was able to set up a special one-on-one signing with George Takei from Star Trek fame. George, when he was signing the flag, and we were chatting a little bit about this project, he says, "You know what you are, Johnny?" he says, "You're an ally." It's little things like that, this signing project, educating our younger generation, those little bits of things that individuals can do, adds to being an ally and allyship.

Resilience of Japanese American WWII Camp Survivors

Adena Ishii: Thank you for sharing that story. I'd like to ask you another question, Judge Gogo. In your conversations with survivors of the Japanese American concentration camps, did they ever speak about how they stayed strong during that time, going back to this resilience?

Judge Gogo: Thank you again, Adena. On these five flags, we've accumulated over 1,000 signatures from survivors. Those 1,000 signatures represent 1,000 different stories. Each individual has their own unique story. 

I'm reminded of my last visit, and I was able to take at least most of these flags to all of the 10 relocation camps. The last camp that I visited, on December 31st, was Manzanar, and I had the opportunity to visit the museum at Manzanar. When you visit the museum and Manzanar, one of the photos and signs that they show you is for Manzanar's "One camp. 10,000 lives. One camp. 10,000 stories."

In my research and in reading the different memoirs and listening to the nisei generation tell me and share with me their stories, the "shikata ga nai" phrase, it cannot be helped, you know, accepting what cannot be changed and doing your best to let it roll off your back. That was the model of the first generation, or the issei generation, right, the immigrants from Japan, and those were the adults who had to take care of their children in the camps. Because they had faced this discrimination and racism when they immigrated from Japan, that was what they were used to, right? Again, as both Zahra and Dr. Karen Korematsu stated, we didn't have the allyship that we do these days, nobody standing up to help protect the Japanese American community. So they had to essentially endure or deal with it. The other Japanese word that I learned was "gaman," you know, its of Zen Buddhist origin, meaning to endure the seemingly unbearable with patience and dignity, perseverance. 

Those are the key concepts that I learned from talking with those that were in the camps. That's how they had to learn to live through this. It was the issei generation that suffered the most stress and the most anxiety, because they had to leave all of their possessions behind, their belongings, their professional lives, their businesses, their schooling, etc., and forced into these relocation camps, and that is traumatizing. That is post-traumatic stress syndrome, at its definition. So that's how they got through it.

Adena Ishii: Thank you for sharing that and for sharing those stories, and just to add to that idea that there are so many different stories that each individual has their own story. I think, also, I want to comment that I know there are people who felt that gaman was not enough. Actually, the way that they were able to survive that experience was doing something, you know, fighting back against it or protesting. And, and I think that in the next sort of generation, the sansei, I've seen that a lot,

Judge Gogo: Yeah, if I can add to that. Thank you, Adena, for reminding me. Not all of the folks in the camps agreed on one particular response. Again, you have different individuals with different opinions, different mindsets. There were some in the camps that were pro-Japan. After Pearl Harbor and after the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans, there were some that were very, very much wanting to to join the United States military to fight back both in the European theater as well as the Pacific theater, and they were initially denied the opportunity to join the military, because the United States government, again at that time, prohibited Japanese Americans from joining the military. And then there were those who resisted in the camps. They resisted going into the draft. And so there were a lot of differing opinions as I learned and listened and read and studied throughout this project. Very fascinating experience for me to go on this journey. So thank you for reminding me about the differing opinions amongst the Japanese American community within the camps themselves.

Adena Ishii: Yeah, thank you. And thanks for adding on those lessons that you learned as well. I think also as a fourth-generation Japanese American, as a yonsei, one of the reasons why I'm really passionate about this work and fighting for racial justice is because of my grandparents' experience, that one of my grandmothers was in camp, and then I had two grandfathers that both served in the Military Intelligence Service, and also the 442nd [Regiment], so it's very much a part of my family history, and I think still really impacts me and how I feel, when I see racial injustice happen today. 

For the full panel discussion, please watch the recording above.

Learn about Civil Rights Champion Fred Korematsu and His Fight for Justice at the Seventh Annual Commemoration

This month, America celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, a day when we honor our most famous civil rights leader, remember the struggles that he and others faced, and reflect upon the state of racism and civil liberties today. But Dr. King is not the only civil rights hero we should all be saluting this month. January 30 is Fred Korematsu Day, a day to honor a Bay Area native and national icon who challenged the federal government for the illegal incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, advocated for reparations for Japanese American internees, and fought for the civil rights of all Americans throughout his life. 

But how much do you really know about Fred Korematsu and his impact on American democracy? Where do Japanese Americans stand in current discussions of civil rights in an era of anti-Asian hate crimes, Black Lives Matter protests, and reactionary legislation against critical race theory? How does Korematsu’s legacy affect Muslim Americans, immigrants from Latin America, and other people of color?

Join us this Sunday, January 30 at 11:30am for a virtual community event, Seventh Annual Commemoration of Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution. Once again, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose is an official organizer of the event, along with The Superior Court of California, The Fred T. Korematsu Institute, Asian Law Alliance, Council on American-Islamic Relations - San Francisco Bay Area (CAIR-SFBA), Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley, and Santa Clara University School of Law.

This year’s event will kick off with the presentation of vintage, World War II-era flags autographed by Japanese American incarceration camp survivors from across the nation.  Judge Johnny Gogo of the Santa Clara County Superior Court, who spearheaded the 48-Star Flag-Signing Project, will present a flag each to Dr. Karen Korematsu, founder and executive director of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute and daughter of Fred Korematsu, and to the Japanese American Museum of San Jose, where it will be on display.

At 12:00 noon, the event will feature a panel discussion, “Building Resilience in the Fight for Racial Justice: Learning from the Past to Build a Better Future.” Panelists will include Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIR-SFBA, Judge Johnny Gogo and Dr. Karen Korematsu.

To join the virtual event, please register here.

Attorneys attending the event can receive one hour of Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit, provided by the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Silicon Valley.

Streets in San Jose named after Japanese American civil rights leaders Fred Korematsu and Gordon Hirabayashi.

FAQs

Where can I learn more about Fred Korematsu?

Here are some resources:

• Read his bio or request an educational toolkit on the Fred T. Korematsu Institute website

• Watch video: Fred Korematsu: A Civil Rights Hero

• Access education resources on the U.S. Courts website

Where is Fred Korematsu Day observed?

Fred Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution is observed every year in California, Florida, Hawaii, Virginia, and New York City. Several other states have also recognized Fred Korematsu Day by proclamation.

What was Fred Korematsu convicted of?

In 1942, Korematsu was convicted of defying military orders for Japanese Americans to report to relocation centers for incarceration.

Where were Fred Korematsu and his family incarcerated?

They were sent to the Central Utah War Relocation Center, also known as the Topaz Relocation Center, where they lived in a converted horse stall.

Why did the United States Supreme Court uphold Korematsu’s conviction in 1944?

During his incarceration, Korematsu fought his conviction, eventually leading to the federal case, Korematsu v. United States. On December 18, 1944, a divided court ruled that the incarceration of Japanese Americans was lawful due to “imminent danger to public safety.”

How was Korematsu’s conviction overturned?

Korematsu’s conviction was overturned in 1983 after legal historian Professor Peter Irons and researcher Aiko Herzig Yoshinaga discovered that in 1944, the government’s legal team willfully withheld F.B.I. reports from the Supreme Court and even attempted to destroy some of these documents that showed that Japanese Americans committed no acts of treason and posed no threat to the country, making mass incarceration unjustified. A pro bono team that included the Asian Law Caucus re-opened the Korematsu case on the basis of government misconduct, and his conviction was overturned on November 10, 1983.

What honors and awards did Fred Korematsu receive?

Some of the many honors and awards that Fred Korematsu received include the Presidential Medal of Honor, the California Senate Medal, Rainbow PUSH Coalition Trailblazer Award, Pearstein Civil Rights Award, Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award, National ACLU Roger N. Baldwin Medal of Liberty Award, and honorary doctorates from City University of New York Law School, University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law, California State University East Bay, and the University of San Francisco. 

For more information, see the Fred T. Korematsu Institute website.

Where did Fred Korematsu live in the Bay Area?

Fred Korematsu was born in Oakland and lived many years in San Leandro, where a high school campus is named after him.

39th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance

By Will KakuThe 39th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance event commemorates the 77th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066. The order led to the forced removal and incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent during World War II. Hundreds of people will gather together at this annual event not only to remember that great civil liberties tragedy but to also reflect on what that event means to all of us today.The 2019 event carries the theme "#Never Again Is Now". During the past year, the story of Japanese American incarceration has been melded into several big national stories.In June, many Americans were alarmed by the consequences of the government's "Zero-Tolerance" border policy.  People were horrified when they saw photos of children in cages and when they heard children crying for their parents who were separately held in other detention centers.   In an op-ed in the Washington Post, former First Lady Laura Bush wrote, "These images are eerily reminiscent of the Japanese American internment camps in World War II, now considered to have been one of the most shameful episodes in U.S. history."Other prominent Americans also drew stark parallels with the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans. Actor and activist, George Takei, said, "I cannot for a moment imagine what my childhood would have been like had I been thrown into a camp without my parents. That this is happening today fills me with both rage and grief: rage toward a failed political leadership who appear to have lost even their most basic humanity, and a profound grief for the families affected."Another big national story materialized a few weeks later when the United States Supreme Court reversed a series of lower court decisions by upholding the third revision of the Trump travel ban.  The decision in  Trump v. Hawaii also referred to Japanese American WW II incarceration. Justice Sonia Sotomayor scorching dissent invoked the 1944 Supreme Court case, Korematsu v. United States:"By blindly accepting the Government’s misguided invitation to sanction a discriminatory policy motivated by animosity toward a disfavored group, all in the name of a superficial claim of national security, the Court redeploys the same dangerous logic underlying  Korematsu and merely replaces one “gravely wrong” decision with another."Although the Court's five majority justices disagreed with Justice Sotomayor, the majority opinion stated that the Court now had the opportunity to "express what is already obvious: Korematsu was gravely wrong the day it was decided, has been overruled in the court of history, and—to be clear—has no place in law under the Constitution.”The San Jose Day of Remembrance event was started 39 years ago by local activists to bring awareness of the United States government's actions to forcibly remove and disrupt the Japanese American community.  The organizers, the Nihomachi Outreach Committee (NOC), also wanted to use the event to mobilize the community in support of a formal apology by the United States government.  This apology was eventually given as a part of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988.As recipients of an official apology from the United States government, many Japanese Americans, as well as other Americans, feel that it is their responsibility to defend their friends, neighbors,  classmates, colleagues, and other communities when they become the target of discrimination. During these tumultuous and divisive times, ordinary people are rising up within their own communities to effect positive change. This spirit of community activism is captured in the annual San Jose Day of Remembrance event.

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San Jose Day of RemembranceSunday, February 17, 20195:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin640 North Fifth StreetSan Jose, CA

Visit www.sjnoc.org for more information.The 39th Day of Remembrance features Don Tamaki, an attorney from the Korematsu Coram Nobis legal team; Teresa Castellanos, a representative from the County of Santa Clara Office of Immigrant Relations; Chizu Omori, an activist, former internee, and co-producer of the film, "Rabbit in the Moon"; a special performance by internationally acclaimed San Jose Taiko, and the traditional candlelight procession through historic San Jose Japantown.   

36th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance: Memories of Leaving San Jose

“He put his head against my father’s shoulder and cried. He said, ‘Mr. Yamaichi, my boss told me that they were going to put all of you into camps.’”

By Will KakuThe 36^th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance will take place on February 14, 2016, at a historically significant venue, Yoshihiro Uchida Hall at San Jose State University. The hall is the same location where Japanese Americans were processed before they were forcibly sent to detention centers at the end of May, 1942. The Day of Remembrance program will start at Morris Dailey Auditorium and the program will conclude with a solemn candlelight procession to Uchida Hall. Inside the Uchida Hall, JAMsj curator, Jimi Yamaichi, will recount what happened in the hall’s gymnasium 74 years ago and the tumultuous events that surrounded the forced removal of several thousand Japanese Americans in the San Jose area.Jimi recalled, “On Sunday night (the evening of the Pearl Harbor attack), we were visited by Ted Myers who was a buyer of our farm produce and a family friend. He said that he got a call from the main office in Los Angeles telling him to go down there for an urgent meeting.”On Wednesday afternoon, Myers came back to see the Yamaichi family. “I can still remember how his face looked,” Jimi remembered. “He put his head against my father’s shoulder and cried. He said, ‘Mr. Yamaichi, my boss told me that there were going to put all of you into camps.’”Jimi trusted Myers’ information in the context of the racially-charged times. “For many years, they tried to get us out of California. You have to understand that although Japanese only made up 2% of the population, we controlled a majority of the vegetable market. The Farm Bureau, the California State Grange, the American Legion, and the Sons and Daughters of the Golden West, were among many anti-Japanese groups and they were lobbying hard to get rid of us. This was their opportunity to finally break our backs and decimate the Japanese farmer.”A few months later, signs were posted on telephone poles that specified that all people of Japanese descent would be removed from the San Jose area by 12 p.m. on Saturday, May 30, 1942. Family representatives were told to report to the men’s gymnasium at San Jose State College (now renamed Yoshihiro Uchida Hall at San Jose State University). On May 23 and May 24, the gymnasium served as a registration center that processed 2,847 people of Japanese descent before they were incarcerated. Because Jimi’s father could not read or write English, Jimi represented his family.Many decisions had to be made in a short amount of time. “We sold our cars, tractors, and other major stuff at a big discount,” Jimi remembered. “We also looked at leasing our property. Our insurance agent said, ‘I’ll take care of it. I don’t need a Power of Attorney agreement. I’ll collect the rent and put it in the bank.” Jimi’s second cousin was not so lucky. “He gave the full Power of Attorney to a friend. He had 24 acres. When he came back, his friend said, ‘it is not your property; it’s mine.’”On May 30, 1942, Jimi and his large family were driven by their insurance agent friend and a grammar school principle to the departure point near the railway station at San Pedro Street. Many of the San Jose residents were sent to the thoroughbred racetrack in Arcadia, California which was converted into the Santa Anita Assembly Center. That center filled up so they sent Jimi and his family to the detention center in Pomona, California. Jimi and his family would not return to the San Jose area until 1946.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

36th Annual San Jose Day of RemembranceFebruary 14, 20165:30 p.m - 7:30 p.m.Morris Dailey AuditoriumSan Jose State University

The 2016 San Jose Day of Remembrance commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens.The theme of the 2016 event is "Wartime Hysteria." In the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, the U.S government acknowledged that "a great injustice was done to both citizens and permanent resident aliens of Japanese ancestry" and that the acts were "motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership." The 2016 Day of Remembrance theme warns against the rise of wartime hysteria, as well as racial and religious discrimination, in today's politically volatile, emotionally-charged environment as the nation confronts the issues of war, refugees, and terrorism.A featured speaker will be Jimi Yamaichi, a prominent leader in the San Jose Japantown community, who will recount his memories of being processed at the gymnasium and forcibly uprooted from his home during those traumatic days of 1942.Other speakers include Congressman Mike Honda, who was incarcerated at the Amache internment camp,  Japanese American Museum of San Jose president and SJSU alumnus, Aggie Idemoto, poet Ann Muto, and other members from the community. The annual event will also include a performance by the internationally acclaimed, San Jose Taiko, and a special candlelight procession to Yoshihiro Uchida Hall, the same location where Japanese Americans were processed before they were forcibly removed from the San Jose area.The event will be held on February 14, 2016, from 5:30-7:30 p.m, in the Morris Dailey Auditorium. A post-event reception will take place in nearby Uchida Hall. The event is free and open to the public (campus parking garages charge a fee).For more information, email info@sjnoc.org.Website: www.sjnoc.orgMap to Morris Dailey Auditorium at San Jose State University.  

The Importance of Japanese American Traditions

By  Susan NakamuraOne of the goals of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) is to preserve the unique history of our ancestors for future generations and to share their accomplishments and hardships with others. Japanese Americans can trace their roots to Japan. But their immigration to America, farming experience, and incarceration during World War II have combined to create Japanese American identity and culture.As a young girl, I recall my mother pointing out my grandfather as an example of gaman: persevering through difficult times with hard work and without complaining. Through his example I should learn these virtues. Because my grandfather was born in Oahu, Hawaii, at that time a U.S. territory, he was a dual citizen of the United States and Japan. The family came stateside in 1906, the year of the San Francisco earthquake. They were forced to move every four years because the California Alien Land Law of 1913 prohibited Japanese from owning land or possessing leases for more than three years.My grandmother was a picture bride from Kumamoto, a province on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Initially, my grandmother and her father were reluctant to have her travel to a ‘foreign’ country and unknown land. Her father later changed his mind. He told my grandmother that if she went to America and married my grandfather, they would   return to Japan in three years. As it turned out, they never returned to Japan.My Grandmother Kajiu changed her name to Yoso, because Kajiu was also the name of my grandfather’s mother. And two Kajius in America would be too confusing. She took the name Yoso, her older sister’s name, who died earlier from a brain hemorrhage after working in the rice fields.According to papers, my grandparents were married in 1919, but my grandmother did not make her journey to America until 1920. She sailed out of the port of Nagasaki on the SS Persia Maru, the last ship for picture brides from Japan.   The journey to California took 27 days, with a stop in Hawaii to let off other picture brides.Like many Japanese immigrants in Santa Clara valley, they worked as farmers. They grew strawberries and vegetables in Sunnyvale, San Jose, and Campbell while they raised their growing family. In about 1940, the family of seven children moved back to Campbell, where they lived in a tar-paper house with an outdoor furo (bath) and latrine (outhouse). The location of the property was on Union Avenue, not too far from the Pruneyard shopping center, which at that time was a prune orchard.During WWII, the family was incarcerated in the Heart Mountain Relocation Center in Wyoming. The family members traveled there by train with the blinds drawn down; they were not allowed to look out the window. Then they were transported in military trucks to the barracks. They saw their first snow ever, and to these Californians it was very cold.   Their barracks had a pot belly coal stove in the middle and army cots for beds. The mess hall, bathroom, and washroom were in another building. There were blizzards in the winter and thunderstorms in the summer.After the war ended in 1945, my grandparents’ family members returned to Campbell. They were fortunate that their landlord, Mr. Whipple, had watched their house and belongings. But they had to start from scratch to get on their feet and earn a living. They picked prunes, prunes, and more prunes, because it was a family job, one in which everyone worked together. Later they became sharecroppers, growing strawberries with other white farmers.Growing up in Santa Clara Valley, our extended family traditions included mochitsuki, obon, and hinamatsuri. It is amazing that these traditions could survive through all the hardships of life in America.At JAMsj, these traditions are being carried forward so that future generations and the community can learn about their roots or the roots of their friends. Strong personal virtues and a sense of one’s roots can help develop your own identity and define who you are. And that is why we at JAMsj feel it is important to have programs and events to celebrate, commemorate, and uphold these traditions.For more information about internment camps and to view a replica of a camp barrack, visit JAMsj at 535 North Fifth Street in San Jose. Completely run and operated by community volunteers, JAMsj is open from Thursday through Sunday, 12 noon to 4 p.m. The admission fee is $5 for adults; $3 for seniors and students; and free to members, children under 12, and active military. We would love to see you.Please join JAMsj on March 1 for our annual hinamatsuri festivities. Children and their parents will be able to create items with paper, glue, and other crafting supplies. Hinamatsuri activities are fun, social, and open to the public. Adult helpers will be on hand to supervise these fun art activities.(I credit my aunt, June Takata, who was the unofficial family historian, for the many details included here. I also picked prunes.)

35th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance: Stories from the Past, Lessons for Today.

The 2015 San Jose Day of Remembrance that will take place on February 15, 2015, commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066, which occurred on February 19, 1942. This executive order led to the incarceration of more than 100,000 Japanese Americans during WW II.The theme for the 35th San Jose Day of Remembrance event is “Stories from the Past,  Lessons for Today.” During the program, personal stories about  the Japanese American incarceration will be told by descendants of those whose lives were deeply affected by Executive Order 9066.  Kent Carson, a volunteer docent with the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj), will be one of our  speakers. He will recount the story of his grandfather, Terry Terakawa, who is also an active volunteer and a former board member of JAMsj.Recently, Carson transcribed his grandfather's story about what happened to his family after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  After the attack, prominent members of the Japanese American community were immediately rounded up without due process and taken away.   This is Terakawa’s story as told to Carson:

After Pearl Harbor, some FBI agents knocked on my door. We answered it, and they started going through our house, looking for something. They didn't tell us why they were there or what they were looking for. I asked them what they were looking for, but they just ignored me because I was just a young kid. Of course, they were probably looking for weapons or some kind of evidence that showed any kind of collaboration with the Japanese.

They asked us where Dad was. He was a very high-ranking member of the Buddhist Church in Walnut Grove, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah, and they were obviously very suspicious of him and his connections to the Japanese American community.

He was in the hospital at that time. He had some kind of illness and had to be put into a big iron lung. I found out that they went to his hospital room, opened the iron lung machine, and tried to take him outside. The hospital administrators and doctors were so angry at these agents that they called up the agents' superiors and reported what was happening. They were ordered to put Dad back into his hospital room. They said that they would wait until he was healthy enough to come back home, and then they would come see him.

Once he was out of the hospital, they came over to our house and arrested my father, and then took him away to the police station in our town, without even asking him any questions. They allowed my family to come down to see him one last time before they took him away to jail. At the station, officers walked him outside towards the transport bus. As they were walking away, my Mom handed me a picture of our family and told me to give it to my father to keep while he was in jail. I ran up to my father, but before I could give him the picture,  I remember getting hit in the head by one of the officers and falling to the ground. Sadly, I wasn't able to give him our family picture.

That was the last time I saw him for a long time, probably up to nine months or almost a year. I didn't know where they took him, and I'm not sure they even told my Mom or anyone else in my family. We were living in Salt Lake City at the time, which even then had a very strong Mormon community. Fortunately for us, we were surrounded by many supportive people within that community who reached out  and helped us. When my father was finally released and came back home to us, many people and community leaders in the area continued to support our family, especially my father. They said that if we needed anything or had any problems, they would help us out.

Carson reflected on his conversation with his grandfather. “Hearing my grandfather’s stories has helped inspire me. It’s an important part of history. It was a time when a community was torn apart. We can take lessons from that now and apply them to building and nourishing our own communities today. "The San Jose Day of Remembrance will take place on Sunday, February 15, 2015, from 5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m., at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin,  located at 640 North Fifth Street in San Jose. Each year, attendees gather to remember the great civil liberties tragedy from over seventy years ago and each one of us reflects on what that event means to us today.For more information, visit www.sjnoc.org.

34th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance: Joe Yasutake

The 2014 San Jose Day of Remembrance will be held on February 16, 2014. This year’s event features speakers: Dale Minami, the lead attorney on the legal team that overturned the conviction against Fred Korematsu, who defied the World War II Japanese American mass incarceration order which led to the controversial United States Supreme Court case, Korematsu v. United States; Congressman Mike Honda, and JAMsj former president and current board member, Joe Yasutake.34th Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance Featured Speaker: Joe YasutakeBy Will KakuJoe Yasutake has been one of the key contributors in shaping the vision of the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) and San Jose Japantown. Although Joe and his family were incarcerated in Japanese American internment camps during WWII, only relatively recently has Joe became involved in telling his story, as well as the stories of other Japanese Americans.“I don’t ever remember talking about the camps,” Joe recalled. “It never came up. When I left camp and returned to school, I didn’t interact with the other Japanese American students who tried to recruit me into their Nisei clubs. Now looking back on it, I think subconsciously I was in denial.”It wasn’t until Joe moved to San Jose did he revisit his past. Ken Iwagaki, a JAMsj founder, asked Joe if he could speak to a high school class about his internment experience. “I didn’t know anything about it,” Joe recalled. “I never thought about it so I had to do a quick study.  It was during that time I really got interested.”Joe has a special story to tell since his father, Jack Yasutake, was a first-generation Japanese immigrant (Issei) who served as an interpreter for the U.S. government’s immigration department at the time of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Jack was taken into custody immediately after the attack. “He must have been one of the first Issei men who were picked up,” Joe stated. “Through the Freedom of Information Act, we obtained a file that is about a foot thick. It was clear that the government had been tracking him since about 1936.” Joe was 9 years old when the FBI came to imprison his father, and he clearly remembers that day. “It was a Sunday, and we (the children) had just come back home from church while my mother had stayed back to do something. This could not have been more than a few hours after Pearl Harbor. Four large men came to our door, and we told the FBI men that my father was at a poetry reading event. Two men left to go there, and the other two searched our house. My mother then came home and was alarmed. She started to speak Japanese, and they kept yelling at her, ‘Speak English. Don’t speak Japanese!’”The visit by the FBI was a very frightening experience for young Joe. “It was very traumatic,” Joe remembered. “We used to have a great big console radio, and they took that away because it had a short-wave band on it. I remember that because all of a sudden I lost my communication with the Lone Ranger, Jack Armstrong, and all of those people.”Joe’s father was taken into custody at the poetry reading event. Ironically, he was detained in a cell in the same immigration building where he used to work. His coworkers tried to help him. “In fact, my name Joseph came from one of my dad’s colleagues. They really stuck up for him from the very beginning. They would let my mother know exactly what was going on almost on a daily basis. We saw the letters that they wrote on my father’s behalf to try to get him out.”Jack Yasutake was eventually incarcerated in various Department of Justice camps. Because of his English communication skills, he would become the spokesman for the other inmates at all of the camps. Ironically, he also wrote letters for the illiterate camp guards to their families.Joe, his mother, and his three older siblings were also incarcerated in the Puyallup Assembly Center in western Washington and in the Minidoka War Relocation Authority camp in Idaho. Since their father was imprisoned separately in higher-security camps, communication with him was difficult. Joe recalled, “We used to get letters that were about three paragraphs long, and everything was blacked out. You couldn’t see anything but the signature of the sender. There was definitely heavy censorship going on.”While Joe was in the Minidoka camp, his older siblings engaged in many serious discussions about their family’s future. Joe overheard some of their secretive discussions when they thought he was sleeping. Joe’s oldest brother and sister planned to leave the camp to attend school near Cincinnati, Ohio, while his other brother joined the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team in Europe. Young Joe heard that his older brother decided to join the U.S. Army, thinking that his action would help gain their father’s release. “Unfortunately and fortunately, he was wounded in battle,” Joe remarked. “He was wounded a week or two before the famous ‘Lost Battalion’ battle, but he was in the hospital. His replacement and most of his unit were killed.”Joe and his mother were finally able to reunite with their father when they transferred to the Crystal City Department of Justice camp in Texas. Towards the end of the war, Joe and his parents were released. They moved to Chicago, where Jack would eventually become the executive director of the Chicago Resettlers Committee, an agency that assisted former Japanese American internees to restart their lives.Although Joe didn’t feel the need to talk about his wartime experience in earlier years, now he feels compelled to tell his story. “We really need to keep aware of this because of the state of our country,” Joe said. “There are things that are going on today that are just as relevant as seventy years ago. It is very important that people do not forget what happened.”---------------------------------------------------------------Joe Yasutake has been a past president of JAMsj and is currently serving as a board member. Previously, he held several leadership positions within San Jose Japantown, including the first president of the Japantown Community Congress (JCCsj) and chair of the Council of Ministries at Wesley United Methodist Church. Additionally, he has spearheaded the development of many historical landmarks seen throughout Japantown. In his professional life, , Joe earned a Ph.D in Industrial Psychology from Ohio State University and spent most of his professional career as a psychologist and manager for the U.S. Air Force. Joe finished up his career working on a joint Japan-U.S. research program on reducing human errors in electric and nuclear power plant operations.The San Jose Day of Remembrance event will be held on Sunday, February 16, 2014 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, located at 640 N. Fifth Street, San Jose, California 95112 . For more information about the San Jose Day of Remembrance, visit www.sjnoc.org

What's new at Manzanar

Imagine visiting one of the World War II American concentration camps and actually being able to see what it looked like when Japanese Americans were incarcerated there.  Modern technology and the hard work of various organizations will soon make this possible. A good example of the former is  CyArk, a non-profit organization dedicated to the digital preservation of cultural heritage sites. CyArk’s work in digitally reconstructing the Manzanar, Topaz, and Tule Lake Wartime Relocation Authority (WRA) camps, together with the development of a “demonstration block” at Manzanar, will allow visitors to be part of both virtual and physical realities.Although some of this is still a work in progress, the Manzanar National Historic Site is already well worth a visit. In addition to the demonstration block, which today includes a mess hall and two barracks, there is a lot to see:  a very impressive interpretive center, rotating exhibits, and quality public programs.  In addition, helpful park rangers are on site. The interpretive display inside of the mess hall is already open to the public.  In addition, visitors can walk through the barracks to get a feel for things to come.

CYARK

Cyark’s work in digitally reconstructing Manzanar (circa 1944) is part of an exciting, larger project, the Japanese American Confinement Sites Grant.  Cyark is working on this project in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), Manzanar National Historic Site, Tule Lake Unit of the WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument, and Topaz Museum.Elizabeth Lee, CyArk’s Director of Operations, was interviewed by Manzanar Committee blogger Gann Matsuda last year after a preview/feedback session in Los Angeles. Lee described the project as “going beyond just capturing the physical remains at the site, of which, there are very few.” She went on to say that, “Using that as a foundation, and combining that with historic resources, such as maps, photographs, and even oral histories, we can virtually reconstruct the site in 3D, and in an immersive, interactive environment.”The first step of Cyark’s work uses laser scan data that is collected at each site, GPS, and photography to accurately capture the sites and their landscape in 3D. Coupled with historic documentation such as architectural drawings, photographs, and archival research, CyArk is able to develop a virtual recreation of the site. For example, although today Merritt Park at Manzanar is arid and dusty, the virtual recreation shows the park as it was in 1944, including the waterfall that connected the two ponds and the famous wild rose bushes grafted by Kuichiro Nishi. Visitors will even be able to hear the sound of the waterfall. A video preview of the Merritt Park reconstruction can be found on CyArk’s Virtual Manzanar blog.Parks and gardens are not the only things captured in this project.  A large portion of the entire site, including the barracks (both interior and exterior), is also included.  The high-tech computer generated imagery (cgi) videos, coupled with oral histories featuring former prisoners and historic images, provide a unique opportunity to experience what life was like for the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in these WRA camps.Not only will those interested be able to visit these camps virtually via the Internet, but also visitors will be able to experience an “augmented reality” through the use of smart phones or tablets. The vision is for visitors to be able to see not just the reality of a site in front of them today (for example, the dry and arid Merritt Park), but also see on their devices the digitally reconstructed image of what that exact same view might have looked like in 1944. When visitors move, the view on the device would move with them. Lee described this as “a window into time, looking back some sixty years.”Gann Matsuda’s full-length blog, detailing this very interesting project, "Interactive 3D Model Could Revolutionize Real and Virtual Visitor Experience For Manzanar," can be found on the Manzanar Committee’s website.For more information about our upcoming March 16 presentation by CyArk, please contact Komo at PublicPrograms@JAMsj.org. A full announcement will appear in next month’s edition of the JAMsj E-News.

DEMONSTRATION BLOCK AT MANZANAR

The Manzanar War Relocation Center confined more than 10,000 Japanese Americans in 36 blocks from 1942 to 1945. Each block included 14 barracks buildings, a mess hall, a recreation building, latrines, and laundry and ironing rooms. After the war, the buildings were sold for scrap lumber or relocated. A visit to the site will quickly show how barren it is today. Thanks to an ambitious project to develop a “demonstration block” that interprets daily life in the camp, visitors will be able to get a glimpse of life was like for Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated during World War II.So far, a mess hall and two barracks have been constructed in Block 14.  In addition, the design work for four utility buildings has already been completed. Friends of Manzanar, a nonprofit partner of the NPS, continues to raise funds to support the development and interpretation of Block 14.The project was approved in 1997, after consultation with the Manzanar Advisory Commission, former internees, and historians. The first physical element of the reconstruction was the World War II-era mess hall.  In December 2002, after a period of negotiation with Inyo County, it was delivered by truck in four sections from the Bishop airport. Although this mess hall was not at Manzanar during World War II, it was constructed during the same period from essentially the same mess hall plans used at Manzanar. Eventually,  NPS received funding to restore the building to its 1942 appearance and to develop exhibits.Park staff worked with Krister Olmon, Harvest Moon Studio, and Color-Ad Exhibits and Signage to create the exhibit, with research support from Friends of Manzanar. Opened in 2011, this restoration is a wonderful exhibit, reflecting what life was like in the WRA camps and emphasizing the central importance of the mess hall. The installation includes historic photos, articles, and quotes, as well as period items chosen to reflect what might have been found in the mess hall during that time.In its January 2011 press release, NPS Superintendent Les Inafuku described his experience saying, "As I walk through the mess hall, I find myself imagining that I've walked in right at the busiest moment of a meal and that I'd better be careful not to bump into a cook or dish washer. My great thanks go out to the former internees who provided us with the fine details about meals and the mess halls, plus the countless hours that our Manzanar staff and our creative and dedicated exhibit designers and fabricators devoted to research, develop concepts of, and  produce the exhibits."Dick Mansfield, a Friends of Manzanar director and the organization’s treasurer, says there are currently two primary Block 14 projects, both still in the planning stages, under way:

• Development and installation of interpretive materials within reconstructed Barracks 1 and 8
•  Reconstruction and interpretation of the four central utility buildings--the men’s and women’s latrines, the laundry room, and the ironing room

The interpretive materials for Barracks 1 and 8 are fully funded, planning is nearly completed, and the installation is expected by late 2013 or early 2014. Detailed plans for the four central utility buildings have been drafted, but the project is still in the funding stage. Friends of Manzanar, which has undertaken to provide funding for the central utility building project, has an anticipated budget  of $1 million.In the fiscal year 2009 to 2010, Congress approved funding, proposed by California Senator Diane Feinstein, for reconstructing Barracks 1 and 8 on Block 14. The barracks have been open to visitors for more than a year and a half, although the interpretive work in the two buildings is still in progress. Barracks 1 reflects what it would have been like when Japanese Americans first arrived at Manzanar in 1942, while Barracks 8 reflects life in 1945. A visitor viewing the site today can walk through the buildings and see the difference. Barracks 1 has wooden planks, complete with gaps, and no wall covering. In Barracks 8, the planks are covered with linoleum flooring.In the January 2010 NPS press release for the groundbreaking of the barracks, Superintendent Inafuku noted, “All Americans had to adapt during World War II, including Japanese Americans confined at Manzanar. Future visitors to Block 14 can learn how Japanese Americans lived at Manzanar and improved their living situations. Our elders can still inspire us to improve our lives and help shape our great nation.”

EXCAVATION OPPORTUNITIES

The NPS has offered opportunities for the general public to help with archeological digs at Manzanar for several years. Park Ranger Kristen Luetkemeier confirmed plans to offer this program again this summer. The three digs are led by noted confinement-sites archeologist Jeff Burton (jeff_burton@nps.gov), under whose direction many of the beautiful decorative gardens developed by the confined persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II have been excavated.A description of one of the 2012 digs states:Within Block 14 of the internee housing area, volunteers will search for a lost fish pond, investigate possible basements, excavate and restore other landscaping and barracks features, and rebuild a retaining wall next to a basketball court. Uncovering and restoring these will help increase visitor understanding of the internee experience, as well as protect these important historic resources. Volunteers will be digging with shovels and small hand tools, using wheelbarrows, mixing concrete, reconstructing landscape features, and screening sediments to retrieve artifacts.Last year, the NPS was able to accommodate up to 10 volunteers (15 years old and up) per day. Although some of the work may be physically demanding, a variety of tasks is offered each day, “to suit a variety of interests and energy levels.” Tasks in the past have included digging with shovels and small hand tools, raking, operating wheelbarrows, screening sediments to retrieve artifacts, note taking, filling out forms and labels, and using a metal detector.  All NPS asks is that volunteers have an “interest in history and a willingness to get dirty.” Volunteers can work any number of days.Click here to read more about last year's digs.

SPECIAL EXHIBITS & PROGRAMS

The NPS  offers great programs and special exhibits.  One current exhibit features photos and stories from Twice Heroes: America’s Nisei Veterans of World War II and Korea by photographer/author Tom Graves.  Featured among the selected portraits are familiar faces such as the late Senator Daniel Inouye and former U.S. Secretary of Transportation, Norman Mineta, as well as less familiar heroes. Each portrait is accompanied by a short yet insightful story about that person.  This exhibit was unveiled at a special program held for Veterans’ Day and included a book talk with Graves.The five paragraphs on Inouye describe one of his many speaking engagements and ends with:Those seated near the podium could see him touch the gold star that hung on the sky blue ribbon around his neck. “As a politician, I have been honored many times,” he said. “To be honored by your brothers is the highest honor. When I wear this medal, I wear it on your behalf. There is no such thing as a one-man hero. I can think of at least a dozen men in my company who should be wearing this. The medals belong to you.”Another soldier’s story told of racism and ended with a note about how 442 soldiers received lesser medals than those of other units. The soldier felt that this was because Hawaii was not yet a state and had no congressman to push a Medal of Honor nomination. He went on to tell of how these veterans and widows were not compensated, saying that, “You cannot eat a Congressional Medal.”Twice Heroes book website

PILGRIMAGE

The annual pilgrimage to Manzanar is held every year on the last Saturday of April.  The 2012 program included a keynote speech by noted author and scholar Dr. Mitchell T. Maki, an afternoon program at the Manzanar cemetery site featuring taiko, an interfaith service, and traditional ondo dancing  In the evening, the popular Manzanar at Dusk program was held. More information on the 2013 pilgrimage will be available on the Manzanar Committee website as the date approaches.Links:http://blog.manzanarcommittee.org/2012/03/19/author-scholar-dr-mitchell-maki-to-keynote-43rd-annual-manzanar-pilgrimage-april-28-2012/http://blog.manzanarcommittee.org/2011/03/21/mako-nakagawa-to-keynote-42nd-annual-manzanar-pilgrimage/http://www.manzanarcommittee.org/The_Manzanar_Committee/Our_Pilgrimage.html

VISITING MANZANAR

In addition to the mess hall and two recently reconstructed barracks, the Manzanar’s Interpretive Center features extensive exhibits, audio-visual programs, and a bookstore. For people visiting the Manzanar National Historic Site, Dick Mansfield recommends starting at the interpretive center with the 22-minute film that shows every half hour.  Next, look through the excellent exhibits and visit Block 14, which is just a few steps from the interpretive center.  Lastly,  drive the peripheral road and imagine what this 10,000-person holding facility on the edge of the desert must have been like for people who had been forced out of their Pacific Coast homes, without any semblance of due process, in 1942.  He notes that the site will be even more meaningful to visitors as the planned development of Block 14 moves forward.Winter hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Manzanar is located at 5001 Hiway 395, six miles south of Independence and nine miles north of Lone Pine, California. Programs and exhibits are free and open to the public. For further information, please call (760) 878-2194 or visit the NPS website at www.nps.gov/manz.

2013 San Jose Day of Remembrance: The Changing Face of America

By Will KakuThe 2013 San Jose Day of Remembrance commemorates the signing of Executive Order 9066, which led to the forced incarceration of 120,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens.  The event will also recognize the 25^th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. This landmark legislation stated that “a grave injustice was done to both citizens and permanent residents of Japanese ancestry by the evacuation, relocation, and internment of civilians during World War II.”To many of us in the Japanese American community, the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 demonstrated that America can be a great nation.  America can look back in painful introspection and admit our past wrongs. But because our families and our community have been the recipients of the government’s apology and redress, many of us also believe that we bear a special responsibility to uphold the lessons learned from Executive Order 9066.The Civil Liberties Act of 1988 stated that the government’s actions “were motivated largely by racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and a failure of political leadership.” The reference to “prejudice” strikes a special chord with many Japanese Americans, leading us to believe that we must not be silent when we see our neighbors, friends, classmates, colleagues, and various communities become the targets of discrimination and violence. The 2013 San Jose Day of Remembrance program reflects this belief.The 2013 Day of Remembrance program, The Changing Face of America, acknowledges the changing composition of America. Many political observers have stated that the 2012 election results demonstrated a dramatic shift in the demographics of the country, citing the increasing influence of particular groups, such as Latinos, Asian Americans, African Americans, women, and younger Americans. The election also revealed some progressive gains in LGBT equality, the great civil rights struggle of this decade.Accompanying this dramatic demographic and attitudinal shift is an increased risk of backlash, intolerance, ignorance, xenophobia, and violence.  Some vocal segments of society have challenged or do not accept President Barack Obama's American origins and his Christian faith; the Muslim American community has been under special scrutiny since the terrorist attacks of 9/11; and some groups, like the Sikh community, have been the target of violent hate crimes.The Department of Justice has stated that it has “investigated over 800 incidents since 9/11 involving violence, threats, vandalism and arson against Arab-Americans, Muslims, Sikhs, South-Asian Americans and other individuals perceived to be of Middle Eastern origin.”1For the first time in San Jose Day of Remembrance history, a representative from the Sikh community, Simran Kaur, the advocacy director of the Sikh Coalition, will speak at the annual event.  The Sikh community has been a target of violence in the post-9/11 world, including the recent temple massacre in Oak Creek, Wisconsin; the 2011 double murder in Elk Grove, California; and the 2006 attempted murder in Santa Clara, California.2Other featured speakers will be Molly Kitajima, a Japanese Canadian who was incarcerated by the Canadian government during World War II; Congressman Mike Honda; and Sara Jaka from the South Bay Islamic Association. The program also includes a performance from internationally acclaimed  San Jose Taiko, a candle-lighting ceremony and remembrance, and the traditional candlelight procession through historic Japantown. The Japanese American Museum of San Jose will also have a special exhibit on display at the event. For more information, email info@sjnoc.org or visit www.sjnoc.org.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The Day of Remembrance is an event that aims to bring different communities together in order to build trust, respect, and understanding among all people and to renew our pledge to fight for equality, justice, and peace. Please plan on attending to help us all remember what happened and ensure that such injustices never occur again.The Sikh Coalition was born in the aftermath of bigotry, violence and discrimination against the Sikh population following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The Sikh Coalition is a community-based organization that works towards the realization of civil and human rights for all people. In particular, the organization works towards a world where Sikhs may freely practice and enjoy their faith while fostering strong relations with their local community wherever they may be.

Winter Boutique 2012 Artist Closeup: E. Fukushima

Winter Boutique 2012

JAMsj will hold its annual Winter Boutique on November 10, 2012. We sat down with one of the participating boutique artisans, Emi Fukushima, and talked to her about her products and her background.

Emi Fukushima

Creations by Emiwww.emiscreations.com

As a bilingual instructor in precious metal clay (silver clay), polymer clay, washi paper, and other materials, Emi teaches her techniques at stores and shows in the United States and Japan.JAMsj: How long have you been designing jewelry?Emi: I've been designing and making jewelry with fabric (especially kimono and obi fabrics) for more than 20 years. I mainly focus on jewelry at this time.  When I first started, I made other arts and crafts, which is my passion.  You can check my website (www.emiscreations.com) to see exactly what I did in the past.JAMsj: Why did you want to be involved in the JAMsj Winter Boutique?Emi:I have been participating in the JAMsj Winter Boutique ever since it started more than 20 years ago. It’s a great venue for JAMsj fundraising.  I mainly sell my jewelry at fundraising events.  Additionally, I am involved in other activities such as teaching, demonstrations and television programs showcasing my work (as noted on my website).  I have also taught workshops and classes throughout the U.S., including Hawaii, and in Japan.  I also teach and do demonstrations at major trade shows.JAMsj: Were you part of the evacuation and incarceration during World War II?Emi: Yes, I was incarcerated in the Tule Lake incarceration camp during WWII.  My memories of that time are very limited since I was quite young at the time.Click here for more information about the 2012 JAMsj Winter Boutique.

Winter Boutique 2012 Artist Close up: Cynthia Sasaki

Winter Boutique 2012

JAMsj will hold its annual Winter Boutique on November 10, 2012. We sat down with one of the participating boutique artisans, Cynthia Sasaki, and talked to her about her products and background.

Cynthia Sasaki

Cynthia Sasaki Designs

www.cynthiasasakidesigns.com

JAMsj: What products will you be showcasing at the Winter Boutique?

Cynthia: I am a jewelry designer. I love beautiful jewelry and how it makes a person feel when adding the special piece to their outfit to help them feel put together and confident.

 JAMsj: Why did you decide to participate in the JAMsj Winter Boutique?

Cynthia: Participating in the JAMsj Winter Boutique is an honor and a tribute to my heritage. I enjoy knowing that a percentage of my contributions go to such a worthy organization.

 JAMsj: Were you or someone you know incarcerated during WWII?

Cynthia: Both my parents and grandparents were incarcerated at the Rohwer, Arkansas incarceration camp. My father was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal  because of his duty as an MIS soldier.

Drop by the 2012 JAMsj Winter Boutique and say hello to Cynthia Sasaki. Click here to visit the JAMsj Winter Boutique web page for more information. 

Moving Days: The Japanese American Experience in the Santa Clara Valley

The Cupertino Library, a member of the Santa Clara County Library District, the Cupertino Library Foundation (CLF), and the Cupertino Historical Society are kicking off their third Santa Clara Valley History Collaborative exhibit and program series.  The Collaborative is excited to be working with two new community partners – the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj) and the California History Center at De Anza College (CHC) to present  Moving Days: The Japanese American Experience in the Santa Clara Valley.  The exhibit will run through December 31, 2012 at the Cupertino Library. The purpose of the joint collaboration is to enhance and promote the historical richness of the Santa Clara Valley.“We are very grateful to the Japanese American Museum of San Jose for their generosity.  They have provided the Collaborative with access to a wealth of historical photographs, artifacts and artwork that poignantly portray several aspects of the lives of Japanese Americans in the Santa Clara Valley over the last 70 years,” notes Cupertino Community Librarian, Mark Fink. “We are fortunate to have the opportunity to bring this powerful and thought provoking exhibit and series of programs to the community. The Cupertino Library Foundation continues to be a catalyst in bringing us all together to share our resources.”The kickoff event of “Moving Days” is scheduled for Sunday, September 30, 2012 from 1:30pm – 3:00pm with a public reception beginning at 12:45 in the Cupertino Community Hall located at 10350 Torre Ave. Cupertino, CA.  The public is invited to this free panel discussion entitled “Local Japanese Americans Remember Life Before and During World War II.”The moderator for this panel discussion will be Darcy Paul, a Cupertino Historical Society Board Member.  Panelists will discuss life before WWII in the Valley, life in an internment camp, life as a drafted or enlisted soldier, and how these experiences have shaped modern day lives and experiences.A second event, Civil Liberties and the Japanese American Experience is scheduled for Sunday, November 18, 2012, at Cupertino’s Community Hall from 12:45pm-3:00pm with a program and panel discussion, moderated by Tom Izu, Director of the California History Center at De Anza College. Panelists will discuss and debate the merits of the Japanese Internment experience, and the lessons learned that are applicable to modern life in America.“I am especially pleased to join forces with the Santa Clara Valley History Collaborative to present these poignant stories, and to reflect on the lessons we can learn from these experiences,” said Izu. “Collectively, we find healing in the process, and valuable lessons for our youth. I hope many families will attend.”The staff of the Cupertino Library have put together some book lists that interested patrons and program visitors can consult for more information on the theme of Moving Days: The Japanese American Experience in the Santa Clara Valley. A Cupertino Library book club discussion on Farewell to Manzanar by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston  has been selected in conjunction with the program theme, and the art display walls located in the Cupertino Library will be dedicated to displaying images related to the theme as further described  on the Cupertino Library Foundation web site.For further information go to: www.cupertinolibraryfoundation.org and visit www.jamsj.org

Heinlenville Exhibit Opens in September 2012

By Nancy Yang

This September, guest curators Connie Young Yu and Leslie Masunaga will unveil a special exhibit, "Common Ground: Chinatown and Japantown, San Jose," at JAMsj that focuses on the story of Heinlenville, San Jose’s last Chinatown. Yu is the author of Chinatown, San Jose, USA, now in its fourth edition.  The new JAMsj exhibit will focus on the personal story behind Heinlenville’s residents and chronicle that community’s relationship to and influence on current-day Japantown.The exhibit will feature artifacts from a 2008 Sonoma State University archaeological excavation of the Heinlenville site. Included in the collection are personal mementos of the curators, including a check made out by Masunaga’s grandfather to the Tuck Wo store, and objects from Yu’s family. There will also be a video associated with the exhibit that incorporates photos and interviews.The construction of San Jose’s last Chinatown began in 1887, several months after arson destroyed the Market Street Chinatown. Heinlenville was bordered by Fifth, Seventh, Jackson, and Taylor streets.  It was established at a time of great anti-Asian sentiment, amid calls by city leaders and citizens for the complete elimination of Chinese settlements within the city’s perimeters. Heinlenville was originally surrounded by an eight-foot high fence covered with barbed wire to protect the Chinese from anti-Chinese elements.The namesake of the town is John Heinlen, a German American immigrant and businessman who defied convention in the 1880s by agreeing to lease land to the Chinese and Japanese in San Jose. His defiant actions, made during a time when strong nativist passions were also rampant, still resonate with us today.“I feel San Jose should feel very proud,” Yu said. “Having someone like John Heinlen made a huge difference. If it weren’t for him, I think that we (San Jose) would probably have a very bleak racial image. He’s the greatest example of somebody doing good for the community and rising above (the racial turmoil). I feel that if we do anything, it’s to keep the history, the memory, and the inspiration of John Heinlen alive.”A shared emphasis of their past projects was a focus on community education, through both open houses and public outreach.  Yu recalls, “For two years in a row, Leslie and I did our own exhibit. We just put up picnic tables. We had the artifacts and memorabilia, and people could come by and take a look.”“There’s something tangible, in having something to touch and see,” says Masunaga about the artifacts. “It’s something that connects to you as opposed to seeing something in a book, or on paper, or something that just becomes very academic and very cold.” Tangible items, such as boar’s teeth, marbles, and jade bracelets, in conjunction  with photographs and anecdotes, help to elucidate  the daily life of Heinlenville.  This combination also  illuminates the quiet dignity of citizens, in the face of outside hostility.This personal approach to history is echoed in the Heinlenville exhibit, as the curators’ vision is to celebrate the colorful life and history of Chinatown and its relationship to present-day Japantown. “I think this is an opportunity to say that this place existed, in terms of a physical community,” says Masunaga. “We want to really bring that aspect forward and give more depth to the community that’s here today--not just to the Japanese American community, but also to the local scene--and to understand the interplay between the communities.”Masunaga notes the significance of telling the Chinese American story. “The sad thing about San Jose is that just about all of the Chinese experience has disappeared. There are a lot of Chinese in the Valley, but there’s no particular Chinese place. There’s no town. There’s not even an event center."Yu reflects on the deeper meaning of the exhibit, “It’s really an all-American story. They’d always say, ‘that’s your history,’ or they’d call it ethnic history. But I would say no. I’m talking about American history. And when Leslie talks about local history, she’s talking about our roots. It’s not strictly Asian American history, and it is not a story about ‘you guys.’”Both curators have deep roots in the Bay Area and have worked extensively together as a team. The two first met in 1990 when Masunaga was working as an archivist at the San Jose Historical Museum, and Yu was working on the book, Chinatown, San Jose, USA.

The Story of the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry

Leila Kubesh,  the teacher who inspired her 8th grade students to create the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry, will be coming to JAMsj on June 23, 2012 to talk about her project.The Story of the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry   By Leila Kubesch and Steve FugitaThe amazing story of the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry began in Indiana, where foreign language teacher Leila Kubesch taught French, Spanish, and Japanese to 8^th graders at Sunnyside and Tecumseh Middle Schools. As part of her responsibilities, Leila directed the foreign language club. Each year this club took on special interest projects.  The project that holds a special interest to JAMsj was the creation of a grand quilt commemorating the Japanese Americans who were incarcerated in concentration camps during WWII.Initially, Leila started teaching the history of Americans of Japanese Ancestry (AJAs) to encourage students to stop mocking Asians. She began by reading books such as The Bracelet and Hero. A few students were puzzled and asked, “Is this true?”  They had never heard anything about Japanese American history before.The students decided to turn the school courtyard into a Japanese Zen garden to honor the 100^th Battalion and 442^nd Regimental Combat Team. The next year, the second class added a large pond. In 2000, when the students learned about other military units like the 1800^th, the MIS, and 522^nd, they wanted them to be included, too. Their dream culminated in the building of a traveling exhibit that could be shown across America.  The exhibit would involve the making of  a very special quilt.During the first semester of the next academic year, the tapestry was started at Tecumseh Middle School. In the beginning, the students were often told, “It cannot be done.” Leila was even turned down for a grant on the grounds that the project was too ambitious. To initiate the project, the students obtained a comprehensive list of AJA veterans from military archives. Using this list, they mailed more than 3,000 letters to the veterans. Many of the recipients wrote back and even sent their historic mementos.When Leila moved to Sunnyside Middle School for the second semester, many students followed  so that they could continue working on the project. During the summer, students from both schools worked together until it was complete. This included weekends and holidays. Often, students and teacher went home past midnight. This brought the two rival schools, one well-to-do, the other inner city, closer together. Many of the students became good friends. Ultimately, 503 students from Sunnyside and Tecumseh Middle Schools worked on the quilt. When it was finished, it was proudly hung for the first time in the school gymnasium.The students named the quilt the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry to represent all of the AJAs who endured WWII injustices. It measures 19 by 41 feet, dimensions chosen to represent 1941, the  year in which Pearl Harbor was attacked. It comes in 12 panels and looks like a Japanese shop curtain called noren. Because someone told the students that the kanji for noren is similar to the word ”goodwill,”  they insisted on using the noren style. The tapestry weighs some 350 pounds.In 2008, Leila married and moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where she teaches English as a Second Language at Sharonville Elementary School. But her Indiana students will never forget the special projects she inspired them to take on, in particular the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry. --------------------------------------------------------------Leila will talk about the 120,000 Tassel Tapestry at 1:00 p.m on  June 23 at JAMsj. Please reserve your seat by contacting the JAMsj office (408) 294-3138 or by emailing events@jamsj.org.

San Jose Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony

The U.S. Congress awarded the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) to the U.S. Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) for their extraordinary accomplishments in World War II.On February 23, 2012, the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj), the San Jose Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), the Friends  and Families of Nisei Veterans (FFNV), local VFW Post 9970, and the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, in conjunction with Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Mike Honda, and Anna Eshoo, held a local ceremony honoring the veterans and their families in San Jose, California.A Congressional Gold Medal is an award bestowed by the United States Congress and is, along with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. The decoration is awarded to an individual who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity, and national interest of the United States.Clear here to view images from the San Jose Congressional Gold Medal event.

Echoes of Executive Order 9066

By Will KakuOn February 19, 2012, members of the San Jose community will commemorate the 70^th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 at the 32nd Annual San Jose Day of Remembrance event. The executive order eventually led to the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II. The San Jose Day of Remembrance program, entitled “Civil Liberties Under Siege,” brings different communities together to remember the signing of the executive order -- which many people now acknowledge to be a great civil liberties tragedy – and attendees are encouraged to reflect on what that historical event means to their lives today.

Many people, especially within the Japanese American community, feel that important lessons can be extracted from the incarceration of Japanese Americans and that those lessons are pertinent to the issues of today.

Last week, President Obama signed the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which has a provision that allows for the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens without trial. Civil liberties groups, human rights advocates, and members of the Japanese American community have vehemently protested the signing of this bill.  Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA), a former internee from Camp Amache and a frequent speaker at the San Jose Day of Remembrance event, voted against the NDAA and said that the bill did not have sufficient changes “to ensure the Constitutional rights of every U.S. citizen.  For these reasons, I voted against the FY12 National Defense Authorization Act.”

Susan Hayase, a Nihonmachi Outreach Committee (NOC) chairperson during the redress movement and vice chairperson of the Civil Liberties Public Education Fund, commented about the dangers of the provision and drew parallels with internment. “Due process is something that my family holds precious,” Hayase said. “My entire family was detained indefinitely without charges, without a chance to defend themselves in court after being declared ‘enemy non-aliens’ by the U.S. government. We suffered deeply for this, but our American Constitution suffered even more.”Floyd Mori, national executive director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), wrote about his concerns over the Senate bill in an op-ed for the San Jose Mercury News. Mori claimed that the bill “raises the question of whether the Senate has forgotten our history.” Mori wrote, “Although the details of the indefinite detentions of Japanese Americans during World War II and the proposed indefinite detentions of terrorism suspects may differ, the principle remains the same: indefinite detentions based on fear-driven and unlawfully substantiated national security grounds, where individuals are neither duly charged nor fairly tried, violate the essence of U.S. law and the most fundamental values upon which this country was built."In the legal arena, the significance of Japanese internment has risen in a post-9/11 world. In an article for the Kansas Law Review (“Raising the Red Flag: The Continued Relevance of the Japanese Internment in the Post-Hamdi World”), University of Colorado Law School professor Aya Gruber, a daughter of a former internee, wrote that the “reminders of the horrors of internment remain highly relevant, as the United States continues to engage regularly in armed conflict and detain thousands of people without regard to constitutional safeguards or criminal process.” She concludes that, “Defenders of civil liberties must therefore continue to raise the red flag, be vigilant about government overreaching, and passionately invoke the caution of the internment.”In the post-9/11 world, the Japanese American community has also been one of the most ardent supporters of embattled Muslim Americans. Last March, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Peter T. King (R-N.Y.) launched controversial hearings on radical Islam in the United States. Congressman Honda stated in an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle, “Hundreds of thousands of innocent Japanese Americans were unjustly placed under scrutiny and suspicion because few in Washington were brave enough to say ‘no’.” Honda claimed that, “Representative King’s intent seems clear: To cast suspicion upon all Muslim Americans and to stoke the fires of anti-Muslim prejudice and Islamophobia.”Several months before the congressional hearings, the plans to build an Islamic center near the site of the World Trade Center – which some people called the “mosque near ground-zero” -- stirred many powerful emotions on both sides of the heated debate. Within the Japanese American community, there were many visible signs of support for the center and for the Muslim American community. The JACL compared the current debate to the fiery controversy surrounding the establishment of a New York City hostel that housed Japanese Americans who were trying to resettle after leaving internment camps. The JACL stated that, “In the face of war and the tragedy of September 11, it is too easy to place blame on others and allow intolerance to prevail. We must do better than to leave Muslim Americans with the impression that intolerance has no definite end. We must begin by not reinterpreting our emotions over September 11 but instead by affirming the ideals that have defined our democracy.”There are also echoes of internment in other areas that concern civil rights and discrimination. Some people have called the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality the next great civil rights battle of this decade. Many legal observers have claimed that California’s battle over Proposition 8 will soon be headed to the United States Supreme Court. Japanese American individuals and organizations, such as the National JACL, Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR), and San Jose’s NOC, have strongly endorsed marriage equality and have made direct comparisons to past discriminatory laws directed toward Japanese Americans.  Actor and activist, George Takei, drew personal comparisons with this act of discrimination to his own incarceration in an internment camp in a 2006 interview with Scott Simon on National Public Radio. Takei said, “I went to school in a black tar-paper barrack (as a child in internment camps) and began the day seeing the barbed-wire fence. Thank God those barbed-wire fences are now long gone for Japanese Americans. But I still see an invisible, legalistic barbed-wire that keeps me, my partner of 19 years, Brad Altman, and another group of Americans separated from a normal life.”Over the last several years, references to Japanese American internment and discrimination have recently made their way into many diverse issues such as airport racial profiling, the USA Patriot Act, the Habeas Corpus Restoration Act, the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, the Federal Intelligence Security Act, presidential wartime powers, and even the Texas Board of Education textbook controversy.  It is not surprising since the trauma of internment has indelibly shaped the values, attitudes, and political beliefs of many within the Japanese American community.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Each year, the Nihonmachi Outreach Committee (NOC) hosts the San Jose Day of Remembrance event. The San Jose Day of Remembrance event will be held from 5:30 p.m to 7:30 p.m, on February 19, 2012, at the San Jose Buddhist Church Betsuin, located at 640 N. Fifth Street, San Jose, California. For more information, visit www.sjnoc.org.

Congressional Gold Medal Event in San Jose

The House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate, congressional leaders have agreed to award the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) to the U.S. Army’s 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) for their extraordinary accomplishments in World War II. The National Veterans Network has been designated as the entity that will plan and execute the Congressional Gold Medal ceremony and events in the Fall of 2011 in Washington, D.C.The Japanese American Museum of San Jose, in conjunction with Representatives Zoe Lofgren, Mike Honda, and Anna Eshoo, are planning a local ceremony in San Jose, CA. This event will be for veterans and their families, as well as widows or families of veterans, who are unable to attend the ceremony in Washington, D.C. The local event is being planned for February 23, 20012. Unfortunately, because of high demand for this event, event registration is now closed.Q. Who qualifies for this award?Public Law 111-254 states that the CGM is to be awarded to veterans of the 100th, 442nd, as well as Japanese Americans who served in the MIS during World War II. The Department of Defense defines the period of WW II to be December 7, 1941 to December 31, 1946. In addition, the following are qualified to receive the award:

1. Caucasian and other non-ethnic Japanese, e.g. Korean and Hawaiian Americans, assigned to the 100th Battalion, 442nd RCT, including cadre who were ordered to remain at Camp Shelby to train replacements.
2. Caucasians assigned as team leaders of Nisei linguists.
3. Students at MIS or other U.S. Army language schools.
4. Any Japanese American assigned as a linguist in the Occupation of Japan during World War II (August 15, 1945 to December 31, 1946).

Q. What is the Congressional Gold Medal?This medal is an award bestowed by Congress and is the highest civilian award in the United States. The decoration is awarded to an individual or unit who performs an outstanding deed or act of service to the security, prosperity and national interest of the United States. The first recipient of the medal was George Washington in 1776. Among the 145 individuals and units awarded the medal were the Tuskegee Airmen, the Navajo Code Talkers, Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers.Q. How does a qualified local veteran obtain a Congressional Gold Medal replica?Thanks to generous sponsors, all veterans, widows or next of kin of veterans registered to attend the event in San Jose, CA will be presented with a three-inch bronze CGM replica at no cost. One replica will be given per family who attend the event.For those who wish to purchase a replica, the U.S. Mint has the 3" bronze replica available for online purchase at http://www.usmint.gov/ for $44.95 and $8 for a presentation case.  

Film Screening: Sharing and Celebrating Stories from Nisei Honorary Degree Recipients

By Colleen Bentley, California State University Director of Special ProjectsNearly 70 years after Executive Order 9066 forced 250 California State University students to leave their campuses without completing their degrees, several former students’ stories will be brought to light on Thursday, October 27, 2011, with the screening of the video The California State University: Sharing and Celebrating Stories from Nisei Honorary Degree Recipients at the Japanese American Museum of San Jose. The project is a memorial dedicated to the CSU students who were removed from our campuses in 1941-42 and sent to internment camps, unable to complete their education. The CSU Board of Trustees awarded these students honorary bachelor’s degrees in 2010, and the video captures the dignity of the ceremonies as well as the celebration of the families.The 4 p.m. screening will feature the video highlighting former San José State University students. Two recipients, local businessman and SJSU faculty member Yoshihiro (Yosh) Uchida, and Dana Ono, son of Fumi Yokoyama, shared their personal struggles and reflections on both the past and the present.George Takei graciously lent his voice to the project. The video also will show sections of the honorary degree ceremonies at five other CSU campuses.The production and dissemination of the stories is funded by a $23,000 grant to the CSU Chancellor's Office from the California State Library through the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and aims to honor the approximately 120,000 Californians of Japanese ancestry who were impacted by Executive Order 9066. It is estimated that about 2,500 Japanese American students were forced to leave California colleges and universities, and at least 250 of them were from CSU campuses in Fresno, Pomona, San Diego, San Francisco, San José and San Luis Obispo.In the Spring of 2011, Nisei students or the families of deceased recipients were given honorary degrees under legislation (AB 37) authored  by Assembly Member Warren Furutani, which called on the state’s higher education systems to award honorary degrees to these former students. The campuses searched their yearbooks, archives, library records, historical documents and other materials and were able to contact or locate more than half of the 250 former students or their families. Memorable commencement ceremonies were held at six campuses – Fresno, San Diego, San Francisco, San José, San Luis Obispo and Dominguez Hills, the latter serving as the Los Angeles area site for any elderly students who could not travel to their home campuses. Degree recipients were often attired in caps and gowns, with family members standing in for those who were deceased or too ill to travel.Stories and videos of those ceremonies are located at the CSU Nisei Honorary Degree website. Although long overdue, the students are now recognized as alumni of their campuses.For more information, please contact Colleen Bentley at 562-951-4801 or cbentley@calstate.edu or Kim Shibata at (562) 951-4811 or kshibata@calstate.edu.

9th Annual Community Recognition Dinner

9^th Annual JACL Community Recognition DinnerFor 2011, the San Jose JACL is proud to recognize the following deserving community honorees at the 9th Annual JACL Community Recognition Dinner that is to be held on Saturday, October 15:  Roy and P.J. Hirabayashi, founders of San Jose Taiko and artists largely responsible for the spread of the taiko art form throughout the U. S.; Jim McClure, San Jose Obon Chairperson for the past 12 years and otherwise heavily-involved volunteer at the San Jose Buddhist Church; Wes Mukoyama, former Executive Director of Yu-Ai Kai and involved community member; the San Jose Zebras, one of the longest-lived and pioneering organizations in Nikkei basketball; and the Wesley Jazz Ensemble, a group of musicians who have given of their time and talents widely within the community.Jana Katsuyama, KTVU Channel 2 staff reporter will be the Mistress of Ceremonies.The 9^th Annual San Jose JACL Community Recognition Dinner – 100 Years and Beyond:  Honoring Community Service, will take place on Saturday, October 15, 2011, at the San Jose Airport Garden Hotel –Mediterranean Center in San Jose.Tickets are priced individually at $85 or $850 for a table for ten.  The celebration begins with No Host Cocktails and Silent Auction at 4:00 pm and with the Dinner program scheduled to start at 5:00 pm.In conjunction with the dinner, San Jose JACL will again have its popular silent auction and benefit drawing to raise funds for the Chapter’s programs.  The Community Recognition Dinner event is the Chapter’s major fundraiser.For more information contact Tom Oshidari, toshidari@yahoo.com, 408 257-5609, or Sharon Uyeda, suyeda9356@aol.com, 408 259-3656.