Tickets for this event are available for purchase here.
Join us at JAMsj to hear from local women leaders and activists Carolyn Morimoto, PJ Hirabayashi and Victoria Taketa in a personal conversation centered on their experiences growing up as Sansei (3rd generation Japanese American) women, finding their own path, and the connection between their activism and healing. This panel conversation will be moderated by JAMsj Executive Director Vanessa Hatakeyama, and will be followed by a 1 hour soundbath experience in the JAMsj Gallery, amongst the artifacts, as part of our 聞く(kiku) Healing Series. We invite you to open up with us, be bathed in healing sound, ground in the energetically rich Museum space to explore what is within.
About our speakers:
Carolyn Morimoto is a sansei born and raised in California. She graduated from SJSU in 1977, but has come back to the community in these last few years to help create and support the Asian American Studies Alumni Network along with the Paul Sakamoto Scholarship Committee and other community organizations. For the past 45+ years she has been working with many different healing modalities while supporting her family with a 33 year career with the USPS. She lives her life to the fullest and helps others whenever she can. Her life consist of many unspoken talents.
PJ Hirabayashi, a Taiko culture bearer, has lived in San José Japantown with her husband, Roy, for over 50 years, dedicating their lives to Taiko and to Japantown’s vitality. She amplifies Taiko’s healing power through “TaikoPeace”, a movement she started to spread the kinetic energy, spiritual vibration, and pure joy of Japanese taiko drumming for positive social change and a peaceful world
Victoria (Vickie) Taketa has long roots in the Santa Clara Valley region. As a precocious young person who challenged gender norms in the household and on the assembly line, Vickie would go on to become a counselor trained in multicultural practices. Vickie was also one of the early founders and teachers of Asian American Studies at San Jose State University. In addition to serving as a long-time counselor at Foothill College, Vickie would serve on the Japantown Neighborhood Association and Japantown Community Congress, helping to preserve and honor the history of San Jose Japantown.
About the JAMsj 聞く(kiku) Healing Series: 聞く (kiku) is the Japanese word meaning "to listen", but can also mean "to ask". The Kiku Healing Series is a collaboration between JAMsj and local healers to introduce various methods of healing and wellness rooted in Japanese traditions and seeks to engage participants in discourse around healing as individuals and as a community, cultivating deep listening and curiosity about about what is around us and what is within us.
Please note, the soundbath portion of this event is about 1 hour long. If you are unable to lie down for the full hour, please indicate in the "Memo" section if you need seating.
All proceeds will be used to directly fund the overhead cost of the program, to compensate our healers and for future programming.
Tickets must be purchased for this event and are available here.