Past Events

"WWII Rendition: Hidden Internement of Japanese Latin Americans and the Campaign For Justice"
An Aratani Speakers Series Event

When: Thursday, November 13, 5-6:30pm

What: "Hidden Internment: The Art Shibayama Story" film screening and a spoken word performance by Traci Kato-Kiriyama

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Redress Remembered:
WWII Rendition of Japanese Latin Americans

See images and video clips on the Discover Nikkei website

When: Saturday, October 25, 2pm-4pm

What: Speakers panel, film screening, spoken word, reception

Speakers
Karen Parker, Esq.
Counsel for former Japanese Peruvian internees in U.S. courts and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, with expertise in human rights and humanitarian (armed conflict) law

Richard Katsuda
Educator and Co-chair, Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress

Craig Ishii
Regional Director, Pacific Southwest District, Japanese American Citizens League

Moderator
Grace Shimizu
Director, Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project, and Coordinator, Campaign For Justice: Redress Now for Japanese Latin Americans!

Documentary Trailer
"Stolen Lives"

Spoken Word
Naomi Quiñones

Where: National Center for the Preservation of Democracy at Japanese American National Museum -- 111 N. Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012

FREE! RSVP required to 213.625.0414 ext. 2222, or rsvp@janm.org (subject: JLA Redress).

Presented in collaboration with Campaign for Justice: Redress Now For Japanese Latin Americans!, Japanese American Citizens League-Pacific Southwest District, Discover Nikkei, Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project, and the Japanese American National Museum.

Co-sponsoring organizations: Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles, Council on American-Islamic Relations, and Japanese American Bar Association.

Read the press release

"It exceeded our expectations—the individual stories brought out the human costs of mistaken policies of our country."

AWRIC:
Delegation Delivers Report to U.S. Congress

A newly published report, HERE IN AMERICA? Immigrants as “The Enemy” During WWII and Today, was presented to the U.S. Congress in May by representatives of the Assembly on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (AWRIC). The report documents the AWRIC event held last year and provides background information about the WWII Enemy Alien Program and its relevance for all Americans today. The Assembly featured testimonies of Japanese, German, Italian and Latin American families affected by World War II policies and of Arab, Muslim and South Asian Americans caught up in the “war on terror” since 9/11. It was an emotional, powerful two days of stories, some told publicly for the first time. Though separated by sixty years, the stories shared many similar elements: immigrants arrested and detained without charges, trials or access to attorneys, interned for years or deported into war zones. The delegates met with Congress members to urge them to use this important historical information when considering current and future legislation that would fund fact-finding investigations and public education about the WWII period. Read more

Day of Remembrance: Carrying the Light for Justice-25th Anniversary of the Redress Hearings

Sunday, February 26, 2006
2:00 P.M.
AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres.

This year's commemoration of the World War II incarceration of over 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry in U.S. concentration camps will feature cultural performances, film, and a candle lighting ceremony with U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye (invited) as keynote speaker; and Dr. Satsuki Ina, psychologist and filmmaker (Children of the Camps and From a Silk Cocoon) as guest speaker. San Francisco Public Defender Jeff Adachi will serve as the M.C.

Cultural tributes will include Melody Takata of Gen Taiko Arts; the Japanese Bilingual Bicultural Program West Children's Choir with guest artist Francis Wong; and shigin (commemorative poetry) by Susumu Saiki.

Featured films will highlight the power of grassroots voices and personal stories, with an excerpt from Donald Young/KVIE's From Resettlement to Redress; and the film short: The Assembly on Wartime Relocation & Internment of Civilian, a public testimonial event that took place in April 2005.

A procession will follow from the Kabuki Theatre to the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California, where an interfaith candle lighting will be led by the Japanese American Religious Federation. Tickets are $20 Door, $15 Advance; Group rates available for 10 or more. Call (415) 921-5007 to order tickets or to help with event.

For more than two decades in the Bay Area, the annual Day of Remembrance has been a unique community-wide event commemorating the Feb. 19 anniversary date of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's authorization of Executive Order 9066, which allowed the government to wrongfully imprison Japanese Americans and Japanese immigrants during World War II.

Click for more information about DOR.

Day of Remembrance: Carrying the Light for Justice-Across Generations, Beyond Borders

Sunday, February 20, 2005
2:00 P.M.
AMC Kabuki 8 Theatres.

— Keynote speaker: Congressman Mike Honda
— Master of Ceremonies:Dale Minami
— Video trailer: "Stolen Lives"
— Candlelighting Ceremony
— Redress Updates
— Film: "Day of Remembrance - A Post 9/11 Epilogue"
— CD Release: "Barbed Wire & Hip Hop" by David Iwataki & Project J, Justice: Kyle Toyama & Traci Kato-Kiriyama
— Also featuring performances by: Susumu Saiki (shigin), Gen Taiko, Rima Chaudry (spoken word), Shailja Patel (spoken word)

For more than two decades in the Bay Area, the annual Day of Remembrance has been a unique community-wide event commemorating the Feb. 19 anniversary date of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's authorization of Executive Order 9066, which allowed the government to wrongfully imprison Japanese Americans and Japanese immigrants during World War II.

"Day of Remembrance 2004: Carrying the Light for Justice - Generation to Generation, People to People…", was held on Sunday, February 22, 2004 at the AMC Kabuki Theater in San Francisco Japantown. At the event, keynote speaker, Reverend Michael Yoshii highlighted the importance of supporting Muslim, Arab, and South Asian communities and the ongoing redress efforts.Campaign for Justice organizer, Grace Shimizu gave a redress update on Campaign for Justice.

• CFJ Redress update - 2/04
• Reverend Michael Yoshii's keynote speech

Redress Struggle Taken to International Arena

Unable to get justice in US domestic courts, former Japanese Peruvian internees have taken their case to the international community. In June 2003 three Shibayama brothers and the Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project filed a petition with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (a body of the Organization of American States), which is still considering whether it has jurisdiction over this case. Read more