|
Vol. 2 Issue 2 February 2021
|
|
|
Manzanar Messenger
Democracy Tested Once Again
Two Dates to Remember
January 6, 2021 will, no doubt, be remembered for years to come as the day our constitutional democracy survived one of its greatest challenges. We hope it will be marked by educational events and by official proclamations. Our constitutional democracy was also challenged on February 19, 1942, the day when President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, resulting in the forced removal and incarceration of Japanese Americans and persons of Japanese ancestry into American concentration camps. The day is marked annually by programs called the Day of Remembrance.
While seemingly different on the surface, both these dates hold important lessons for our country. Unjust laws, unfortunately, have a long and ignominious history. Domestic racist terrorism also has a long and ignominious history.
An insurrection, aided and abetted by the executive branch, may have no parallel in history in terms of scale. But, as we dissect the January 6 insurrection, we see the similarities with this country’s 400+ year history of violent extremists working to maintain systemic racism. The rise of the KKK following the defeat of the Confederacy, a long history of lynching that terrorized the Black community, and the destruction of Black Wall Street in Tulsa are the roots and ensuing tentacles of the actions of the white supremacist terrorists on January 6th. January’s insurrection challenged many illusions about our society and laid bare how deeply connected white supremacy is to domestic terrorism. The Black community has known since 1619, when slaves were first brought to America, the link between white supremacy and terror. Hopefully, the rest of our country now does as well.
|
|
|
Day of Remembrance
On February 19, 1979, Sue Kunitomi Embrey, Paul Tsuneishi, and Phil Shigekuni came together to organize the first Day of Remembrance program (DOR) in Los Angeles. The year before they had attended the first Day of Remembrance in Seattle, Washington. On their return trip to Los Angeles, they knew they needed to work on a similar DOR program for Los Angeles. The program was held outdoors at the Nishi Hongwanji Buddhist Temple at First Street and Central Avenue. Needless to say, these progressive Niseis saw the need to educate and promote this day. Resolutions from the city and county commemorating the incarceration were also presented at the DOR program. Now, DOR programs are held in every area of the Japanese American diaspora.
|
|
|
February is Black History Month
This year, the celebration and recognition of contributions from Black Americans to the development of the United States has new meaning. A mass protest movement swept through and shook the country following the violent police murders of Ahmaud Arbery, George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and so many more. The call for rooting out systemic racism at every level of our social, economic, and political life has reached the halls of power. Black Lives Matter is challenging long held assumptions and practices. Transforming the demands of the movement for Black Lives into concrete policies and beginning the long process of reforming the way policing and law enforcement is carried out must begin in earnest in 2021. Calls to dismantle undemocratic and unjust laws is what our community demanded in our fight for redress. And, that is what we must continue to do today.
|
|
|
|
SAVE THE DATE!
52nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk to be held Online, April 24, 2021
Upholding Democracy and Constitutional Rights for All: No More Concentration Camps, is the theme for the 52nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, which will be held online on Saturday, April 24, 2021, at 12:00 PM.
The 2021 Manzanar At Dusk program will also be held online in the hours following the 52nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage.
Click here to read the entire press release
Photo by Gann Matsuda/Manzanar Committee
|
|
|
Katari 2021: Telling Stories In a Virtual World
Over the January 16 weekend, the students who will be organizing the Manzanar At Dusk program participated in our Katari Program. Katari, which means “to tell stories” in Japanese, is two days of intensive, experiential, place-based learning about the unjust incarceration of over 120,000 Japanese and Japanese Americans during World War II, held at the Manzanar National Historic Site. Katari seeks to bridge the generation gap that has made it much more difficult for young Japanese Americans to teach others about this history.
Click here to read the rest of the article.
Photo from A scene from Phase I, March 11, 2018. Manzanar Committee member Pat Sakamoto Photo: Gann Matsuda/Manzanar Committee.
|
|
|
|
|
Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program
The Manzanar Committee is proud to announce the 6th Annual Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program. The information packet and application will be on the Manzanar Committee website and at the link below. Although many students are still learning remotely, we are available to assist all students who are interested in participating in the written, visual arts, or media/electronics categories. We are also available to meet with any teacher or community member who want to support a K-12 student in participating. There are many resources available and we encourage all students K-12 to participate!
Please click here for more info on the program
Euphemisms, Definitions, and Preferred Terminology
Application for Individual Student Project
Application for Group Student Project
|
|
|
Arnold Maeda Manzanar Pilgrimage Grant Recipient
In December 2020, the Manzanar Committee and the Venice Japanese American Memorial Monument Committee announced Leslie Aguilar of Los Angeles, a recent graduate of UCLA, as the inaugural recipient of the Arnold Maeda Manzanar Pilgrimage Grant. The grant will provide a stipend for Leslie, who will be working with the Manzanar Committee to help organize the 52nd Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage, to be held virtually on Saturday, April 24, 2021.
Congratulations Leslie and welcome aboard!
Click here to read the VJAMM announcement.
|
|
|
|
Behind the Viral photo of Rep Andy Kim cleaning up at midnight after the riots
By Claire Wang NBC Asian America
Unlike many of his congressional colleagues, Rep. Andy Kim, D-N.J., was in his office in a separate federal building when President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday afternoon. So he didn't actually see the damage live until nearly midnight, after the House had voted down the last challenge to the presidential election result.
When he finally did walk around the rotunda — his favorite and arguably the most storied room of the building — the disarray left him speechless. Water bottles, broken furniture, tattered Trump flags and pieces of body armor and clothing were strewn on the marble floor as if it were an abandoned parking lot.
Click here to read the entire article
Photo: Rep Andy Kim of New Jersey, NBC News/Asian America
|
|
|
|
Educators' Corner
Amanda Gorman, our nation's first National Youth Poet Laureate, recited her poem, "The Hill We Climb" during the 2021 Inauguration of President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris. Below are links to Ms Gorman's poem, her recitation at the Inauguration and suggested lessons plans
“The Hill We Climb”
Written by Amanda Gorman
When day comes we ask ourselves
Where can we find light in this never-ending shade?
The loss we carry,
A sea we must wade.
We braved the belly of the beast;
We’ve learned that quiet isn’t always peace.
And the norms and notions of what just is
Isn’t always justice.
And yet the dawn is ours before we knew it.
Somehow we do it;
Somehow we’ve weathered and witnessed
A nation that isn’t broken but simply unfinished.
Click Here to read the entire transcript of "The Hill We Climb"
Amanda Gorman reciting her poem during the Biden Inauguration
Lesson plan produced by PBS
Lesson plan by Carol Jago published in NY Times
Picture: Times of San Diego
|
|
|
|
Sue Kunitomi Embrey
Student Awards Program Winner
“Manzanar’s Storm”
By Josephine Park – 6th grade
2019 Student Awards First Place
It’s 1942 and the sky’s a deep dark brown haze.
The air’s stifling and I feel like I’m stuck in a maze
Nowhere to escape with barbed wire corralling me.
Stealing my world, like they’ve taken the key.
I sense a dust storm approaching our way.
I must take cover, and I can’t delay.
The only shelter is the barracks behind my back.
Even then, they’re only creaky shacks.
I find a fellow buddy, but not necessarily a fellow friend.
Brought together by fences, both waiting for it to end.
Click to read the whole poem
|
|
|
Important Historical Dates
https://encyclopedia.densho.org/timeline/
February 19, 1942
President Roosevelt signs Executive Order 9066 authorizing the exclusion of civilians from any area without trial or hearing.
February 25, 1942
US Navy orders all Japanese Americans living on Terminal Island (500 families) to leave within 48 hours
February 12, 2021
Lunar New Year
February 15, 2021
President's Day
|
Upcoming Dates & Events
February 10, 2021_
Virtual Day of Remembrance Program ABCUSD
Teacher Professional Development
February 13, 2021
Virtual Day of Remembrance Program - LA
2:00pm via
Manzanar Committee youtube
February 14, 2021
Virtual Day of Remembrance Program - San Jose
3:00PM RSVP here
February 19, 2021
Virtual Day of Remembrance -
Bay Area
6:00PM RSVP here
February 24, 2021
Virtual Day of Remembrance -
Univ. San Francisco
10:30AM More Info click here
February 27, 2021
Virtual Day of Remembrance Program - GVJCI
For more Info, please visit GVJCI site
|
|
Takuwan
Ingredients:
15 daikon radishes
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup pickling salt
1/2 cup mirin
1 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon turmeric
Yellow food coloring
12 japanese chili peppers/chile japones
To watch how to make Takuwan, click here
Recipe found from JAMP website
|
|
|
|
|
|
