2018 - Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center

Oregon Nikkei Endowment, inpartnership with PortlandCommunity College, presentedGamanfest: Reclaiming IdentityThrough Art & Activism. Inspiredby the spirit of gaman (Japanesefor perseverance or endurance)and those Japanese Americanswho were unjustly incarceratedduring WWII, this festival servedas a venue to showcase thenext generation of artists andactivists within the AsianAmerican community who usetheir heritage and culture asmotivation for their work. Throughsong, spoken word, videoperformances, music, and visualart, attendees and invited guestscame together and exploredthe intergenerational impact ofracism, the power of heritagehistory, and how to ignite socialchange. Artists and activists ledopen discussions on communityfueled social change, culturalimpacts to their identities, andwhat it means to be “othered” intoday’s society.Saturday opened with aperformance by Chisao Hataand Ken Yoshikawa calledThen:Now that showed thedifficulties in discussing traumaticlife experiences. NobukoMiyamoto, lifelong dancer andactivist, followed by sharingsemiannualstories of immigrant and minorityfights for equality throughsong and music. The morningconcluded with a panel on thatfeatured talented artist activistsdiscussing how their heritagehas influenced their work.The afternoon featured communitydiscussions on the Evolution ofGamanfest2018Photograph Courtesy Curtis SuyematsuGamanfest opened Friday, May11th with film shorts from FullSpectrum Features presentedby Jason Matsumoto and DarynWakasa. The films showed theheartbreaking struggles ofJapanese Americans who wereincarcerated during WWII andthe intergenerational trauma ofthat experience. After an opendiscussion on the films, attendeesenjoyed musical entertainmentby Cay Horiuchi and food fromNoHo’s Hawaiian Café at theoffices of Unite Oregon.volume 19summer 2018 issue 1Culture & Identity, Artivism forSocial Change, and Intergenerational Trauma. Violinist Joe Kye,spoken word artist Ryan Nakano,and activist Anna Vo providedmusical and lyrical accompaniment to the discussions. On themain stage, The Slants performedsome of their most popular songsincluding ‘Sakura, Sakura’ whichwas filmed at the Oregon NikkeiLegacy Center.No-No Boy’s Erin Aoyama andJulian Saporiti performed songsthat honored their Japaneseheritage while shining light onimmigrants who risked their livesto better themselves and those oftheir family. Their show was veryrelevant given what is happeningtoday. The festival culminatedoutside with a performanceby Portland Taiko with NobukoMiyamoto inviting everyone tocelebrate the day and join in theFandangObon which combinedelements of the Japanese Obondance with the Spanish fandango.Gamanfest 2018 continued onpage 3.Nobuko Miyamoto performs on her singingbowl on the stage of the Moriarty Auditorium.See more Gamanfest photos on page 3.

a message from o.n.e.’s executive directorNEVERAGAINIS NOWAugust 10th of this yearmarks the 30th anniversaryof the signing of the CivilLiberties Act, legislationthat issued a formalapology from the U.S.government andrestitution to survivors ofthe unjust WWIIincarceration ofJapanese Americans. Itcited racial prejudice,war hysteria and lack ofpolitical leadership as thecause. It was an attemptto atone for what isconsidered one of thedarkest chapters in ournation’s history.More than the financialrestitution, it was theapology that had thegreatest meaning tosurvivors. Admission andrecognition from the U.S.government that a graveerror had been made andshould never happenagain. A statementshowing this country wasgreat enough to admit itsmistakes, prove it didindeed have a conscienceand moral compass, andwas committed to notletting its darkest instinctsdefine history. Yet here weare confronting a Muslimpage 2travel ban and “tender age”facilities for the very youngand helpless who have beentorn from their parents. It isunfathomable that this countrythat was founded on theprinciples of liberty and justice forall has resorted to such shamefulaction, again in the name ofnational security and bestinterests of the country.Our country’s leadership failedonce before and ourcommunity continues to sufferthe intergenerational traumafrom what happened.Generations beyond those thatwere in the camps bear theemotional and psychologicalscars of this experience. Wecan’t imagine the trauma that isbeing inflicted now on the mostinnocent and vulnerable, andthe lasting effect it will have onthem. The discussion to locateone of these “shelters” adjacentto one of the WWII incarcerationsites (Rohwer, Arkansas) makes iteven more unconscionable.These sites, like our museum, theOregon Nikkei Legacy Centerand the Japanese AmericanHistorical Plaza (aka Bill of RightsMemorial), stand as a testamentand reminder of the fragility ofour freedom and democracy.They exist and are dedicated toshare this American story toensure that the mistakes of thepast are never again repeated.While there are differencesbetween what happened thenand now, similarities in therhetoric and motivation behindthese actions are frighteninglysimilar and rooted ininstitutionalized racism.Professor Julius Lester wrote,“History is not just facts andevents. History is also a pain inthe heart and we repeat historyuntil we are able to makeanother’s pain in the heart ourown.” The pain in the hearts ofinfants and young children andthe anguish of separated familiescannot be ignored. We are in thistogether and what happens toone of us, happens to all of us.We, the people have the truepower, and we must exercise ourpower to stand up and speakout against what is taking place.We cannot stand by silently aspeople did during WWII as civiland human rights were violated.We must hold our leaders andourselves accountable. We mustexercise our power with everyvote, every letter, every march,every rally, every town hall, everyvoice, every time, every day.Our Annual Banquet onAugust 10th commemorates theanniversary of the Civil LibertiesAct and we invite you to join usin person or in solidarity tosupport what it stands fortoday and always. Dedicateyour efforts to hold our countryaccountable to the promisesit makes.Never again is now.—Lynn Fuchigami Parks

Minoru Yasui DayThe Minoru Yasui Tribute Committee and the Oregon NikkeiEndowment presented the second Minoru Yasui Day Marchfor Justice on March 28th, 2018.Participants walked from theOregon Nikkei Legacy Centerto Portland Center Stage at theArmory where the four winners ofthe first annual Minoru Yasui EssayContest read excerpts from theirMin Yasui Day Marchers walkunderneath the cherry blossoms ofOld Town China Town.Gamanfest 2018 Continued We wish to extend our deepappreciation to PortlandCommunity College for hostingthe event on their CascadeCampus, the Portland JACL, andthe Japanese Ancestral Societyfor their tremendous support. Avery special thank you to theorganizing committee and themany volunteers and guests whomade this memorable eventpossible. Gamanfest would nothave been possible without thegenerous support from OregonHumanities and the Oregon ArtsCommission. This program wasmade possible in part by a grantfrom Oregon Humanities (OH), astatewide nonprofit organizationand an independent affiliate ofthe National Endowment for theHumanities, which funds OH’sessays inspired by the legacy ofMinoru Yasui. First prize for middleschool students went to MelanieGlatter while honorable mentionwent to Katelyn Rashleigh. Forhigh school students, first prizewas awarded to RosalynnRashleigh and honorablemention went to her brother,Emmett Rashleigh. After theaward ceremony, a screening ofHolly Yasui’s documentary NeverGive Up! based on her father’slifelong fight for equality andjustice was shown. The day concluded with an intimate questionand answering session with HollyYasui and Min’s lawyer, PeggyNagae. An announcement fornext year’s speech topic formiddle and high school studentswill be released later this year.The essay contest winners lead theMinoru Yasui Day march with GeorgeNakata and Connie Masuoka.Rosalynn Rashleigh, winner of the HighSchool Essay contest on Minoru Yasui,dramatically reads her speech.grant program and wassupported in part by the OregonArts Commission, a state agencyfunded by the State of Oregonand the National Endowmentof the Arts.Gamenfest events, top to bottom: A community circle discussion on theEvolution of Culture and Identity. Nobuko Miyamoto (far center) andChris Dart (near center) demonstratethe moves of the FandangObon. Erin Aoyama and Julian Saporiti ofNo-No Boy perform on a darkenedstage of the Moriarty Auditorium.Photographs Courtesy Curtis SuyematsuPhotographs Courtesy Curtis SuyematsuMarch for Justice and Documentary Screeningpage 3

join o.n.e.’s annual DinnerOn Friday, August 10th, 2018,Oregon Nikkei Endowment willhold its Annual Banquet at theMultnomah Athletic Club.This year we commemoratethe 30th Anniversary of theCivil Liberties Act which wassigned on that day thirty yearsago. This legislation issued aformal apology from the U.S.government, restitution tosurvivors of the incarceration,and was an attempt to atonefor what is considered one ofthe darkest chapters in ourcountry’s history.We are excited to haveJohn Tateishi, who was theNational Redress Directorof the Japanese AmericanCitizens League (JACL), as ourkeynote speaker. We will alsotake this time to honor andrecognize individuals for theirsupport and outstanding effortsto further the mission and workof our organization. This yearwe will be honoring Kay Endowith the Heart of theCommunity Award andBob Shimabukuro with thePaving the Way Award.At this time, we ask if youwould please consider makinga donation to our raffle drawing.All proceeds go to support ourmission, museum, educationaland cultural programs, and tomaintain the projects mentionedabove. All of our donors arerecognized in print materials,event program, and on ourwebsite at oregonnikkei.org. 125/person— 50 tax deductibleRSVPs due by August 3rdCocktail Reception 5:30 pmDinner 6:30 pmBusiness attire pleaseInvitation Design and Illustration Courtesy Dale GronsoThis year’s Cherry Blossom Bazaar was held justa few doors down from the Legacy Center. Thespace was generously donated by TempletonProperty Management. It was held over March17th & 18th and marks the sixth year the OregonNikkei Endowment has held this popular event.Kokeishi, tanuki, ikebana items, and geta filledthe aisles for the two day fundraiser. Extraclothing racks were even purchased to holdall the beautiful yukata and kimonos thatwere donated.This is one of O.N.E.’s most popular fundraisers,so thank you to everyone who volunteered,donated, or shopped. We would like to extend avery special thank you to the Bazaar’s Co-ChairsJere Okada, Marilyn Sholian, and Cherie Yokotafor their tremendous hard work in organizing,pricing, and setting up the bazaar. We are soclose to raising over 10,000, and we can do sowith your support. Let us know if you would like tohelp out or have gently used Japanese items todonate. Whether it’s a single item or a carload,your donation helps the museum in so manypositive ways.See you next year!page 4Photographs Courtesy Raynette YoshidaCherry Blossom Bazaar 2018Above left: A visitor looks through an assortment of yukata and kimono.Above right: Two of our beloved volunteers, Marilyn Sholian andCherie Yokota, help shoppers at the bazaar.Bottom: Volunteers from Portland State University arrive to help withthe clean-up.