August 2017
From Executive Director Tom Ikeda
Dear Friends,

The racism and terror we saw in Charlottesville this past weekend repulses me, but does not surprise me. This type of violence has been a constant throughout our country's history, and we continue to see instances of it every day. The epidemic of police violence towards black and brown people, the vandalization of mosques, the surge in swastika graffiti at synagogues are some of the countless reminders that racial hate exists in this country. It has always been here, but our President is emboldening people to act upon it in ways we have not seen for decades. 

I am heartbroken for the people of Charlottesville and for all who are feeling afraid and vulnerable right now. I am profoundly concerned about the direction our country is headed. But I am also angry and refuse to let this surge in racist violence go unchecked.

What about you? What will you do in the face of this crisis? Will you watch and hope others make the sacrifices to end this evil? Or will you take action? Please look at the ideas below on what you can do now. Contact me at  tom.ikeda@densho.org  with your thoughts and what actions you will take.

Sincerely,

Tom Ikeda
Where Do We Begin?

That's a question we've been asking ourselves over and over again this week. Here are some articles and resources that are helping to guide us towards answers:
Visual History Spotlight

In the aftermath of Charlottesville, we find ourselves returning to Dale Minami's keynote address at our 20th Anniversary Gala. He reminded us that justice is not self-executing, and that it requires all of us to step up in moments like this. 

Why We Need Japanese American History Education...

Japanese American history education is needed now more than ever. Why? Hear it from classroom teachers themselves:

“It is important for students to learn that fear, racism, personal agendas, and mass hysteria can replace common sense, decency, and democratic ideals. They must understand that the incarceration of Japanese Americans was wrong, that racism is wrong. Students must understand that this sort of hysteria can occur again and they must do their part to make sure that it does not.”

Densho's free online teacher course will help you integrate these critical lessons into the classroom.

Join Us For the First Annual Densho Dinner
We are pleased to announce the first annual Densho Dinner! We’re taking the best of our beloved Sushi & Sake gatherings, and making an even bigger, better event. Come early for a sushi & sake reception, then stay for an elegant catered dinner. Our featured speakers will stoke conversation and, we hope, inspire action. Live and silent auctions will help you get an early start on your holiday shopping. All proceeds will support Densho’s work to document the Japanese American past, while also exploring new ways to keep the story alive today and in the future.
New Staff Announcement

We are delighted to welcome Danielle Higa on board as our new Fund Development Manager. Born and raised in Seattle, Danielle is fourth generation Japanese American (Yonsei). During her freshman year at University of Washington, she interviewed her grandmother, Hatsumi (Hats) Higa, about her war and camp experience. This was the first time Hats spoke about living in Minidoka as a teen. The experience inspired Danielle to attend the Minidoka Pilgrimage in 2005 and to major in American Ethnic Studies. Danielle spent the past five years working at the University of Washington with the Regional Advancement and College of Arts & Sciences Advancement teams. Danielle feels very fortunate to come back to working within the Japanese American community and is especially excited and thankful to join the Densho team. 
Call for Volunteers

Volunteers are critical to the work we do at Densho! We are currently looking for help with the Densho Dinner, data entry, and other special projects. Email volunteer@densho.org with questions. 

Reminder: Archives Migration

Our old Archive page has officially been retired. Now you can find all the content and more in the Densho Digital Repository .
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