July 2018
From Executive Director Tom Ikeda
Dear Friends,

We try to limit the number of times we ask for donations in our eNews. We know there are many other, equally important causes asking for your support. You don't want to see the interesting topics, events, and updates connecting the Japanese American past to injustices happening today to be overwhelmed by appeals for fundraising — and neither do we.

But the reality is that we need your support to keep collecting and sharing the historic (and yet very timely) stories of incarcerated Japanese Americans to remind the world that “Never Again” is right now.

Densho added staff to connect with new audiences through social media, traditional newspapers and TV, the arts, public events, and the classroom. We believe this investment in public outreach and community building is important to our country’s future and we hope you agree.

Please consider helping us continue this work by making a one-time donation or by exploring our other giving options . Our ability to share the WWII Japanese American experience is in your hands. Thank you for your support.

Tom Ikeda
Something special just for you....
We are asking anyone who can to make a donation of $125 or more to help us continue our important work! And we are offering a unique thank you gift — a custom magnet set featuring heroes of Japanese American history , designed by Densho resident artist Kiku Hughes, or a copy of Fred Korematsu Speaks Up: Fighting for Justice by Laura Atkins and Stan Yogi . (Learn more about our premium gifts here .)

In addition to getting these amazing custom magnets, here's a sampling of what a donation of $125 will pay for:
  • 15% of a Densho Encyclopedia article that provides peer-reviewed, factual information to scholars, journalists, and the general public.
  • 7 minutes of a digital recording of an interview with a survivor of WWII incarceration.
  • 1 classroom presentation by Densho staff about the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans.
  • 15 historic photographs digitized and made available in the Densho Digital Repository.
  • 1.5 hours of consultation with a media outlet to provide archival content and fact checking. 
  • 1 teacher to attend a Densho workshop and learn about how to bring Japanese American history into the classroom.  
  • 2 pages of archival text translated from Japanese into English.
Can't do $125? That's OK! We Also Made These Cool Stamps for You

A donation of $125 or more may be too much for you and that's fine too — we appreciate donations of any amount! To prove it, all donors will receive a set of five custom Aiko Herzig-Yoshinaga stamps featuring an original illustration by Kiku Hughes. Incarcerated at Manzanar as a teenager, Aiko (b. 1924) was a key figure in the redress movement. She uncovered crucial evidence of government misconduct during WWII, paving the way for the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 that formally recognized the injustice of Japanese American incarceration.

Oral History Spotlight: Kay Abe

This month we mourn the loss of another member of our community, Kay Abe. Kay devoted herself to making the lives of Seattle homeless a little brighter and she embodied the spirit of activism and giving that we all aspire to. We will continue to take inspiration from her example even though she is no longer with us. In this interview with Densho, Kay talked about the joy she gained -- and shared -- through service to her community.

Blog Highlight: The (Ongoing) Ruins of Japanese American Incarceration: Thirty Years After the Civil Liberties Act of 1988

This year we celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, but the story of Japanese American incarceration is far from over. In this special guest blog, poet and writer Brandon Shimoda combs through the ruins of reparations, incarceration, and national apologies.

>> Read more .
Sushi, Sake, and More on November 3rd!

The second annual Densho Dinner will be held on November 3, 2018, and we've got some amazing speakers and performers for you this year. (Stay tuned for deets!) In addition to the sushi & sake, elegant seated dinner, and live and silent auctions you know and love, we're doubling down on our efforts to tell the Japanese American story in innovative new ways, with an inspiring program that will honor our past, deepen conversations through art and story, and reinvigorate our commitment to standing up for justice today. This will truly be a night to remember and your participation will help Densho continue its important work for years to come.

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