Memory
In particular, they discuss what makes for a strong community leader and how ego can get in the way.
Speakers: Glen Nagano, Izumi Sakamoto
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Bringing together young activists from across Canada, the Centennial Youth Conference in 1977 marked the 100 year anniversary of the first Japanese immigrant’s arrival in Canada.
show moreIn this clip, activists describe staying at the conference venue (the Japanese Canadian Cultural Center in Toronto) and the connections they made there.
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In this segment, Izumi Sakamoto and activist Glen Nagano discuss shikata ga nai (“it can’t be helped”) sentiments and the loss of family history.
show moreIzumi speaks to how artists respond to the loss of family history using their creativity and imagination.
Speakers: Glen Nagano, Izumi Sakamoto
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Content Warning: a derogatory term for Vietnamese people (“g**k”) commonly used during the War is spoken. While we have not censored the clip for the historical accuracy of the story, please use your judgement before listening as it may be offensive to hear.
show moreRon Tanaka was a professor at the University of British Colombia that played a major role in the start of the Asian Rights Movement in Canada. In this segment, Glen Nagano describes meeting him on campus and the strong impression Ron made.
Speakers: Glen Nagano
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In the early 70s Japanese Canadian activists began to gather together at conferences and art exhibits to promote the growing Asian Rights Movement in Canada.
show moreIn this clip, Sansei activists discuss how these events represented the first Asian Canadian spaces that many had ever encountered.
Speakers: Mayumi Takasaki, Martin Kobayakawa, Izumi Sakamoto
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Before the rise of social media, activists had to come up with creative solutions to reach others in their community.
show moreIn this segment activist Glen Nagano talks about using a phone book in the early 1970s to find participants for his survey about experiences of being Japanese Canadian.
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Mainstream arts communities have often excluded artists from minority groups, and Asian Canadian artists are no different. However, this position of being outside of the mainstream gives them a unique view from which they can comment on mainstream ideas and social structures.
show moreIn this clip, playwright Rick Shiomi discusses how this phenomenon links art and activism more closely together for Asian Canadian artists.
Speakers: Rick Shiomi
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In 1972, the Asian Canadian Experience Conference brought together young Asian Canadians from across Canada.
show moreHere, conference attendee Lucy Komori discusses the strong impact the conference had on her.
Speakers: Martin Kobayakawa, Lucy Komori, Izumi Sakamoto, Mayumi Takasaki
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In this segment, playwright Rick Shiomi discusses the founding of Asian American theatre company Theatre Mu.
show moreWhile the company would become highly influential on the theatre scene in Massachusetts, he speaks to how its founders could not have predicted its impact. For them, Theatre Mu was created by the simple “desire to do something” about the lack of representation of Asian Americans in theatre.
Speakers: Rick Shiomi
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In this clip, two Sansei women involved in the organization of the first-ever Powell Street Festival discuss the slide tape that they created, which captured Japanese Canadian history.
show moreSpecifically, they discuss how the slide tape was put together in response to other organizers’ attempts to source performers from Japan.
Speakers: Lucy Komori, Connie Kadota
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After the war, survivors of mass incarceration were scattered across Canada. For many, the trauma of incarceration led them to resist forming place-based community with other
show moreJapanese Canadians as they feared they would become a target once again. In this segment, Glen Nagano describes why older generations felt that they could not return to Powell Street.
Speakers: Glen Nagano, Izumi Sakamoto
show lessothers communicated them in in a myriad of ways. In this clip Sansei activists discuss how their families talked about their history of incarceration.
Speakers: Lucy Komori, Martin Kobayakawa, Connie Kadota, Izumi Sakamoto
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