LOS ANGELES — Connecting the injustices of the past with similar injustices of the present will be the focus of the 2019 Manzanar At Dusk program, sponsored by the Manzanar Committee, scheduled from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM on Saturday, April 27, 2019, at the Lone Pine High School gymnasium, located at 538 South Main Street (U.S. Highway 395), in Lone Pine, California, across the street from McDonald’s (see map below).
The Manzanar At Dusk program follows the 50th Annual Manzanar Pilgrimage that same day at the Manzanar National Historic Site, located between the towns of Lone Pine and Independence, approximately 230 miles north of Los Angeles (see map below). Cultural performances begin at 11:30 AM while the main program begins at noon.
Now in its 22nd year, Manzanar At Dusk is co-sponsored by the Nikkei Student Unions at California Polytechnic University, Pomona, California State University (CSU), Fullerton CSU, Long Beach, the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, San Diego.
“Manzanar At Dusk is a collaborative effort between the Manzanar Committee and Japanese American college students to continue educating others about the significance of the Japanese American incarceration experience,” said Wendi Yamashita, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Center for the Study of Culture, Race, and Ethnicity, Ithaca College. who serves as Co-Coordinator, Manzanar At Dusk. “These students attend a two-day, intensive training at Manzanar and work on this program throughout the school year despite their busy schedules as college students and organizers. It means a lot to me to be a part of this team and to see our students learn and grow.”
“I have always loved Manzanar At Dusk because it allows for meaningful conversations and connections to emerge as we all process together how Japanese American Incarceration has impacted the lives of all Americans, not just Japanese Americans,” added Yamashita. “All of our communities are more connected in our struggles than we realize and understanding that is so powerful.”
Through a creative presentation, small group discussions, and an open mic session, participants will have the opportunity to interact with former incarcerees in attendance and others to hear their personal stories. Participants will also be able to share their own experiences and discuss the relevance of the Japanese American Incarceration experience to present-day issues.
“Manzanar At Dusk is an event I enjoy organizing because it involves collaboration between community and student leaders working towards continuing an intergenerational conversation about history that should not be forgotten,” said Lauren Matsumoto, Co-President, UCSD Nikkei Student Union. “In addition, it’s a time when the community can come together to reflect on the past in order to discuss ways that we can be activists for the present while there continues to be injustices committed against many other communities whom we need to stand with.”
“The Manzanar Pilgrimage gives us the opportunity to learn more about Japanese American History in one of the actual locations where they were incarcerated, while Manzanar At Dusk provides us with a space where we can talk about what happened,” said Emma Boyles, Co-Cultural Awareness and Community Service Chair, Nikkei Student Union at UCLA. “It’s important to me, personally, because I’m very interested in history and history books have always glossed over the Japanese American perspective of World War II. Manzanar At Dusk gives me the opportunity to look back at Japanese American Incarceration and see how it relates to what is happening today.”
Water will be provided during the event. However, those attending the program are asked to bring a refillable water bottle that can be filled on site.
Both the daytime Pilgrimage program and the Manzanar At Dusk event are free and open to the public. For more information, call (323) 662-5102 or send e-mail to 50thpilgrimage@manzanarcommittee.org.
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The Manzanar Committee is dedicated to educating and raising public awareness about the incarceration and violation of civil rights of persons of Japanese ancestry during World War II and to the continuing struggle of all peoples when Constitutional rights are in danger. A non-profit organization that has sponsored the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage since 1969, along with other educational programs, the Manzanar Committee has also played a key role in the establishment and continued development of the Manzanar National Historic Site. For more information, check out our web site at https://manzanarcommittee.org, call us at (323) 662-5102, and e-mail us at info@manzanarcommittee.org. You can also follow the Manzanar Commitee on Facebook, on Twitter at @manzanarcomm, on Instagram at @manzanarcommittee, on Pinterest and on YouTube.
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LEAD PHOTO: 2018 Manzanar At Dusk participants, shown here in one of the small group discussions. Photo: Gann Matsuda/Manzanar Committee.
Lone Pine High School via Google Maps
Manzanar National Historic Site
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