Manzanar Committee Announces 7th Annual Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program

LOS ANGELES — On October 30, the Manzanar Committee, sponsors of the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and Manzanar At Dusk program, along with the youth education project, Katari: Keeping Japanese American Stories Alive, announced their Seventh Annual Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program, a creative works program in which K-12 students may submit essays, short stories, poetry, works of art, including drawings, collages, posters, and works involving technology, including animation, podcasts, movies, or videos.

The awards program, named after the late chair of the Manzanar Committee who was one of the founders of the annual Manzanar Pilgrimage and was the driving force behind the creation of the Manzanar National Historic Site, recognizes students who demonstrate an understanding of the guiding principles of social justice in today’s society. The awards program honors the accomplishments and insights the student has applied to his/her life.

“The Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards Program provides students an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of social justice issues, both past and present,” said Manzanar Committee member Janet Fujii, Co-Chair of the awards program. “We hope to empower students to educate themselves and others while considering what actions each person can take to address the continuing struggles for basic human and civil rights facing our communities.”

K-12 students may participate by submitting creative works depicting their understanding of the impact of the World War II American concentration camps, the efforts of the 442nd Infantry/100th Battalion, the Japanese American draft resisters, or their awareness of today’s climate of racial profiling, racism, immigration issues,and social justice concerns.

Winning entrants will receive up to $100.00, and their work will be recognized during the Manzanar Pilgrimage, and may be published in the Pilgrimage program, on the Manzanar Committee’s web site (https://manzanarcommittee.org), in the Sue Kunitomi Embrey Student Awards printed program, and in the Manzanar Committee’s newsletter, the Manzanar Messenger. The Manzanar Committee will determine the final award amounts.

The deadline for submissions is February 28, 2022. Winners will be contacted shortly after that date.

Program information and application forms can be downloaded at: https://manzanarcommittee.org/program-details-application

For more information, send e-mail to ske-awards@manzanarcommittee.org or call (323) 662-5102.

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 Committee on Facebook, on Twitter at @manzanarcomm, on Instagram at @manzanarcommittee, on Pinterest and on YouTube.

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LEAD PHOTO: Some of the winners of the Fifth Annual Manzanar Committee Student Awards Program. Photo by Jason Fujii/Manzanar Committee.

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