Join JAMsj in exploring the meaning of Day of Remembrance and the relevance of what Japanese Americans have learned from the World War II mass incarceration experience for understanding what is happening today. The event will feature a discussion moderated by Rose Aguilar, host of “Your Call,” a public affairs show on NPR affiliate KALW 97.1 FM with panelists from Chinese, Mexican, Muslim, and other communities who will add their own experiences to that of Japanese Americans.

This year’s JAMsj Day of Remembrance event will include a hands-on activity inviting participants to create paper illuminated lanterns that cast delicate patterned shadows. These shadows reflect cultural patterns (a Mexican papel picado flower and a Arabic motif), as well as abstracted patterns of barbed wire and chain link fences. Just as the light breaks outside the boundaries of the lantern cage, so does our hope and our drive to seek inclusion for everyone within our American tapestry. This #DontExcludeUs activity will result in small lanterns participants can take with them on the evening Day of Remembrance march in Japantown. Dangling from these lanterns will be replicas of Japanese exclusion processing tags. One side of the tag will be mirrored, reflecting back the viewer as we highlight the continued relevance of this important moment in history.  A large lantern installation will also be included as part of the project. This project is designed by artist Corinne Okada Takara.

Admission is free but requires an RSVP to publicprograms@jamsj.org