Susan Chen is an Ethnic Studies Ph.D. Candidate at the University of California, San Diego. Her research interests include Asian American history, postwar US history, cultural studies, and modern urban history. She is especially fascinated with studies of Asian Americans in contemporary media and popular culture. From 2003 to 2007, Chen worked at the Japanese American National Museum as curatorial assistant and then as museum manager.

Updated February 2015

Sigrid Hudson is a children’s librarian at a public library in the Los Angeles area. She is also an online writer and public programs volunteer for the Japanese American National Museum (JANM). Born and raised in Orange County, California, she currently lives in Los Angeles. As an undergraduate journalism student, Sigrid became interested in First Amendment and other civil rights. She is particularly impressed with the way the JANM carries out its mission in the Los Angeles (and international) community—including the Discover Nikkei online project—and is happy to be a contributor.

Updated June 2009

Elizabeth Ishida was an NCI Program intern at the Japanese American National Museum from June 24 to August 15, 2007. Her project involved creating collections for the Nikkei Album. She is a graduate of UCLA, where she focused on  cultural anthropology and classical civilizations. Currently, she is looking forward to applying to graduate school, where she hopes to earn her Doctorate in Physical Therapy. While not studying or making people fit, she spends time with her second family, members of Taiko Project. She is inspired by the magic of Disney and thinks George Lucas is a genius. In her free time, Elizabeth likes to run in new and beautiful places, sing and dance, and contribute to the wonderful world of Discover Nikkei.

Updated May 2012

Eileen Kurahashi lives in Northern California with her family. She is active in Sogetsu ikebana, the Mills College choir, and is studying French.

Updated September 2014

Mia Nakaji Monnier is a writer in Los Angeles. Her journalism and essays have appeared in BuzzFeed News, Shondaland, The Washington Post, and more. She started her career in Little Tokyo at Discover Nikkei and The Rafu Shimpo. You can find her on Twitter @miagabb and read more of her work at mianakajimonnier.com.

Updated May 2021

Darryl Mori is a writer based in Los Angeles, specializing in the arts and the nonprofit sector. A Sansei and a native of Southern California, he has written for UCLA and the Japanese American National Museum, where he serves as a volunteer. He currently works in fundraising and external relations for Art Center College of Design.

Updated December 2012

Vicky K. Murakami-Tsuda is the Communications Production Manager at the Japanese American National Museum. She loves working on the Discover Nikkei project, because it gives her the opportunity to learn so many new and interesting stories, and connect with people around the world who share similar interests.

She is a “self-proclaimed” yonsei from Southern California who comes from a large extended family. A long time ago (when she had more free time and energy), she was also an artist who explored Japanese American culture and history through her artwork. When not working, she enjoys eating, cheering on her beloved Dodgers, bowling, reading, playing games on her phone (Wordl anyone?), and binge-watching movies and shows.

Updated May 2022

Esther Newman grew up in California. After college and a career in marketing and media production for Ohio’s Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, she returned to school to study twentieth century American history. While in graduate school, she became interested in her family’s history which led to research on topics affecting the Japanese Diaspora including internment, migration and assimilation. She is retired but her interest in writing about and supporting organizations related to these subjects continues.

Updated November 2021

Susan Osa is a marketing/communications professional with experience on projects ranging from print, web/new media, to environmental graphics. She has been a volunteer with the Japanese American National Museum since 2001.

Updated April 2008

Fiona Potter grew up in La Canada, California. She is a former Discover Nikkei intern currently living and working in the Bay Area, California.

Updated January 2013

Mai Tanaka is a Yonsei born and raised in Los Angeles. Mai's family history of incarceration during WWII sparked their early interest in the intersection of politics, culture, and activism. Mai holds a B.A. in International Studies with a focus on Political Science and Japanese Studies and has spent time abroad researching and studying in Japan.

Updated February 2024

Shigueru Julio Tsuha is a graduate student at the University of California, Riverside in the department of Sociology. He is currently working on his dissertation on community and identity formation of Japanese Peruvians in Southern California.

Updated May 2007

Cathy Uechi is a volunteer at the Japanese American National Museum and a contributing writer for Discover Nikkei. She is a Nisei, born in Boyle Heights and raised in the Valley, to parents who hailed from Okinawa. She enjoys exploring LA’s food scene whether it be the latest hotspot or a “mom and pop” establishment off the beaten path. Cathy is a graduate of the University of California, Irvine.

Updated September 2014

Leslie Yamaguchi is a High School English teacher in Southern California. She is a volunteer for the Japanese American National Museum where she writes articles for the Museum Store Online and helps out with book sales at public programs.

Updated November 2007

Edward Yoshida is a husband, father, JANM/Discover Nikkei volunteer, and a project analyst at a regional engineering firm. He grew up in Los Angeles and Orange County before attending college back East. In his spare time, he enjoys exercising and spending quality time with his family.

Updated June 2015