This summer, the Japanese American Citizens League Pacific Southwest (JACL-PSW) District office is hosting Katarou Histories, a ten week dialogue-based program for all generations to foster a deeper understanding of identity, community and the importance of preserving oral histories in the San Fernando Valley’s Japanese American community. This is the second summer the San Fernando Valley JACL chapter and the PSW District office have collaborated to encourage more community members to learn about the significance of sharing their stories and building community by enriching our collective knowledge.
Through this experience, Miharu Okamura, a JACL intern helping to plan this program has expressed that, “Getting to work with people, who have experienced and gone through such difficult times has been a true eye opener…Not only have I gained experience with working with an intergenerational demographic, but also life experience getting to listen to their stories. Something that I have learned from this program is that, you’re never too old or too young to inspire creation, aspiration and courage to the community.”
Katarou Histories offers a rare chance for Japanese Americans from multiple generations to not only share and be exposed to narratives that are often unheard, but to feel empowered to preserve their oral histories through creative outlets. The participants in Katarou Histories are currently working on their final projects to share their discoveries with the greater community on August 24th at 2 PM at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) Cultural Room in Little Tokyo. We encourage you all to join us for the inaugural celebration of our Katarou Histories program participants and their intergenerational collaborative efforts to empower the community and preserve our cultural, community and regional history.
traci ishigo
Program Coordinator
Pacific Southwest District JACL
Through this experience, Miharu Okamura, a JACL intern helping to plan this program has expressed that, “Getting to work with people, who have experienced and gone through such difficult times has been a true eye opener…Not only have I gained experience with working with an intergenerational demographic, but also life experience getting to listen to their stories. Something that I have learned from this program is that, you’re never too old or too young to inspire creation, aspiration and courage to the community.”
Katarou Histories offers a rare chance for Japanese Americans from multiple generations to not only share and be exposed to narratives that are often unheard, but to feel empowered to preserve their oral histories through creative outlets. The participants in Katarou Histories are currently working on their final projects to share their discoveries with the greater community on August 24th at 2 PM at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC) Cultural Room in Little Tokyo. We encourage you all to join us for the inaugural celebration of our Katarou Histories program participants and their intergenerational collaborative efforts to empower the community and preserve our cultural, community and regional history.
traci ishigo
Program Coordinator
Pacific Southwest District JACL