The leadership, staff, and volunteers of the Japanese American National Museum were deeply saddened by the recent passing of Dr. Lane Ryo Hirabayashi. Having served as the George and Sakaye Aratani Professor of the Japanese American Incarceration, Redress and Community and as the chair of the Asian American Studies Department at UCLA from 2006 until his retirement in 2017, Lane was respected for his over forty years of research and writings. For JANM, Lane was an essential contributor, advisor, and presenter for many projects, exhibitions, conferences, and public programs.

9066 to 9/11 focuses on the parallels between the post-September 11 treatment of Arab Americans and Muslims in this country with the actions against Japanese Americans after the start of World War II. Revealing striking similarities, this 2004 film addresses the mistreatment of immigrants in the United States, as well as the lack of historical memory by lawmakers and the public about America’s use of concentration camps during World War II. Also available on DVD at the JANM Store.

On February 4, 2016, JANM hosted a 10th anniversary screening of the third film in the blockbuster Fast and Furious franchise, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. The screening was followed by a panel discussion moderated by Phil Yu (Angry Asian Man) with director Justin Lin and actors Sung Kang and Leonardo Nam, discussing everything from the lessons learned from indie filmmaking to being Asian American in Hollywood and what cars they wish they could to take home with them from the films.

For the 75th anniversary of the atomic bombings in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Jared Namba and Sazzy Gourley directed a short documentary, An American Hibakusha, about Jared’s grandfather Wataru Namba, who is a US-born Japanese American survivor of the atomic bombing.

Released with TIME magazine, this film recounts the day that the bomb was dropped as Jared’s grandfather was going over his daily homework at Hiroshima Engineering Technical Junior College.

Mia Yamamoto is a Japanese American, transgender attorney who has faced adversity throughout her life, but never backed down from it. Her lifelong commitment to equality and civil rights has made her a leader within the field of law and social justice. At a time when there were very few Japanese American lawyers working within the criminal justice system, she stood up for Japanese Americans and all minorities, to bring them together and to amplify their voices within their communities, in their quest for equality in social justice.

Mia Yamamoto will be one of the speakers participating in the Coming Out and Coming Home: Documenting the Voices of Queer Japanese Americans virtual program on Saturday, September 26. Click here for details.

At the start of safer at home orders in Los Angeles, we gathered virtually for the first time to write letters to seniors who were isolating physically in their homes in Little Tokyo. Now, six months later, we will be writing again to our community elders to see how they are now and how we can continue to provide comfort and connection.

Join leaders in the Japanese American and Muslim American communities in a conversation about Muslims at Manzanar: A Civil Rights Journey, produced by the Council for American Islamic Relations. The discussion will explore the importance of sharing our connected histories and experiences, as well as the power of pilgrimage and honoring significant sites in our histories. Panelists include Hussam Ayloush (CAIR-LA Executive Director), Eugene Fields (CAIR-LA Communications Manager), Bruce Embrey (Manzanar Committee), Jim Matsuoka (Manzanar Committee), and Erin Aoyama (Minidoka National Historic Site).

Join us for a Q&A with the grandchildren of Wakako Yamauchi, Momo Nagano, and Mary Nomura, the subjects of Words, Weavings, & Songs (2002). Alyctra Matsushita, Hana van der Steur, and Erin Nomura Marquez will talk about their grandmothers and their impacts on the Japanese American community and beyond. They will also be joined by Mary Kageyama Nomura, the Songbird of Manzanar herself, in a special appearance on the eve of her 95th birthday. The film will be available to watch on JANM’s YouTube channel starting

Pack a fall picnic or stay-at-home bento (Japanese packed lunch) for the kids with cookbook author, food blogger, and designer Azusa Oda. In this workshop, participants will learn how to cook tamagoyaki (rolled egg omelet), Japanese potato salad, and baked karaage (Japanese “fried” chicken). Participants have the opportunity to cook alongside Oda on Zoom as they make dishes that are easy to pack up and take on the go!

Visit the award-winning JANM Store for that unique gift! Follow the new store Instagram @ShopJANMStore

This week’s featured item: Asian Americans (DVD)

Written by S. Leo Chiang, Victoria Chalk, Aldo Velasco, Grace Lee, and Alex Keipper. Produced by Renee Tajima-Pena, S. Leo Chiang, Grace Lee, and Geeta Gandbhir.

This five-part series traces the story of Asian Americans, spanning 150 years of immigration, racial politics, international relations, and cultural innovation. It is a timely, clear-eyed look at the vital role that Asian Americans have played in defining who we are as a nation. Their stories are a celebration of the grit and resilience of a people that reflect the experience of all Americans.

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JANM is proud to partner with Gold House to encourage everyone who has not already done so to complete the 2020 census.

The census not only determines how many representatives each state has in Congress, but also forms the basis for distributing more than $675 billion in federal funds annually to support resources such as schools, hospitals, and fire departments. Yet, an estimated 40% of households have not yet completed the census, especially those from marginalized communities such as the non-English speaking Asian population. In fact, The New York Times reported that Asian Americans are the least likely to complete the census.

Complete the 2020 census today!