To celebrate Valentine’s Day, we feature Frank Kami’s story, “Frank and Miyoko.”
Frank Kami and Miyoko Akimoto both grew up in Berkeley, CA before the War. They dated while students at Berkeley High School. After the attack on Pearl Harbor and the signing of Executive Order 9066, both families were forcibly removed from their homes and incarcerated in Tanforan “Assembly Center” in San Bruno, CA.
While Frank’s family remained in Tanforan to be transferred to Topaz, Utah in the fall, Miyoko’s family was deported as part of a diplomatic exchange. The two lost touch.
This is a Valentine’s Day story, so you know the story did not end there. To find out how they managed to find each other again, read Frank’s story, “Frank and Miyoko,” on our website (see the link in our bio).
Learn about two upcoming Topaz Stories-related events — there is updated information for Jeanie Kashima’s talk on February 19! She will present twice, starting at 11 am and 1 pm, and registration is required due to limited seating.
The Topaz Stories Team
Contact us if you have a Topaz Story to share.
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Media Coverage:
Watch Topaz survivors tell their stories (abc4 news, 4/22/2022)
Listen to the “In the Hive” podcast with interviews with Ann Dion, Jonathan Hirabayashi, and Topaz survivors Jeanie Kashima and Joseph Nishimura (KCPW, 4/28/2022)
Read How a Utah exhibit about Topaz Camp looks to find empathy in ‘an ugly stain on American history (ksl.com, 4/22/2022)
Read “Topaz Stories rise from the dust,” (Department of Culture & Community Engagement, 4/2022)
Listen to KQED Forum, Day of Remembrance interview with Ruth Sasaki, 2/15/2022
Listen to Max Chang and Ruth Sasaki interviewed (KRCL RadioActive, 2/9/2022
Read On Topaz Stories and ‘Authentic Voice’, the Discover Nikkei interview with Ruth Sasaki (10/14/2022)
Listen to Remembering the Japanese American Incarceration, the Topaz Stories podcast with Ruth Sasaki and Jonathan Hirabayashi (6/2/2021)