Two recent events:
On Feb. 19, Topaz survivor Jeanie Kashima gave a talk at the Rosie the Riveter Visitors’ Center in Richmond on the collages that she created from family photos taken in Topaz. Her family was the Oishi nursery family of Richmond, CA before the War. Jeanie gave her talk to a full house twice as friends, supporters and interested parties turned out to hear about her works and the emotions that arose while creating them. The talk was sponsored by the Contra Costa JACL. If you are visiting San Diego before May 27, check out her exhibit, “Topaz Collages,” at the Visions Museum of Textile Art.
On Feb. 23, many organizations in the Bay Area sponsored an Interfaith Vigil in Oakland, calling for the closure of ICE detention centers and prisons throughout California. Visit the website of the Interfaith Movement for Human Integrity for more information and photos.
Can anyone identify the photographer? A few weeks ago, we featured “Father and Son,” a reflection by Dan Hirano. Dan is trying to find out who took the photo of him and his father and has the following request:
Hello.
If you know the “Father and Son” piece in the Topaz Stories, I am the little guy on my Father’s knee. Yes, I’m still around, but unfortunately my Dad is not. And more to the point, he, my Mother, my Obachan and relatives who were in Topaz never mentioned this photo. I recently stumbled upon it myself.
I don’t know if it’s only me or my generation at Topaz, but my recollection of Camp is Zero. As I try to dig into my Topaz past, the blank is becoming a sore thumb. Hence, this note to attempt to trace, through this particular photo, what may have happened.
If there is anyone, particularly those with cameras in Topaz or you know of someone who used a camera there that you think might know anything about this photo – who took it, specifically where, why it might have been taken, and when – I would be extremely interested in learning about them even if it’s just your guess. Please reply to topazstories@gmail.com.
If you have questions, I’m more than happy to hear them. Thanks in advance.
Dan Hirano
The Topaz Stories Team
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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)