We launch our Topaz Stories website with six stories.
Some of the people incarcerated for years in the Utah desert were children. In “Toy Story,” Jon Yatabe recalls the toys he played with in camp, toys that were lovingly hand-crafted by Issei (first-generation immigrant) men.
Norm Hayashi was younger, just a toddler; in “Every Little Moment,” he remembers the awkwardness of meeting his father again after a long separation.
Kerrily Kitano’s mother, Yuriko, struck out on her own as a teenager, leaving her family behind in camp. “Adopted by Quakers” is about her mother’s quest to pursue an education.
In “Galvanized Buckets,” Carol Yoshimoto writes of her parents, who met and married in Topaz.
Gail Nanbu’s “What is an American?” tells the story of her grandmother, whose fortitude carried her on her journey from daughter of samurai to American citizen.
In “Father and Son,” Dan Hirano, who was born in Topaz, pores over a cherished and worn photograph to speculate about what his father was doing on that day.
We will continue a rolling release through the summer. There are about 60 stories to date, and we look forward to sharing them with you!