Roots in Okinawa

Saturday, Aug 17, 2024   2-4pm

J-Sei, 1285 66th Street, Emeryville, CA

What does it mean for Japanese Americans to have ancestors from Okinawa? How is it different from the histories and experiences of other Japanese Americans? This workshop is for people with at least one family member/ancestor (e.g., parent, grandparent, great-grandparent, etc.) from Okinawa, specifically welcoming people of all ages who don’t know much about Japanese or Okinawan cultures, languages, and histories; people of multiple ancestries; and people who identify with multiple marginalized communities (in terms of ability, sexuality, gender, etc.).

Moderated by Jane H. Yamashiro, the goal of this workshop is for participants to have the space to think more critically and deeply about what their Okinawan heritage means to them. Participants will have time to reflect on their backgrounds, ask questions, share thoughts, and learn about the experiences and perspectives of others.

RSVP here.

Okinawan Migration to the United States 

Sunday, July 14, 2-4pm PT – in-person and online

Okinawans have been migrating to the United States for over 100 years. They have come in two major waves – before World War II and after World War II. What have been the circumstances for their leaving Okinawa and coming to the United States? How about indirect migration, where Okinawans migrated to another country before coming to the U.S.? How is “Okinawan” migration different from “Japanese” migration to the U.S.? What questions do we have about this migration and can we find answers to them? This informal discussion won’t provide all the answers, but will create a space to talk about Okinawan migration history. Moderated by Jane H. Yamashiro, this gathering will include a brief historical overview of Okinawan migration to the U.S., as well as chances to discuss family histories of migration from Okinawa. This event is co-sponsored by J-Sei and the Northern California Okinawan Kenjin Kai.

RSVP for in-person or online,

Jane H. Yamashiro is a sociologist whose comparative and transnational work on race and ethnicity, culture, globalization, migration, diaspora, and identity sits at the intersection of Asian American and Asian Studies. She has previously been a Visiting Scholar at USC’s Center for Japanese Religions and Culture and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center, and has taught at colleges and universities in the U.S. and Japan, most recently including Mills College, Loyola Marymount University and Mount Tamalpais College (formerly Patten University at San Quentin). She holds a B.A. from the University of California at San Diego and M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Hawai‘i at Manoa. While conducting research in Japan, Dr. Yamashiro has been funded by the East-West Center and the Crown Prince Akihito Scholarship, and has been a visiting researcher at the University of Tokyo and Sophia University. Dr. Yamashiro’s first book, Redefining Japaneseness: Japanese Americans in the Ancestral Homeland, was published in 2017. She is currently writing a book that examines the varied ways that Okinawans in the continental United States identify and think about their Okinawanness.

San Jose Screening: THE VOLUNTEER

a short documentary on Vietnam veteran Bruce Nakashima

Saturday, September 7th, 2 pm

Wesley United Methodist Church, 566 Fifth Street, San Jose Japantown

Join us for the screening, reflections from filmmaker David Brodie, and a community conversation as we remember Bruce Nakashima and those who served during the Vietnam War, a heightened time of tension and protests, and the scars that remain hidden over 50 years later.  If you know of anyone who experienced the Vietnam War and may be willing to join our conversation, we warmly welcome them. Please contact Judy Kajiwara or Jill Shiraki at jill@j-sei.org.  The dialogue will be moderated by Alan Maeda.

The Volunteer is a short documentary about Vietnam veteran Bruce Nakashima.  Bruce reflects upon his combat experiences, the racism he encountered, and his struggle to express the shame, guilt and anger he’s since carried.  The film follows the close friendship Bruce had with fellow African American soldier LV.  After surviving an attack, the two injured soldiers are rescued, hospitalized and lose contact with each other.  During the making of The Volunteer, 50 years later, Bruce and LV are finally reunited.  Their renewed friendship helps Bruce begin to reconcile the unspeakable memories that have haunted him and, most importantly, to thank LV for saving his life.

“The pain in The Volunteer captures the unforgivable realities of war, things that hurt any combat Veteran to the morrow.  The joy is realizing, from Bruce Nakashima’s experiences, that I am neither a criminal nor a victim.”  –Francisco Juarez, Vietnam Veteran and Commander of the El Camino Real Chapter of the American GI Forum of the US

 “…a moving and deeply resonant exploration into the enduring impact of racial trauma, the profound power and bonds of friendship, and the universal quest for identity and a sense of belonging.”  BEND Film Festival

View the trailer.