The Gate of Memory, a community reading and book signing
Saturday, July 12, 2 pm
J-Sei
The Gate of Memory, edited by Brynn Saito and Brandon Shimoda, is an anthology of poetry on Nikkei incarceration, written by descendants of the WWII prisons and camps.
Immerse yourself surrounded by a chorus of voices by descendents of Nikkei wartime incarcerees. Hear from Bay Area contributors: Brian Komei Dempster, Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson, Lauren Fujimoto-Johnson, Steve Fujimura, Rebecca A. Green, Jodi Hottel, Susan Kiyo Ito, Amanda Mei Kim, Casey Hidekawa Lane/Levinski, Ali Meyers-Ohki, Ryan Hitoshi Nakano, Miya Sommers, Dana Swensen, Syd Westley, Doug Yamamoto, and Lauren Emiko Ito. The book reading, hosted by Brandon Shimoda, will be followed by a light reception, book sales and signing.
A tribute to the 150,000 people incarcerated by the United States and Canada during WWII, this anthology is the first of its kind. The poetry expresses a range of experiences and perspectives from the afterlife of this historical yet enduring injustice. With a foreword by acclaimed poet, activist, and concentration camp survivor, Mitsuye Yamada, and an introduction by the editors, poets Brynn Saito and Brandon Shimoda, The Gate of Memory (published by Haymarket Press, April 2025) explores intergenerational trauma as the contributors, all of whom are descendants of those who were incarcerated, sift through an intimate record of wartime incarceration.
“This is the exact right moment for this book. It’s evidence of how traumas survive, flowing from one generation to the next. It’s a roadmap for defying guilt, shame and silence. It’s an invitation to speak up, to record and share stories even if they’re incomplete or fading. It asks us to listen, to ask questions and to take action.” —Amy Hirayama, International Examiner, April 2025
“This pilgrimage of poems, blessed by elder poets Mitsuye Yamada and Lawson Inada, is here gifted at The Gate of Memory. Our parents, who once named that memory ambiguously “camp,” have passed beyond that gate. May these words render solace, rise as haunting stars to light our way.” —Karen Tei Yamashita
This program is co-sponsored by Nikkei Resisters and J-Sei.