The Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute’s annual Day of Remembrance commemorates the Feb. 19, 1942 signing of Executive Order 9066, which caused the mass removal and imprisonment of Japanese Americans during World War II.
This year’s program, to be held Saturday, Feb. 28, from 2 to 4:30 p.m. in GVJCI’s Main Hall, is entitled “Then and Now: From WWII Incarceration to Today’s ICE Raids — Justice Demands Our Voice.
The documentary “Betrayed: Surviving an American Concentration Camp” will be screened. Directed by Rory Banyard and narrated by Tamlyn Tomita, the film includes interviews with former incarcerees and those who are documenting the Japanese American World War II experience.
The screening will be followed by a panel discussion that contextualizes the historical events and examines the parallels with present-day events involving ICE raids on immigrant communities. Mike Murase will moderate the panel featuring activists Amy Oba and traci kato-kiriyama and An Le, assistant director of community building and engagement for the Little Tokyo Service Center.
All members of the community are encouraged to attend to learn more ways to take action against these injustices and get involved with local organizations and movements. This program will also be recorded and available after the program on the GVJCI website, jci-gardena.org.
Registration is not required and admission is free.
This program is co-sponsored by the George and Sakaye Aratani CARE Award and UCLA’s Asian American Studies Center.
GVJCI is located at 1964 W. 162nd St. in Gardena. For more information, contact Stephanie Mayeda, program manager, at (310) 324-6611, ext. 102 or email smayeda@jci-gardena.org.