March 2013 - Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre

Listeners••••You will have the opportunity to listen,irst hand, to stories from this period ofour history. Many of these stories havenever been told.This is a unique way to learn about thehistory of Japanese Canadians.You will have the opportunity to askquestions of the Storytellers.This is an opportunity to connect withJapanese Canadians from other generationsand to better understand the foundationsupon which our community has been built.Guest SpeakerDr Greg Robinson is a Professor of History atl’Université du Québec à Montréal. He is theauthor of A Tragedy of Democracy: JapaneseConinement in North America, a history ofthe internment of the Japanese Americansand Canadians, and After Camp: Portraitsin Midcentury Japanese American Life andPolitics, a book discussing the experience ofJapanese Americans in the years followingWWII. Dr Robinson is also a columnist for theNikkei Voice.Conference ScheduleSaturday, April 6, 2013•8:00am – 8:45amRegistration and Refreshments• 8:45am – 10:00amOpening Remarks from MC, Guest SpeakerDr Robinson, Overview of ConferenceDetails• 10:00am – 12:30pmSharing of stories in breakout rooms withrefreshment breaks•12:30pm – 1:30pmLunch Break• 1:45pm – 5:30pmSharing of stories in breakout rooms withrefreshment breaks•5:30pmDinner in Kobayashi HallSunday April 7, 2013•8:30am – 9:00amArrival and Refreshments• 9:00am – 11:00amRelections and comments by Dr Robinson,followed by an Open Q&A• 11:00am – 11:30amClosing Remarks and introduction to thenew Nikkei Heritage Centre24This is such an important period in the historyof the Japanese Canadian community.There are many lessons to be learned by futuregenerations on how the Japanese Canadiansovercame the fear and prejudices of the day tobecome such a respected, accomplished andintegral part of today’s Canadian society. Asvirtually no research has yet been done in thisperiod of Japanese Canadian history, it is veryimportant that these stories are captured.StorytellersWe will ask you to share your storiesabout the post war years (1945-1967) inan intimate setting, with a small group oflisteners. We ask that your story be about20 – 25 minutes.Your story could include your geographicjourney, what it was like to resettle, howyou found your irst job, and how familiesand the community reconnected andstarted building their new lives towardsthe future.As in the 2010 War Years Conference, wewill videotape you as you tell your story soit will be preserved for future generations.This is also an opportunity to reconnectwith old friends and share your life storywith your families.By sharing your story with us, you arehelping to preserve this segment ofJapanese Canadian history.•••••