Good evening folks,

This year, The Japanese American Day of remembrance was celebrated today, the 81^st recognition in the United States.  In 1942, on February 19th, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066.  This gave the U.S. army the authority to remove civilians from military zones, leading to the removal of 125,000 people of Japanese ancestry from their homes and livelihoods.  Japanese Americans were incarcerated and sent to concentration camps mostly throughout WA, OR and CA for no reason other than their ancestry.

Here in Seattle and surrounding communities, there were several events celebrating the resilience of the Japanese people and their wonderful ongoing contributions to the United States.   Ranging from online discussions to performances, to lectures and gatherings, people congregated to acknowledge the horror and shame of this event and the ongoing commitment to ensure nothing like this ever happens again.

Today, President Biden stated “The incarceration of Japanese Americans reminds us what happens when racism, fear, and xenophobia go unchecked. As we battle for the soul of our nation, we continue to combat the corrosive effects of hate on our democracy and the intergenerational trauma resulting from it. We reaffirm the Federal Government’s formal apology to Japanese Americans for the suffering inflicted by these policies. And we commit to Nidoto Nai Yoni – to “Let It Not Happen Again.”

We are very fortunate at Shoreline Community College to have students, staff, and faculty who come from Japan or have Japanese Ancestry.  We celebrate our wonderful and diverse Japanese friends and colleagues and thank you for making our campus a better place, because you are here. 

Cheers,

Jack

Jack S. Kahn Ph.D.

President