February 25, 2024 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 5:00pm to 7:00pm
In partnership with the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington, Seattle Rep will host two readings by the incredible members of the Omoide Writing Group as they share the stories of generations of Japanese Americans in the Seattle area. From immigration to incarceration to innovation, Japanese Americans have played a vital role in defining our region and shaping Washington’s culture and history. Through their stories, we will explore different facets of heritage values in the face of unique challenges and endless resilience.
To date, the Omoide (memories) team has helped dozens of people to preserve their own stories through by holding monthly writing workshops, publishing five Omoide books for children containing stories from Omoide contributors, and sharing their stories with several thousand students, teachers, and members of the general public over the past 30 years.
These personal accounts of the Japanese experience in the Pacific Northwest have become a springboard for open dialog and discussions of constitutional rights, personal history and identity, immigrant experiences in the United States, the generational impacts of racism and discrimination, multicultural issues, and much more.
Omoide is a program of the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Washington, and is led by a group of volunteers who help coach, critique, and edit writing workshop participants. Their first volume of stories, Omoide I, was published in 1993. Currently, the group is working on and collecting stories for Omoide VI.
If you’re interested in joining the Omoide Writing Group, contributing stories, or a speaking presentation, please contact [email protected].