Japanese American Legacies of Resistance @ OMCA

This Sunday, we are stepping into the historical legacy that inspired OMCA’s latest special exhibition, BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration. With opening remarks by OMCA Executive Director Lori Fogarty, we will engage with this present moment in American history with the clarity and learnings of the past. 

Guest speakers Satsuki Ina and Miya Sommers, who both have personal or familial ties to wartime incarceration, will be joined in conversation by host Joemy Ito-Gates to explore how the shadows of this history led them to paths of anti-imperialist organizing, solidarity anchored in love, and healing work in times of enduring racial injustice. TaikoPeace will close the day with an interactive performance of “Ei Ja Nai Ka,” honoring Japanese American immigrant ancestors of this era and the echoes of their resistance through taiko, dance, and song. Come ready to learn, engage, and connect with one another!

Visitors are invited to continue the conversation during a post-program Call to Action gathering. Japanese American Families for Justice, Nikkei Resisters, and Tsuru for Solidarity will facilitate interactive protest art activities and share resources on how to get involved with current campaigns.

This program is a part of our exhibition programming for BeHere / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration, on view through December 27, 2026.