Anglican Healing Fund for Japanese Canadians 14 Toronto NAJC Update

HUMAN RIGHTS SYMPOSIUM

Symposium team of presenters and organizers Top row L-R Kristen Kiyomi Perry, Kathy Shimizu, Leanne Toshiko Simpson, Jim Sugiyama. Middle row L-R Jun Cura-Bongolan, Kim Uyede-Kai, Pam Sugiman, Lynn Deutscher Kobayash. Bottom row L-R Karen Cho, Hayden King, Judy Hanazawa, Jennifer Matsunaga

Human Rights Symposium Preview: Intergenerational Trauma and Mental Health with Leanne Toshiko Simpson & Jim Sugiyama

Three generations of JC community members will come together to discuss mental health and wellbeing in the wake of internment legacies, the recent rise in anti-Asian violence, and ongoing stigma around mental illness. Ron Shimizu from the Toronto NAJC Elders Council (Nisei), Dr. Jim Sugiyama (Sansei) and doctoral student Leanne Toshiko Simpson will join peer facilitator Nicola Koyanagi to share their perspectives on October 29. The panel hopes to bridge the gap between some of the community’s historical experiences and the personal struggles that feel so isolating for so many people. The event is an expansion of a conversation started in at We Should Know Each Other with Joy Kogawa.

Panelists Dr. Jim Sugiyama and Leanne Toshiko Simpson sat down to talk about what has changed since they last discussed mental health within Japanese Canadian communities.

Jim When you look at the anti-Asian racism that flowed from the pandemic, for many of us, it was retraumatizing because it took us back to a darker day when we were growing up in a fairly homogenous white society. I’ve always looked at mental health as walking a knife’s edge – with supportive people in your life, you maintain your footing, but under the wrong circumstances, it doesn’t take much to blow you off course. And as racialized people, I think that balance is far more tenuous.

Leanne At Mata Ashita, the intergenerational writing circle I’ve helped run through the pandemic, there was this really powerful moment after the attack in Atlanta where all of our writers sat together – virtually, of course – and called the names of our ancestors for strength. When we’re writing these stories about racism, about erasure, about the difficulty of living with our histories, we’re part of an active resistance that started long before us. And I think acknowledging the impact of these histories is an important step towards understanding mental health. I even think since the last time we did an event together, I’ve come to recognize that even more.

Jim During our last event, it was so neat to look out at the faces and see all these different generations reflect together. There’s a sense of shikata ga nai within our community – we’ve all faced racism but we don’t make a big deal of it. It’s just not in our collective nature. But I think when you and I talked about the issues we’ve faced, it might have tweaked some people to be a little more cognizant of the fact that almost every one of us has come through a crucible of racism to get where we are today, and that takes a toll on us.

Leanne One of the moments that stood out to me was when we first arrived and discovered that people were anxious not to be seen in pictures taken at a mental health event – the stigma is still so prevalent. So I hope that hearing our experiences with mental health challenges empowers people to know that they’re not alone. Even if people were hesitant at first, it was really amazing how many folks stuck around just to talk and share their own stories after the event ended.

Jim I think our conversations can give people license to acknowledge the fact that we all deal with mental health – there’s nobody out there that hasn’t experienced some level of challenge, but I think it’s a subject that Japanese Canadians by nature aren’t comfortable talking about. And I’m really excited to have Ron’s perspective this time around. It’ll be amazing to learn more about being a Nisei during the times us younger generations weren’t around for.

In a letter written to ensure inclusion of those outside BC in the BC redress initiative and emphasize the psychological impacts of injustice, Ron and Lynn Deutscher Kobayashi, explained the following: To large measure, the negative impacts of these injustices, instances of suicides, breakdowns, violence, abuse, alcoholism, withdrawal and self-isolation suffered by families within our community has mainly emerged anecdotally, in private conversations among friends and relatives. These histories are often characterized by words like black sheep and internalized as shameful for a family. As such, Ron’s advocacy and participation in this panel honours all Japanese Canadians who were unable to simply carry on with their lives after the racism and injustices of incarceration, forced uprooting, exile and dispossession.

SYMPOSIUM DETAILS & SCHEDULE

This in-person human rights symposium aspires to build community and close the four-year gap between the last national event in 2018 and the pandemic. As we emerge from our zoom cocoons, intergenerational, small group sharing will be the means of engaging those committed to change and those beginning travels on a learning path.

The language and idioms of generational voices may differ, but the desire to work with compassion and solidarity with the struggles of our unique community and that of others does not. We hope our embodied selves will intermingle to generate plans for concrete actions large and small to leverage the voices of our small but powerful community. We hope you will invest your time in helping us turn good intentions into results.

Symposium Schedule is available at: www.torontonajc.ca/ symposium-schedule

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2022 Hospitality Room with early registration at the Chelsea Hotel SATURDAY, OCTOBER 29 CHELSEA HOTEL & REEL ASIAN HQ Morning Welcome, Inheritance of Activism, Plenary; Truth, and Reconciliation Afternoon Concurrent Sessions; Intergenerational Trauma, LGBTQ+2S, Intergenerational Trauma, National Housing Crisis, Anti-Asian racism Evening 8:00pm After-party at the Reel Asian Film Festival Headquarters. A short presentation on the third edition of the Japan Town mural series “JT3” a response to the murders of the Azfaal family in London Ontario, and residential school survivors will take place.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 30 ROYAL ONTARIO MUSEUM Morning C-5 at the ROM with breakfast reception and sharing circles Afternoon Signy & Cleophee Eaton Theatre at the ROM Presentation of the NAJC Dr. Gordon Hirabayashi Human Rights Award with Justice Omatsu, Building Solidarities, panel discussion moderated by Dr. Pamela Sugiman with Hayden King of the Yellowhead Institute.

Symposium presenters Kathy Shimizu, Leanne Toshiko Simpson, Jim Sugiyama, Jun Cura-Bongolan, Kim Uyede-Kai, Pam Sugiman, Karen Cho, Hayden King, Judy Hanazawa, Jennifer Matsunaga, Amira Elghawaby, Akira Imai, Brent Kitagawa, Nicola Koyanagi, Izumi Sakamoto, Ron Shimizu

FEES & REGISTRATION All are welcome to attend but capacity for this in-person event is 100 attendees.

REGISTRATION FEES The Symposium is hosted and funded by the Toronto NAJC, CRRF, Federal and Provincial governments. Youth (19-30) $55 | Seniors (65+) $155 | General Admission $175 Survivors* | Complimentary

ONLINE PAYMENT AND REGISTRATION www.torontonajc.ca Fees include Saturday sessions, an evening reception, Sunday presentations at the Royal Ontario Museum, breakfast and admission to exhibits (regularly $23). The exhibit Being Legendary curated by Cree artist Kent Monkman will have recently opened. Attendees will receive 75th Anniversary 64page booklet celebrating the 75th anniversary of the NJCCA, now the NAJC. *Survivor – a person of Japanese descent, directly impacted (uprooted and displaced) by BC Government actions between 1942 and April 1, 1949. Please complete the contact form on our website or call or email.

Visit www.torontonajc.ca, call or email communications@ torontonajc.ca, 416-317-9726 for more detailed information and updates including a symposium rate of $189 (before taxes) at the Chelsea Hotel.

Celebration of Life for Tatsuo Kage

To praise, grieve, and celebrate Tatsuo Kage, and share stories and showcase the depth of his involvement in Japanese Canadian community

Photo by Tamio Wakayama

With support from the Nikkei Centre and the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens' Association, there will be a Celebration of Life held in memory of Tatsuo Kage. Join family and friends to praise, grieve, and celebrate Tatsuo Kage, and share stories and showcase the depth of his involvement in Japanese Canadian community – ranging from his extensive publications to his special kirie art.

Registration is required to attend this service, which will include light snacks and refreshments.

To register for the T.Kage Celebration, please go to: bit.ly/kage-tatsuo

Donations can be e-transferred to: kagetatsuo@outlook.com

Saturday, November 5, 2022 11am – 3pm PDT Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre, Main Auditorium 6688 Southoaks Crescent Burnaby, BC V5E 4M7

The Kage family is grateful for the support from the Japanese Canadian community in holding this celebration, a wish that our father had expressed years ago.

We hope you can join us and we are also grateful to receive further support; please email us at kagetatsuo@outlook.com with any suggestions or offers.

Thank you. We look forward to you joining us.

Sincerely,

The Kage Family