About Omoide

The primary aspect of the Omoide project is the development and sharing of stories through presentations and childrens' books. These are comprised of childhood recollections of the World War II incarceration of Japanese Americans and the effects of that time on generations following. In addition to the books, core team members visit schools, teacher workshops, cultural events, and a variety of other venues to tell their stories in person. These presentations contribute to Social Studies, history and cultural educational goals. They are done exclusively on a volunteer basis and cost nothing to schedule. This is due in part to grants obtained via the OSPI, Washington Civil Liberties, and 4Culture of Washington.

To date, the Omoide team has introduced the project to over 800 students, 200 teachers, and 400 members of the general public. These personal accounts have encouraged open dialog and discussions of constitutional rights, personal history, cultural development, immigrant experiences in the US, family values, multi-cultural issues and much more.

Omoide is developed under an umbrella of projects supported in part by the Nikkei Heritage Association of Washington and the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center of Washington. This project could not have existed without the support and assistance of these organizations and the many volunteers, donors and supporters of them.