Stuff contributed by traciakemi
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Seize—transformation & renewal
Brian Komei Dempster, traci kato-kiriyama
Leaving the end of a long 2020 while entering 2021 with a combination of uncertainty, excitement, determined joy, and perpetual angst, I thought it fitting to have this month’s theme derive its inspiration from the writer and the title of his latest book of poetry, Seize. This month’s feature, Brian …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Wonder
Curtiss Takada Rooks, Mariko Fujimoto Rooks, traci kato-kiriyama
To close out 2020 and recognize it as a time of challenge, reckoning and coming together, we are excited to end on a strong and beautiful note with this month's feature. We are happy to host the return to Nikkei Uncovered by Mariko Fujimoto Rooks and, this time, feature Mariko …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Moonlight
Boshichō Okamura, traci kato-kiriyama
We have the immense pleasure of presenting several haiku from Boshichō Okamura for November. Ever since his grandson, Michael Okamura (of the Little Tokyo Historical Society), began sharing his haiku with me, I've dreamed of recreating a haiku club in Little Tokyo in homage to the Agosto-Sha poetry club that …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Reflections
Yukiya Jerry Waki, traci kato-kiriyama
Hello to you all in the midst of October and the beginning of our final quarter for 2020. I’ve asked the folks we’re featuring this quarter to share pieces of reflection, whether of the immediate, or of a lifetime thus far. Today’s piece from San Francisco-based, Shin-Nisei, Yukiya Jerry Waki, …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Return
Juan de la Fuente Umetsu, traci kato-kiriyama
This month, we have the honor of presenting a single poem by Juan de la Fuente Umetsu, poet, journalist and editor born in Lima, Peru, in 1963. After reading it using an informal translation (read: Google translate) of the poem, I asked my partner to call her mother, a pianist …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Inspiration
Amy Uyematsu, G Yamazawa, traci kato-kiriyama
Hello Discover Nikkei network! I am beyond thrilled this month to bring this pair of poets to the Nikkei Uncovered poetry column. LA-born and raised, veteran Sansei poet and our inaugural feature for the column back in 2016, Amy Uyematsu returns to us with a beautiful piece about Tanko Bushi …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
What we hold - Part Two
Christine Miyazato, Donna Ghassemi, Seiji Igei, Amina Abuthahir, Nora Fujita-Yuhas, Miyako Noguchi, traci kato-kiriyama
Over the past several years, Vigilant Love (an organization working towards safety and justice of communities impacted by Islamophobia and violence), has hosted a community Iftar bringing together hundreds of Muslim, Japanese American and other LA community members in the spirit of many years of solidarity practice between our communities. …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
What we hold
Asuka Lin, Aaysha Memon, Christie Yamasaki, Angie Azad, Safira Patel, Yukino Torrey, Elise Umetsu, traci kato-kiriyama
Over the past several years, Vigilant Love (an organization working towards safety and justice of communities impacted by Islamophobia and violence), has hosted a community Iftar bringing together hundreds of Muslim, Japanese American, and other Los Angeles community members in the spirit of many years of solidarity practice between our …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
On the inside
Vicky K. Murakami-Tsuda, Joy Yamaguchi, traci kato-kiriyama
Welcome to another special edition of Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column. Two staff I work closely with at the Japanese American National Museum, public programs extraordinaire Joy Yamaguchi and digital guru Vicky Murakami-Tsuda, allowed me to facilitate a process with them to write poetry grounded in this particular era of …
Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column
Comfort
Kendall Tani, Susan Yamamura, traci kato-kiriyama
This month, we feature California-based Yonsei writer, Kendall Tani, and Arizona-based Sansei writer, Susan Yamamura. Susan’s is a lighthearted parody poem that heralds where we look for some solace during a time of major strife, while Kendall’s first piece featured here, soft bodies, speaks to a relationship with oneself through …