YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE FOLLOWING, AND ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME. PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO US OR PASS THEM ON TO CLARENCE MORIWAKI OR FRANK KITAMOTO. THANKS!
Names of the 276 people on BI that evacuated-some were not here but they should be on the wall.
Real names, real pictures, linear story.
Timeline-Immigration, life on BI, internment.
Real photos embedded in the stone, etched into the stone.
Have identity cards-Holocaust museum.
Break in the wall to represent breaks in the life of JA islanders.
Wall interspersed with names. Instead of one name per foot, have the names clustered at the beginning and less at the end.
With names, we could personalize the pictures.
Minidoka: linked camps with a tag tied to a tree. Or cranes tied to an umbrella to connect all experiences.
At the Native American museum, Johnpaul used rocks to represent different tribes. It would be nice to have something to represent different camps. Way to connect other experiences.
62 Bainbridge Island Japanese American veterans who served in World War II should be honored at the proposed memorial.
Wall made out of wood to represent the barracks.
Indestructible-vandal-proof.
Include barbed wire.
Incorporate untreated copper, which becomes black.
Dave Berfield imprints on ceramic tile. The library has this process and it shows its resilience. It's a printing process that you can replace.
Fundraising-$1,000 donor wall symbolic gift.
Kiosk will be the interpretive part until the Memorial is built. Once it is built, we can use the kiosk as the donor site.
EMP-type technology with headphones gives visitor silence amidst background noise.
Vietnam memorial is very contemplative. We want them to read.
Wall idea—put names of internees and those who experienced forced removal, place pictures to really connect, tell the story that this was the first community to be removed.
The walk down Taylor Avenue is the powerful aspect of the site. Where you learn about it is separate.
Consider how we will tell the story to future generations. How will we refresh the ideas! Provide pictures, displays, etc., that are powerful for the "sake of the children."
What happened to the men taken away (1st wave)?
"The power of the story compels people to action."
Stories told "should make the heart move" and allow people to change their perspectives.
One of interpretive stories is that of those who left the area due to the Executive Order
Many crossover stories: "It can't happen to us..."
Parallel to modern events. Not just U.S., but also global civil rights violations, etc.
List of rights violated should be brought out.
Coming back (post-internment)-at first Japanese Americans were leery (holding back). Interpret the return back to Bainbridge Island.
Another story is the American story of the people (McKay?)-"Welcome them home" sense of community on Bainbridge still alive today as mosques and vigils. (Support on island)
Important to include what the community did and those who helped while Japanese Americans were interned. Include the stories of those who managed farms on island (Filipinos, etc.) during the internment period (those who didn't lose farms).
First return-a sense of "good fortune"-give credit for good deeds.
A sad event for the people and the country.
Focus on Bainbridge Island-can make the experience/comparison known in Seattle.
Bainbridge Islanders were the first people to be taken from their homes.
Part of story should include the Japanese American farmers and their significance as part of the island's history.
Stories should also include stories of non-Japanese American people.
Interpret the "national event."
Provide some contemporary relevance in stories.
"Never happen again..." universal theme/thought.
Include larger peace issues. Does it take away from the "Intent" or idea (?)
Look at "Japanese American" blending of cultures and the broader response.
Generations are dying off ... will children (next generation) contribute too!
Internees are elderly.
Opportunities for personal input/reflections should be provided for.
Use oral histories in interpretation of site.
Consider that many of the adults of the historical period (WWII = 61 Years ago) are not alive anymore.
A good "fabric of place and time here."
People visiting the memorial should imagine this happening to them.
Japanese and mutual respect
Prayers and peace
Coming together of community
"Hey ... this is America..."-working through and surviving experience
Taking risks and standing up for things
Maybe I can do that...
Judge people not by the way they look
Feeling Like a "Second-Class Citizen"
Sense of Forgiveness
Abolishment and Sacrifice
Fear makes thinking of others difficult (Community at large?)
Getting beyond fear for ourselves
Power and control taken away from individuals
Fear has a link to racism
Voice of "Japanese American" to be "heard in the memorial and represents the Japanese American culture in the U.S."
Gathering place, come together and community center at local level
A relaxed place (e.g. tea house, coffee, etc.)
Healing Place
Place of Dignity and Respect
***
YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ABOVE, AND ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME. PLEASE EMAIL THEM TO US OR PASS THEM ON TO CLARENCE MORIWAKI OR FRANK KITAMOTO. THANKS!