Chasing Cherry Blossoms
Reframing the American story through the multicultural experience:
An educational community storytelling podcast series featuring conversations with Japanese Americans and beyond.
As Americans grapple with increasing tension and division, what can we learn from the past to connect with each other? The series features conversations with Japanese Americans and beyond, and explores identity, culture, and history in a multicultural society.
Produced by an educator and students with diverse backgrounds, the series aims to embrace and empower local communities with multicultural experiences to share their stories and reimagine the future together.
Chasing Cherry Blossoms
Episode 1: Banana
Guests: Dr. Mitchell Maki at Go For Broke National Education Center and Carolyn Sugiyama Classen at Southern AZ Japanese Cultural Coalition
An Arizona native, Cat often feels pressure to be a picture-perfect Asian despite her unfamiliarity with her heritage. She meets Dr. Mitchell T. Maki, President and CEO of the Go For Broke National Education Center in Los Angeles, an organization that promotes equality by preserving the legacy of World War II American veterans of Japanese ancestry. Dr. Maki discusses how many Japanese Americans who were incarcerated by the U.S. government during WWII experienced shame that drove them to reject their Japanese heritage.
Their discussion leads to Tucson, Arizona where Cat participates in a presentation by Carolyn Sugiyama Classen, former legislative aide for U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye. Carolyn details her contribution to the 1980s redress movement, for which she drafted a bill that led to an unprecedented apology and monetary redress from the government. She also shares the story of her father, who was expelled from USC due to his ancestry during WWII.
Produced by Catherine Jie Baxter
Check out other episodes and slide shows on our website.
