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"The most meaningful, most healing program I have ever been a part of."
- Honorable Judge Thelton Henderson

"Hearing stories from Satsuki Ina, Thelton Henderson and Noelani Ahia planted my feet on a solid plane of shared humanity and challenge and made my heart rise."
- Story Circle Participant

"We learned that people of the Japanese diaspora come in all colors, shapes, and sizes, and we're related to everybody!"
- Story Circle Participant

Gratitude to All who joined us live for the Story Circle of the Japanese Diaspora! devorah major, the 3rd poet laureate of San Francisco, was our “Listener”. She wrote this poem encompassing the emotions and thoughts of our time together. And it’s not too late, you can still come to the Story Circle, watch again or share with a friend by clicking on the recordings below. Plus the Story Circle Collage by artist Andi Wong, with many of your family photos is now available to download!
Story Talk
by devorah major
Hearing story talk circles of healing

From the occupied lands of the Ohlone peoples
from the native lands of the Cheyenne, Arapaho, and Ute
from traditional Nonotuck land
Muwekma and Ohlone Chochenyo land
Wampanoag and Nipmuc land
from the land of the Kizh, Gabrielino
and Tonga peoples
From the lands of the
Yelamu/Ohlone Ramaytush

We are her

We are connected to and responsible for these lands today
to make sure that the dark times will not happen again

We bring our historical trauma
and the harsh reality of today
to the reconvening of our tribe
here with our culture bearers,
wisdom keepers
us
All of us
with our difficult stories
that are Important to share

When you are of color
you never escape history

All our communities are struggling
with oppression and racism
inherited shame

All of us carry generational trauma

We carry the fear of walking our streets
of our elders and our children
leaving our doorsteps

And now some don’t expect
people like us to do what we can really do

But remember we’ve always endured
Created the birthplace of another culture
U S us
All of us
Holding up the mirror
of what it means to be Japanese

Centering all the pieces of our selves
into one unified truth of
what it means to be human

Your importance and mine are the same
Whose humanity is being challenged or erased

We bring our ancestors with us
So that we can say what our ancestors
need us to say
When we lean back on our ancestors
they give us the strength to be who we are
to create a chant for change

Roots matter
Our roots connect us to the earth
And the earth connects us to each other

We can be in community and mourn
but also celebrate our being together
The profoundness of being able to tell our stories
To acknowledge the wounds, acknowledge the pain
acknowledge our ability to protest, dance, yell, sing

Exchanging small pieces of our lives
helps transform sorrow and opens the heart,
offering a way forward.

The echoing drums- taiko, tom toms, bongos, hand drums
intertwine with the bass
becoming our hearts humming with possibilities
guitar fingers, shimmering bells
resonate with our tears and laughter
Flutes bird songs bring flocks
soaring between branches
riding the winds of healing
sheng, shakuhachi, saxophone
voice our sorrow and our release
Music our salve, at times
Our salvation

Evoke your ancestors
and the ancestors of extended family
Call out the sacred names of spirit
Have gratitude for breath
friendship, community, humanity

Love will be amplified
so there is no refuge for hate

Gather the infinite energy from the universe
from the earth into the vessel that is you
Swim in a ocean of chi
an ocean of infinite power with no boundaries

Our bodies moving
Our minds opening
Our hearts opening
Even when we’re angry
There will be joy

Voices open in song
Limbs stretch in dance

Each of you is important
We’ve created a healing space
We will hold our heads high
and face the future together

The fight for humanity needs us all
Independence is a myth
Be grounded and real in our interconnections

Be a voice for the people you grew up with
for those in back of you and in front
Know your stories
Know your stories were shared
at this beautiful gathering where courage floated.

Thank you for sharing your powerful stories
reclaiming/owning your traditions and history
You were a gift to us
Old faces, new faces, faces of future community
We are more the same than we are different.

We can find ways to turn fear and pain
into resilience and action

What a wonderful celebration
in spite of the turmoil in our country and the world today.
Our stories were eye wetting and gut churning
but transformational.

So much strength and wisdom
beautiful, like a scroll of our history
Liberating
Connected
Empowered and Compassionate
Creating metamorphosis
Invisible threads of golden light
connecting our hearts and making us strong
We are ONE
Oneness not sameness

Thank you to all the Culture Bearers, Wisdom Keepers, Crew and funders who made the Story Circle of the Japanese Diaspora possible. With your help we felt heard, uplifted and learned that we’re stronger than we know and wiser than we think. And as PJ, Traci and Nobuku showed us - Joy is the Juice that keeps us alive. Enjoy the recordings and Andi's collage!