About Amache: An American Injustice
Amache: An American Injustice tells the story of the unjust incarceration of 120,000 innocent Japanese Americans during WW II after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. During its three years of operation, over 10,000 innocent people were housed behind its barbed wire fence. With a peak population of 7,500 incarcerees, Amache became the 10th largest city in Colorado. For years, archeologists and survivors have been digging into the past and discovering how the community built a life behind barbed wire and created beauty in the desolation of the desert. When the war ended, the people of Amache were free to go, but they re-entered an America filled with prejudice and hate against the Japanese. Most had lost everything, and they returned to freedom, now impoverished and homeless, having to build their lives anew. For many of the elders, their spirits were broken. It is a trauma that has persisted through generations and one which impacts the Japanese American community to this day.
Discussion and Q&A after the film with director Josh Banyard, Executive Director of JAMO Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong, former Executive Director Lynn Fuchigami of JAMO, and John Hasegawa, head of Mt. Hood Community College Ceramics Department.
Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong is the
executive director of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon in Portland and is
professionally trained as a public historian, political scientist, and
museologist. For 17 years, Wakatsuki-Chong worked for state and federal agencies
at the Idaho State Historical Society, the U.S. Navy, the National Park
Service, and the White House Office of the Chief of Staff; holding roles as
Interpretive Specialist, Education Specialist, Chief of Interpretation and
Education, Superintendent, and Policy Advisor throughout her government career.
In 2021, Wakatsuki-Chong received the Esto Perpetua Award for Lifetime
Achievement from the Idaho State Historical Society for her work in the
preservation of Japanese American incarceration history in Idaho. She holds a
BA in history and BS in political science from Boise State University, as well
as an MA in museum studies from Johns Hopkins University, where she serves as
an adjunct faculty member for their Krieger School of Arts and Sciences Museum
Studies and Cultural Heritage Management Programs.
Lynn Fuchigami Parks is a
third generation (Sansei) Japanese American, born and raised in Oregon. Her
family was incarcerated during WWII in the Amache concentration camp in
Granada, Colorado. This legacy shaped her life and inspired the work she did
and continues to do in retirement to strengthen communities and elevate
historically underrepresented voices through education, cultural preservation,
and strategic organizational development. With more than three decades of
expertise in non-profit management, her career was highlighted by her service
as the Executive Director of the Japanese American Museum of Oregon. During her
tenure, she spearheaded a capital campaign to acquire and renovate a new home
for the Japanese Museum of Oregon, driving the museum's relocation despite the
challenges of a global pandemic. From 2023-2025, she co-chaired Metro's
Historical Significance and Memorialization Committee, establishing the vision
and direction for the redevelopment of the 53-acre Expo site that holds the history
of Urban Indigenous, Japanese American, and Black communities. In 2023 she was
awarded the Western Museums Association Leadership Award that "recognizes
exceptional individuals who have made a significant impact in their institution
or community, and who have demonstrated a commitment to serving diverse
communities, promoting social justice and challenging institutional
structures." Lynn has served on the Board of Governors for the Japanese
American National Museum in Los Angeles, the Board of Directors for the
Japanese American Citizens League and the Friends of Minidoka. She still
actively serves on the Advisory Board of the National Veterans Network, is
Chair of the Minoru Yasui Legacy Project, and President of the Japanese
Ancestral Society of Portland.
Josh Banyard is an Emmy
award-winning documentary filmmaker with more than a decade of experience in
the cultural filmmaking space. His films have been selected for film festivals
worldwide, and he has won numerous awards for his interpretive storytelling.
Josh's passion for storytelling shines through his commitment to quality,
diversity of voices, and telling stories that inspire action.
John Hasegawa is a native of
Seattle, Washington. He is an associate professor and head of the ceramics
department at Mt. Hood Community College, where he teaches beginning and
advanced ceramics. He received a BA with a double major in Philosophy and Mathematics
from the University of Puget Sound, a second BA in Art and earned a Master of
Fine Arts degree in Ceramics from the University of Oregon. He draws
inspiration from traditional Japanese forms and executes them with his personal
interpretation. His pottery is a continuing exploration of his Japanese
American heritage. His work has been exhibited nationally, and he has won
numerous awards for his ceramics. John was also selected to create the ceramic
tiles that were made as part of The Ireich?: Book of Names.
