By Ellen Sato Faust
NAP Contributor
In October, the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association (BIJAEMA) hosted a moving groundbreaking ceremony for the long-anticipated visitor center at the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. Approximately 45 community members attended the invitation-only event including six survivors of the 1942 forced removal of Bainbridge Islanders of Japanese descent. They were the first group of Japanese Americans on the West Coast to be removed under U.S. Executive Order 9066 and U.S. Civilian Exclusion Order No.1. Survivors joyfully placed ceremonial golden shovels into the Earth where the new visitor center will soon stand — an emotional moment more than 83 years in the making.
Left to right: Lilly Kodama, Frances Ikegami, Tomi Egashira, Hisa Matsudaira, Yasuko Mito, Hiro Hayashida, and Dean Suyematsu at the excavation site. Photo courtesy: BIJAEMA.
Also, in attendance were honored family members of survivors and key project partners, including renowned architect Johnpaul Jones, who has guided the memorial’s design for nearly 20 years; Dave Carley, president of Carley Construction, and project general contractor; and Dave Harry, superintendent of the Bainbridge Island Metro Park & Recreation District, and a critical partner in the project. Other guests included Val Tollefson, BIJAEMA’s construction committee lead; leaders from the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Community(BIJAC); Bainbridge Island Parks & Trails Foundation; the National Park Service;and the City of Bainbridge Island.
Lilly Kitamoto Kodama on the excavator. Photo courtesy: BIJAEMA.
The groundbreaking marks the start of the final phase of development at the memorial, a project more than two decades in the making. When completed, the visitor center will provide interpretive exhibits, educational resources, and a gathering space visitors from around the world can reflect on the lessons of exclusion, resilience, and the enduring message of Nidoto Nai Yoni — “Let it not happen again.”
Construction is expected to take approximately 11 months. BIJAEMA continues to seek community support to complete the $6.5 million capital campaign for the visitor center. Donations can be made at bijaema.org/donate.
Nidoto Nai Yoni
“Let It Not Happen Again”
Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial Association
BIJAEMA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring the Bainbridge Island Japanese Americans who were forcibly removed from their homes during World War II. Sharing their story is a timeless reminder of the need to protect civil liberties for all. The memorial is an administrative unit of the Minidoka National Historic Site and is managed in partnership with the National Park Service and the Bainbridge Island Metropolitan Park & Recreation District.
