Protect Every Park Gathering in Seattle!
By the Minidoka Pilgrimage Planning Committee
NAP Contributor
On Saturday, August 23, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will hold an in-person Day of Action for advocates to speak up on behalf of America’s national parks. As a partner organization, we invite you to join us. You can RSVP here: https://www.npca.org/campaigns/day-of-action.
Our event will place special emphasis on the five designated park sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated: Manzanar, Minidoka, Tule Lake, Amache and Honouliuli National Historic Site. Just across the water, Bainbridge Island was the first place Japanese Americans were forcibly removed from their homes and sent to confinement sites that are now at risk of erasure. America must not risk repeating its mistakes by censoring the lessons taught by these sites.
Come listen to speakers, wave signs and demonstrate solidarity with our national parks and cultural sites protected within the National Park System. Together we will tell members of Congress to protect every park – big and small.
Our national parks represent a promise to preserve nature and history for generations to come. That promise is being broken with dramatic funding cuts, staff reductions and attempts to dramatically alter the historical narratives at our parks. Cancelling Park funding, rescinding grants to historical and cultural preservation organizations, firing park staff and removing informational materials at parks amounts to a concerted effort to erase some of the most important stories told at our national parks.
WHAT: Protect Every Park Gathering – Solidarity with Japanese American
Incarceration Sites
WHEN: Saturday, August 23, 10:00–11:30 a.m. PT. Program begins at 10:15 a.m.
WHERE: Seattle Waterfront Park – Overlook Walk, 1505 Alaskan Way, Seattle. Walk
down the stairs from Old Stove Brewing at Pike Place Market or walk past the
temporary parking spots near the Pike Place Market parking garage entrance until you see our group.
WHO: Speakers include Bainbridge Island City Council member Clarence Moriwaki, Executive Director, Asian American and Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation Huy Pham, and artist and advocate Erin Shigaki representing Tsuru for Solidarity and the committee. Added support is from the Wing Luke Museum and NPCA.
There are events planned around the country, so if you are not in Seattle, please find one at: https://www.npca.org/campaigns/day-of-action.
