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 Photo by Andy Frazer

The Day of Remembrance commemorates the anniversary of Executive Order 9066 which led to the forced incarceration of over 120,000 people of Japanese descent, two-thirds of whom were American citizens. Each year, we gather to remember that great civil liberties tragedy from over eighty years ago and each one of us reflects on what that event means to us today.

The Day of Remembrance is an event that aims to bring different communities together in order to build trust, respect and understanding among all people and to renew our pledge to fight for equality, justice and peace.

Photos courtesy of Pro Bono Photography 
 

The 2022 San Jose Day of Remembrance "Overcoming Hate and Fear: The 80th Anniversary of E.O. 9066" was held virtually on February 19, 2022 and can still be viewed.

Over the past two plus years, many communities have had to deal with multiple challenges including the deadly pandemic; economic, educational, and personal hardship; intense political division, and physical and emotional isolation.  During these tumultuous times, we also witnessed violent hate crimes and racist acts, including horrific incidents directed toward AAPI and African-American communities.  In the midst of great tragedy and horror, we also saw different communities come together in the struggle for racial and social justice.  Since one of the driving forces behind the WWII Japanese American incarceration was attributed to racial prejudice, many Japanese Americans feel compelled to join with other communities in denouncing hate, prejudice, and violence in continuing the fight for social justice.

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