This content was published: May 11, 2018. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center: Gamanfest this weekend at Cascade! (Fri, May 11 & Sat, May 12)
Posted by hannah.cherry
Gamanfest: Reclaiming Identity through Art & Activism
Exploring the Intergenerational Impact of Racism | Activating the Power of Heritage History | Igniting Social Change
Friday, May 11, 2018, 6-9pm
Saturday, May 12, 2018, 10am-4pm
at Portland Community College, Cascade Campus
Moriarty Auditorium & Student Union (705 N Killingsworth, Portland)
Free and open to the public
Gaman is the Japanese word for “perseverance” or “endurance.” Inspired by the spirit of gaman and those Japanese Americans who were unjustly incarcerated in camps during World War II, this festival serves as a venue for the next generation of artists and activists within the Asian American community who use their heritage and culture as motivation for the work they create. Whether it’s through music, spoken word, video performances, or visual art, visitors and guests together will explore the intergenerational impact of racism, the power of heritage history, and how to ignite social change. Gamanfest artists and activists will lead open discussions on community-fueled social change, cultural impacts to their identities, and what it means to be “othered” in today’s society.
Gamanfest will kick off Friday night with a selection of film shorts from Hidden Histories by Chicago’s Full Spectrum Features, followed by a reception with an ’80s anime and J-pop themed session by DJ Cay Horiuchi. Saturday’s lineup features Nobuko Miyamoto, founder of the community-based arts organization Great Leap; No-No Boy, a multimedia concert taking inspiration from WWII Japanese incarceration camp survivors and many other stories of Asian American experience; The Slants, a pan-Asian rock band that recently won a case at the U.S. Supreme Court regarding use of their band name; Portland Taiko and community bon odori.
The festival will also hold discussions on the impacts of racism and discrimination on one’s heritage, art as activism, and the legacy of persisting through adversity. Scheduled participants include Joe Kye, Anna Vo, Ryan Nakano, Simon Tam, Chisao Hata, and more.
A resource lounge and youth activities will also be available for visitors to participate in. Food trucks will be available outside of the Moriarty Auditorium on Saturday. For artists who wish to showcase or sell art around their Asian American identity and activism, please fill out the Artist Alley form.
Contact
Oregon Nikkei Endowment
info@oregonnikkei.org | 503-224-1458
oregonnikkei.org
About the Organization
Sharing and preserving Japanese American history and culture in Portland’s Old Town neighborhood, where Japantown once thrived. Group tours of the museum and/or the Japanese American Historical Plaza, speaking engagements for classrooms or other community groups, and research appointments at the Legacy Center are available.
About the Volunteer Opportunities Newsletter
The Volunteer Opportunities Newsletter allows students, faculty, and staff at PCC a more comprehensive look at volunteer needs and opportunities from our community partners. Our hope is that the newsletter will allow subscribers to stay better informed about community service opportunities in the tri-county areas of Portland, Oregon, as well as non-profit internships and scholarships available locally and nationally.