‘Pieces of Our Lives’ at Cal Poly Humboldt

Humboldt Asians & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity (HAPI) is sharing the exhibit “Pieces of Our Lives: Family Artifacts from Behind Barbed Wire” at the Cal Poly Humboldt Library through Feb. 26.

The exhibit is being presented once again on campus in recognition of the Day of Remembrance (Feb. 19, the signing of Executive Order 9066 authorizing the incarceration of 122,000

Japanese Americans during World War II).

The exhibit explores the social and personal impact of life behind barbed wire for incarcerated men, women and children in 10 sites euphemistically called “internment camps.” The exhibit is open daily at no charge to the public.

On display in the large case adjacent to the lobby will be family objects from the Humboldt County Japanese American residents who were either forcibly removed from their home and incarcerated as children, or those belonging to their grandparents, parents, uncles and aunts imprisoned in incarceration camps during WWII. There will be 10 large banners describing aspects about each of the 10 camps in the library’s Nordstrom Lobby.

The public is also invited to hear Akemi Kochiyama, granddaughter of civil rights activist Yuri Kochiyama, who was known for her solidarity work on behalf of the Black freedom struggle and collaborated with Malcolm X, and championed redress for incarcerated Japanese Americans and reparations for African Americans. Kochiyama will be a speaker during Black Liberation Month sponsored by the Umoja Center for Pan African Student Excellence, Cal Poly University, on Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. in the Great Hall (CCC 260).

For more information about HAPI, visit https:// www.hapihumboldt.org.*