How Do You Correct a Wrong?
Speaking Up Against Nuclear War
There are so many wrongs in our world. I could stay up all night pondering over them… crimes against humans and animals, climate change, political misconduct… this list could fill pages and pages if someone was to write a book about it.
Writing my book, Keiko’s Journey, brought back so many painful memories but I knew I had to tell the story of the devastation and heartbreak caused by war. Recently, I was fortunate enough to meet a client who grew up near the town where I lived in Japan. Like me, she had gone through the tragedy of World War II and told me that she lost her Mother, Father and two sisters during that time. In spite of her hardships, she raised herself and eventually ended up in the United States. Naturally, I wanted more information about what she had gone through and how her family was taken away from her. I asked her if I may interview her. Sadly, at that moment, her eyes welled up with tears and she flatly refused by saying, “No, I don’t want to talk about it… I don’t even want to think about it. Losing my whole family and being left an orphan was too painful.”
Meeting with this woman gave me a deeper commitment that I must use my book to share my story and stories of others. Now more than ever, with North Korea and H-bombs in the headlines, we need to continue conversations that remind people of the horrible consequences of nuclear war.
So far, I’ve only presented my Keiko’s Journey Book Reading Drama to the Japanese community. While each performance has been deeply meaningful and beautifully received, sharing my story to these members of my own community was like singing to the choir. What I’ve really wanted is to be able to share my personal stories of World War II to a more diverse population and to larger groups throughout our community.
Good news! The King County Library System is helping to make my dream a reality. Keiko’s Journey Book Reading Drama, with a cast of volunteers reading out the first two chapters from my book, will be presented at three libraries in October and November.
- Sunday, October 8, 3 – 4:30pm, Mercer Island Library, 4400 88th Ave SE, Mercer Island
- Sunday, October 15, 2-3:15pm, Issaquah Library, 10 W Sunset Way, Issaquah
- Saturday, November 18, 2-3:30pm, Algona-Pacific Library, 255 Ellingson Rd, Pacific
- Wednesday, October 11, 1:15, a special performance will be given to the seniors residing at the Nikkei Manor Assisted Living, 700 6th Ave. S. Seattle
The video below is a short preview. Please tell friends about these events and I hope to see you there.
