The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) announces its schedule of October programs.
Tickets are $16 ($9 for seniors and students, free for JANM members) unless otherwise noted and will be available at janm.org/events. Upcoming dates for public programs and events are:
Tuesday, Oct. 1: Breakfast and Ballots, 9–10:30 a.m. Free
Do you have questions about the election? How does Prop 5 make it easier for local governments to borrow money? Why would Prop 36 partly roll back another proposition that voters approved in 2014? Join Dan Hu and CalMatters as they analyze and answer your burning questions about this year’s ballot propositions in a conversation around the latest edition of their Voter Guide. Continental breakfast will be provided.
Friday, Oct. 4 – Sunday, Oct. 6: 2024 Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium Education Conference.Free
The 2024 theme, “Echoes of Resilience: Imagining the Possible in Preserving Japanese American Heritage,” for this virtual and in-person conference event brings together
scholars, activists, and community members dedicated to preserving and educating about the history of Japanese American incarceration during World War II. Highlights include a panel on the Irei: National Monument, programmed in collaboration with Tsuru for Solidarity’s Kintsugi 2024, and the immersive FandangObon event celebrating diverse cultural traditions.
Friday, Oct. 4: Community Screening: “Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement,”7:30–9 p.m. Free
Experience this new sweeping documentary from JANM’s Frank H. Watase Media Arts Center and PBS SoCal that follows the life of visionary artist-activist Nobuko Miyamoto and her work that changed Asian America forever. The screening will be followed by a conversation and Q&A with co-directors Tadashi Nakamura and Quyên Nguyen-Le.
Sunday, Oct. 6: “Uncovering Myths About Tule Lake,”9–10:30 a.m. Free
A screening of the documen-tary “One Fighting Irishman” and a panel discussion with filmmaker Sharon Yamato, prominent Tule Lake JANM activists Hiroshi Shimizu and Kyoko Oda, and “The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration” co-editor Frank Abe on the unprecedented story of over 5,500 incarcerees who renounced their U.S. citizenship at the Tule Lake Segregation Center.
Saturday, Oct. 12: Ebb and Flow: Community Mental Health Conference, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. $10–$20
Gather in a welcoming space for the Asian American community to address, examine, and understand mental health in its various forms with Little Tokyo Service Center’s second annual mental health conference in partnership with JANM. Conference plenaries will be interspersed with workshops and small group discussions focused on specific mental health topics. There are sessions for a variety of ages and experiences to meet you wherever you are in your mental health journey.
Saturday, Oct. 12: JANM Book Club: “The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration,”2–3:30 p.m.
“The Literature of Japanese American Incarceration” editors Frank Abe and Floyd Cheung join moderator Brian Niiya for a discussion and readings from a new anthology that recovers and reframes the literature produced by former incarcerees and their descendants. From nearly 70 selections of fiction, poetry, essays, memoirs, and letters emerges a shared story of the struggle to retain personal integrity in the face of increasing dehumanization. The book is available for purchase at the JANM Store.
Saturday, Oct. 12: Comedy Night: “Democracy on the Rocks,”7–9 p.m. 21+. $5–$15 suggested donation
What better way to look at the state of democracy than through laughter? The Democracy Center at JANM presents an evening of provocative standup and improv comedy with Aparna Nancharla, Luke Mones, Milan Patel, RosaLee Mayeux, and Chelcye Perry. IDs will be checked at the door.
Saturday, Oct. 19: June Kuramoto: The Arigato Event,2–3:30 p.m. $50
Expressing gratitude to the noted koto musician June Kuramoto in an event celebrating her legacy and community. She will be joined by family, friends, students, colleagues, and artists that have been a part of her journey through the years.
Sunday, Oct. 20: 2024 Kokoro Craft Show, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Free
Celebrate and shop during the 16th anniversary of the Kokoro Craft Show at JANM. This annual craft show is sponsored by the Friends of JANM and features fashion apparel and accessories, jewelry, ceramics, gifts, and more from over 50 vendors. Shoppers who spend $25 or more will receive a 10% discount to local restaurants and enter into a drawing for a special prize.
Friday, Oct. 25: Book launch: “Giant Robot: Thirty Years of Defining Asian-American Pop Culture,”7– 8:30 p.m. $5
Celebrate the release of a new book that dives deep into the pop culture phenomenon of Giant Robot. Author and Giant Robot founder Eric Nakamura will be joined by special guests and contributors to talk about the zines, stores, exhibitions, and more that redefined what it means to be Asian American.
JANM is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday–Sunday from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. and on Thursday from 12–8 p.m. Admission is free every third Thursday of the month. On all other Thursdays, entry is free from 5–8 p.m. For more information, call (213) 625-0414, visit janm.org or follow on social media @jamuseum.