My First Writing Group of Color

Omoide at the Seattle REP

I began to write this post to publicize the Omoide at the Seattle REP but I realized I need to explain what Omoide Writing Group is. Omoide is the Japanese word for “memory.”

When I moved to Seattle from Boulder, Colorado in 2018, I stumbled across the Omoide group. This was the first time for me to meet other Japanese Americans (JAs) who were interested in writing. I’m not sure this was because so many JAs are discouraged from the humanities (Dad was a scientist) or because Seattle has a diverse population (Boulder is pretty homogenous.)

In any case, I began to see some of the issues JA writers like myself deal with. The unique history of JAs discouraged artistic expression. Initially for political reasons (anti-Asian legislation, WWII) but also for more subtle cultural reasons. My immigrant parents wanted me to go into a STEM career. They said very little about the past (they grew up in Japan during WWII) and kept secrets. Perhaps it’s common for anyone who has experienced trauma to avoid talking about it.

I’m Nisei (first American-born generation) while most JAs are Sansei or Yonsei with grandparents or older generations who immigrated to the US. But they also feel the trauma of their family histories. Their parents and grandparents preferred not to talk about being labeled “enemy non-aliens” (the official term for US citizens of Japanese descent), arrested by the FBI, incarcerated for years in desolate concentration camps, and being “discouraged” from returning to their homes on the West Coast.

So JA writers struggle to tell their stories. I’ve been trying to write since 2016 when I first uncovered the secrets my parents carefully kept from me. Many JAs have to dig deep into their memories or psyche to find a few gems.

When the Seattle REP approached Omoide, Dee Goto decided to have short non-fiction memory pieces from as many people as possible be read by the actors. I think her goal is to celebrate and encourage JA writers. I hope you’ll join us in this special program.