Little Tokyo, Los Angeles

In the heart of one of the oldest Japanese American neighborhoods, we explored a living legacy of cultural perseverance. At the Japanese American National Museum, the Go for Broke Monument and Museum, and Union Church of Los Angeles (historic Japanese American church founded in 1918), we reflected on faith, resistance, and the power of rooted presence in the face of displacement. Each site deepened our understanding of how Japanese American communities, and their churches, have held onto memory, dignity, and hope through unjust incarceration and beyond.

Filipinotown, Los Angeles

The bold imagery of the "Gintong Kasaysayan, Gintong Pamana" (A Glorious History, A Golden Legacy) mural told stories of Filipino migration, labor, and struggle, narratives often erased from dominant histories. Standing before it, we met with the mural’s artist and honored the resilience of Filipino American communities. The mural became a living testament to resistance and remembrance, prompting us to consider how public art can serve as both prophetic witness and cultural sanctuary.

Koreatown, Los Angeles

A vibrant center of Korean American life, Koreatown holds deep layers of history, from the early organizing of the First Korean Presbyterian Church and the Korean National Association to the pain and upheaval of the 1992 L.A. Uprisings. In this community shaped by faith, activism, and resilience, we reflected on this community shaped by faith, activism, and resilience, and considered the church’s call to remember, lament, and stand in solidarity amidst struggle.

Chinatown, Los Angeles

In the heart of Chinatown, we visited the Chinese American Museum and stood near the site of the largest mass lynching in U.S. history, where 18 Chinese men and boys were killed in 1871. Surrounded by stories of resilience and resistance, we grappled with the legacy of racial violence and the hope born from remembrance, repentance, and the ongoing struggle for dignity and justice.

Incarceration Site, Manzanar

At one of the most well-known Japanese American incarceration sites from World War II, we engaged the generational wounds of state-sanctioned violence and remembered the resilience of those unjustly detained. As we walked through the remnants of barracks and stood before memorials at Manzanar, we reflected on the consequences of fear-driven policy, the cost of silence, and the enduring witness of those who held onto faith, dignity, and community in the face of profound injustice.

And so many more!