Above: Pasadena Unified School District students visit Manzanar Historic Site. Photo by Sehba Sarwar.
This project is funded in part by the California Humanities Civics + Humanities Middle Grades Grants through California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the State of California through the California Civil Liberties program, administered by the California State Library.
Introduction
By Sehba Sarwar, Building Empathy project director
Since 2022, when Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) and Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) applied for our first California State Library Civil Liberties grant to study the forced removal and imprisonment of Japanese Americans as the basis for examining contemporary civil rights issues, an exploration of Manzanar National Historic Site was part of the team’s vision. After launching the Building Empathy project in 2022, I have worked with eight district high school teachers who committed to learning alongside their students, and set up professional development sessions where Japanese American artists and community members shared their family histories at Manzanar and other Japanese American concentration camps.
In 2023-24, thanks to the California Humanities’ Civic + Humanities Middle Grades grant, the project deepened with eight high school ninth graders receiving training to teach in middle school classrooms at Blair International Baccalaureate. During the two years in which the project was implemented throughout the district, more than 800 students studied the racism and discrimination faced by the Japanese American community during World War II. The students participated in field trips to Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo and the Japanese American National Museum, wrote essays and poems, and created art, while a small group taught and mentored younger students. The PEF will soon release a print publication featuring student writings, art, and podcasts.
Throughout the implementation of the project, a journey to Manzanar was a vision that all participants shared. In spring 2024, PEF rented an overnight bus to Lone Pine, California, and sixteen students who had served as instructors, eight adults, and a filmmaker made the overnight trip to explore the historic site that they had studied for two years. As part of PUSD’s commitment to highlight student learning, on Friday, November 1, 2024, eight high school students will lead a professional development workshop for PUSD high school history teachers, showcasing their overnight Manzanar experience as well as their own lesson plans which teachers will be able to replicate in their classrooms.
The work that is showcased in this blog includes reflections, poems, and an essay excerpt that students wrote in response to their experiences at the historic site. Also featured is a documentary about the project created by PUSD’s media group, KLRN, and funded by the California Humanities grant as well as photographs. In 2024-25, a new version of Building Empathy was launched, but the Manzanar experience resonates with all those who boarded the bus together and spent time at the historical site recreated for us to remember not to repeat history.
Here are photographs documenting the journey (click to enlarge):
Short reflections
Going on the field trip to Manzanar was great since we were able to see things firsthand. I thought it was a really powerful experience to be able to see the bunks firsthand and be surrounded by the mountains. I believe that this trip is essential to the Building Empathy project as it is one thing to see things in museums, and a whole new thing to be there in real life. The most challenging part about the trip for me was the weather, as it was really hot and I was dressed for cold weather. I had to drink a lot of water and take a lot of breaks in the shade. It made me think about how the Japanese-Americans that were trapped there had to deal with worse weather than this for long periods of time. Similarly, looking at all the buildings and going inside them made me reflect and feel grateful for everything I have.
—Valentina M, 9th grade, Blair International Baccalaureate High School
I really enjoyed this field trip. It felt immersive going to Manzanar and getting the opportunity to learn more up close. I wish more people could’ve gone as this was definitely an experience.
—Ronja G., 10th grade, Pasadena High School
Some things I enjoyed about the Manzanar trip was the visitor center/museum because it had all the real stuff from Manzanar and all the films were very interesting. It helped me expand on my understanding. Exploring the grounds was really cool because it gave me a better perspective of my understanding on what the Japanese Americans experienced and how they lived life for three and a half years. Being interviewed by Zack was pretty cool because it made me feel like I was on a TV show…I got to learn more about myself and my friends during this 36 hour trip.
—Brandon T., 9th grade, Blair International Baccalaureate High School
I found that the Manzanar Trip was really good with helping our learning and understanding of Manzanar, and was really informational for everyone present I feel. I feel like the full tour was really good and the trip around the entire camp helped improve my perspective of the trip.
—Jessica L.,10th grade, Pasadena High School
Essay excerpt: Learning to Build Empathy
By Emilly M., 10th grade, Blair International Baccalaureate High School
Going to Manzanar was not only an educational trip, it was a trip where you got to know more about others and get to be in their thoughts. I enjoyed mostly exploring the grounds of the Manzanar National Historic Site, the bus ride, and the ability to communicate with others the most.
While walking around the historic site I felt bad for [Japanese Americans] because they had many living conditions they had to endure for many years. However, I was shocked that even if they were trapped behind the wires, they didn’t give up living their lives. They tried to make the best of it every day, which motivates me to never stop and to face the challenges in life instead of running from them.
The Building Empathy project wasn’t just about learning about the Japanese Americans. It was about feeling what other people were feeling and being in their shoes. It was about learning different skills, just like empathy. Being part of the project was a great experience.
Poetry from Manzanar Collection
by Matthew V, 10th grade, Pasadena High School
Hidden Past
In Manzanar’s dark past,
Whispers of pain
from the wind,
Bound by the barbed wire
Encapturing them,
As they now knew it
the desert, their home,
Cold or hot
Never a perfect,
Nothing to
Protect,
Respect
Or Expect
For many years to come.
From the heat of the sun
To the chills to the bone
From iced-topped
mountains
With no hope
Ambassador to Manzanar
A great connection
To its past
The US has
Tried to hide,
And cover up
In multiple ways.
Manzanar now
does not resemble
what it once looked like.
Inside
A replica
schools,
Barracks,
Mess halls,
Recreation centers,
A hospital.
But to my surprise
only 3 or 4 buildings
Everything else
had been destroyed
or moved
An ambassador
someone
who had been
in the camps
Or someone
Who was related
to someone
Who would share
a story or two
Expected to
Connect me to
Manzanar
The Culture of Manzanar
Excerpt of essay by Nathaniel F., 10th grade, Pasadena High School
“While I was at Manzanar I had a chance to walk through and observe one of the Momoyama gardens. We got off the bus and walked over to the garden. It was bright overhead sunlight that came down as I found the small dirt path. […] We walked a few steps forward and ended up in this small pergola that had a few benches and a commanding view of the garden. We sort of stood around for a minute then we sat down, and took in the peacefulness and beauty of the garden. I imagine what it must have been like sitting in this garden in 1942 or 1943 and just not knowing what was going to happen. But the one thing I did know was that in this moment I could find a small amount of peace of mind.
A few weeks ago I interviewed my aunt. One thing that stood out when I asked her about her culture was that she said ”…that’s my culture, agriculture.”
Blair 9th graders worked with Blair’s dual language immersion instructors Jesus Cobian, Elizabeth Najera, and Esmerelda Lomeli. Pasadena High School students worked with graphic design and English instructors Bertha Aguilar, Jean Raya and Mayte Hernandez.
