Credit: Minidoka Pilgrimage & Erin Shigaki
Protect Every Park: People and Places will not be Erased
Organized by Minidoka Pilgrimage
In partnership with: National Park Conservation Association (NPCA), Asian & Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP), Tsuru for Solidarity, Wing Luke Museum, Densho.
On Saturday, August 23, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) will host an in-person Day of Action to advocate for the protection of America’s national parks. As a proud partner, we invite you to join us in speaking up for the sites that preserve our shared history.
This gathering will spotlight five designated sites where Japanese Americans were incarcerated during World War II: Manzanar, Minidoka, Tule Lake, Amache, and Honouliuli National Historic Site. Just across the water, Bainbridge Island marks the first forced removal of Japanese Americans from their homes. These places are at risk of being forgotten, and we must ensure their stories remain visible and protected.
Join us to hear powerful speakers, raise signs, and stand in solidarity with the communities and cultural sites safeguarded by the National Park System. Together, we will call on Congress to protect every park, large and small.
Our national parks represent a promise to preserve nature and history for future generations. That promise is under threat. Funding cuts, staff reductions, and efforts to alter or erase historical narratives jeopardize the integrity of these spaces. Removing grants, firing staff, and eliminating educational materials place these historic sites at risk of erasure.
Event Details
🎏 Speakers - Clarence Moriwaki (Bainbridge Island City Councilmember), Huy Pham (Executive Director of Asian American and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation), Erin Shigaki (Artist and Advocate), Tsuru for Solidarity, with support from the Wing Luke Museum and National Park Conservation Association.
🎏 Where - Seattle Waterfront Park – Overlook Walk, 1505 Alaskan Way, Seattle, WA 98101. Directions: Walk down the stairs from Old Stove Brewing at Pike Place Market or continue past the temporary parking near the Pike Place Market Parking Garage entrance until you see our group.
🎏 Following the event, the Wing Luke Museum will lead a walk along the Japanese American Remembrance Trail.
Media Contact: Graham Taylor at gtaylor@npca.org