Susan Osa
@toyobearSusan Osa is a marketing/communications professional with experience on projects ranging from print, web/new media, to environmental graphics. She has been a volunteer with the Japanese American National Museum since 2001.
Updated April 2008
Stories from This Author
DR. FRANKLIN ODO – Voices from the Canefields
Oct. 3, 2013 • Susan Osa
Folk songs are short stories from the souls of common people. Some, like Mexican corridos or Scottish ballads, reworked in the Appalachias, are stories of tragic or heroic episodes. Others, like the African American blues, reach from a difficult present back into slavery and forward into a troubled future. Japanese workers on Hawaii’s plantations created their own versions, in form more akin to their traditional tanka or haiku poetry. These holehole bushi describe the experiences of one particular group caught …
Airborne Dreams: Christine R. Yano
Jan. 19, 2012 • Susan Osa
During the postwar era in the mid 1950s, in the midst of gender and racial politics, globalism, and cosmopolitanism, Pan Am introduced its “Nisei” stewardess program with the hiring of Japanese American flight attendants for its Tokyo-bound flights. Airborne Dreams: “Nisei” Stewardesses and Pan American World Airways, by Dr. Christine Yano, weaves together the story of Pan Am, America’s premiere airline during this era, and its strategies for expanding and dominating the international air travel, with the recollection and experiences …
Becoming American? Reintroducing Issei Artist Yasuo Kuniyoshi
Sept. 15, 2011 • Susan Osa
While the incarceration and tragic experiences of Japanese Americans following the attack on Pearl Harbor has been well documented, Becoming American? The Art and Identity Crisis of Yasuo Kuniyoshi, by Shipu Wang, studies and investigates the activities of Americans of Japanese descent outside the World War II camps and the intense pressures with which they had to contend in the aftermath of Pearl Harbor. On December 8, 1941, Yasuo Kuniyoshi (1989-1953), an émigré Japanese artist in New York, awoke to …
From Centerfield to Outer Space: Dan Kwong and the Secrets of a Multi-Cultural Performance Artist
July 13, 2010 • Susan Osa
With their long hair, multi-cultural ethnicity, and burgeoning artistic talents, Kip Fulbeck was occasionally mistaken for Dan Kwong back in the early 1990s. “I considered this a compliment because Kip’s a real good looking guy!” recalls Kwong laughingly. Today, both are well-established, extremely talented artists, whose paths continue to cross in their works exploring culture and identity, and being Hapa. Combining eloquence, passion, and a generous sense of humor, Dan Kwong has been described as a “master storyteller” whose performances …
Ken Mochizuki – Be Water, My Friend
Feb. 3, 2010 • Susan Osa
Award-winning author Ken Mochizuki has always been fascinated by storytelling. Born in Seattle, Washington, he grew up in the Beacon Hill area of south Seattle. While attending the University of Washington, he became active in the Asian American movement, working on Seattle’s first Asian American newspaper, Asian Family Affair. After graduating with a degree in communications, he worked as an actor for five years in Los Angeles, including time with the East/West Players, the oldest Asian American theater company in …
Up for Grabs
Nov. 9, 2009 • Susan Osa
Throughout history, there have been a number of great rivalries, some fun (“blondes vs. brunettes”), some serious (“Hatfields vs. McCoys”), and some somewhere in between (“PC vs. Mac”). However, many of the greatest rivalries stem from the sports world—Ali vs. Frazier, Celtics vs. Lakers, Dodgers vs. Giants—with genuine angst and emotion that spills over to the fans. On October 7, 2001, when Barry Bonds crushed home run #73 towards McCovey Cove at PacBell Park in San Francisco, an absurd new …
October Moments: Celebrating the History of Nisei Baseball
April 3, 2008 • Susan Osa
With spring season in bloom, the timeless beauty and classic traditions of another baseball season takes center stage on fields across America. As a young boy growing up in Los Angeles, Peter Chen idolized Steve Garvey of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and was inspired by the beauty of the sport. As a successful artist, he has woven his love of baseball with his creative talents to celebrate baseball history. As a second-generation Asian American, Peter Chen always enjoyed drawing, painting, …
Hinamatsuri in the United States
March 2, 2007 • Susan Osa
Hinamatsuri literally translates as Doll Festival, but is often referred to as Girl’s Day. Celebrated annually on March 3, families pray for the happiness and prosperity of their girls, helping to ensure they grow up healthy and beautiful. On this day, families with young daughters celebrate this event by displaying hina-ningyo, special dolls for the occasion. The presentation of the dolls can be traced back to the Edo Era (1603-1876) when it was used as a way to ward off …
Gathering of Joy: A History of Japanese American Obon Festivals and Bon Odori
July 8, 2006 • Susan Osa
Obon is an annual Japanese Buddhist festival that commemorates the dead. It is based on a Buddhist text which describes how a devout monk dances with joy upon successfully releasing his deceased mother’s spirit from the Realm of Hungry Ghosts. Today, participants dance to express their joy to be living happily and to honor loved ones who have passed away. Obon is also commonly known as the Festival of Lanterns, referring to the traditional lighting of the chochin (lanterns) at …
