traci kato-kiriyama

traciakemi

traci kato-kiriyama is a performer, actor, writer, author, educator, and art+community organizer who splits the time and space in her body feeling grounded in gratitude, inspired by audacity, and thoroughly insane—oft times all at once. She’s passionately invested in a number of projects that include Pull Project (PULL: Tales of Obsession); Generations Of War; The (title-ever-evolving) Nikkei Network for Gender and Sexual Positivity; Kizuna; Budokan of LA; and is the Director/Co-Founder of Tuesday Night Project and Co-Curator of its flagship “Tuesday Night Cafe.” She’s working on a second book of writing/poetry attuned to survival, slated for publication next year by Writ Large Press.

Updated August 2013

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culture en ja

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Longing

By Tomiko Matsumoto, Gennosuke Matsumoto, traci kato-kiriyama
18 Oct 2018

This month, we feature poetry in Nihongo (with English translation) from Tomiko Matsumoto and Gennosuke Matsumoto, who were both originally from Chiba and eventually married there, before living in Seattle and later imprisoned in the Heart Mountain, Wyoming concentration camp during World War II. Their poetry here comes through that lens—two short tales of lamentation. —traci kato-kiriyama * * * * * Tomiko Matsumoto was was born on August 30, 1900 in Nakano (current Kimitsu city), Chiba Prefecture, and immigrated to Seattle in the early 1920s. She and her family were imprison…

culture en

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Little Tokyo

By D Hideo Maruyama, Mike Sonksen, traci kato-kiriyama
20 Sep 2018

We have a focus on Little Tokyo as inspiration and a special triple threat treat for this month’s edition of Nikkei Uncovered. First, we have a piece from D Hideo Maruyama, based in LA and a veteran of the Asian American literary scene. Next is poetry from third generation LA native, Mike Sonksen, accompanied by artwork by his wife and Tokyo-born/LA-raised Emi Motokawa Sonksen. The literary and creative work from all three of these artists continues to make a substantial impact on the Asian American community and Los Angeles as a whole. We’re excited to include just a small s…

culture en

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

FIRE

By Colleen “Coke” Tani, Jenna Yokoyama, traci kato-kiriyama
16 Aug 2018

Fire. No, not in reference to the countless acres of land and livelihood burning across California this summer. But perhaps subconsciously inspired by the precarious path nature takes us on, I was drawn to this theme and to featuring these pieces meant for the mature reader of this month’s column. A prose piece from Alameda, California-based Colleen “Coke” Tani and a poem from Portland-based Jenna Yokoyama - these are searing pieces that speak in turns, facing inward and outward, inviting us in to moments where we need breath, we call for reckoning, we demand to heal. &mdas…

culture en ja

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Short Form - Haiku and Senryu

By Fran Ito, Sunny Seki, traci kato-kiriyama
19 Jul 2018

This month I thought we’d have a little fun with short form and featuring two creative community members who are dear to the Japanese American and Little Tokyo communities. Sunny Seki (a.k.a. Sankyaku Seki) has taught senryu (a short form similar to haiku but with a focus on the human condition over a focus on seasons and nature) and curated and edited a wonderful collection of 100 years of Japanese American gardeners’ stories through senryu. Fran Ito, who shares a handful of haiku here, is an avid senior filmmaker with the Digital Histories program through Vis…

culture en

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Weaving

By A’misa Chiu, Kyoko Nakamaru, traci kato-kiriyama
21 Jun 2018

Happy summer, everyone! We’re excited to bring two more new voices to the Discover Nikkei platform - originally from the Midwest and now residing in LA, Kyoko Nakamaru; and originally from the South Bay and now residing in Portland, A’misa Chiu. Kyoko’s pieces connect her sense of self to another time and another shore in her lineage. A’misa’s deeply personal piece weaves in and out of the context of cultural silence sometimes too well known within Nikkeihood. Both poets’ pieces connect through language, aching, longing and all that is carried in the body a…

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Japanese migrants and their descendants

traci kato-kiriyama

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Nikkei Uncovered: a poetry column

Series this author contributes to

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Nikkei Chronicles #12

Growing Up Nikkei: Connecting with Our Heritage

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Ansel Adams and Born Free and Equal: Another View

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The Ironies of the Japanese Canadian Internment History: Part 2—Discovering Japanese Canadian History

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