What’s in a name? 

Discover Nikkei is launching a new writing series called “Nikkei Names: Taro, John, Juan, João?” to explore what your name says about you, and the origins of Nikkei names. 

In conjunction with this series, we are offering FREE one-time writing workshops in multiple cities and countries to encourage submissions to Nikkei Names. These workshops are designed to help students of all writing levels develop a point of view, characters, and a narrative voice to tell their stories about their names. This can include family names, given names, and even nicknames! 

Please join us at our workshops and share your stories about your name on DiscoverNikkei.org!  

Date: Saturday, July 19, 2014 

Time: 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon (Registration starts at 9:30 a.m.)  

Location: Church of Christ Presbyterian  

Instructor:  Andrew Leong   
Andrew Leong is an assistant professor of English and Japanese literature at Northwestern University. He is also a translator of early Japanese American writing. His most recent translation project, Lament in the Night (Kaya Press, 2012), collected two novels by the Issei writer Nagahara Shōson, and received the 2014 Association for Asian American Studies Creative Writing Award.  

Enrollment limit:  20 people 

To guarantee your space, please RSVP by emailing us at Editor@DiscoverNikkei.org and include your name, contact information, and the date / location for the workshop that you would like to attend.  

Bring:  
Paper and pencils will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own writing tools. A photograph of yourself is also suggested, both as a writing prompt and for your author bio. Most importantly, participants are expected to bring an enthusiasm for experimenting with voice and form, and a willingness to explore the theme of Nikkei Names for on-line publication at the Discover Nikkei webpage.

* This program is co-sponsored & co-hosted by the Chicago Japanese American Historical Society and Japanese American National Museum.


For workshops in other locations, please check as follow: 

Workshops in English

• Anaheim, CA: Sunday, September 28 
  at Orange County Buddhist Church   
• Burnaby, BC: Saturday, July 26 
  at Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre 
• Gardena, CA:  Saturday, August 23 
  at Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute  
• Los Angeles, CA:  Saturday, June 28  
  at National Center for the Preservation of Democracy 
• San Jose, CA: Sunday, September 21 
  at Japanese American Museum of San Jose
• Seattle, WA: Saturday, September 20 
  at Wing Luke Museum of the Asian Pacific American Experience

Workshops in other languages

• Gardena, CA:  Saturday, August 23 (English & Japanese)
  at Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute  
• Lima, Peru: Saturday, July 5 (Spanish)
  at Centro Cultural Peruano Japonés 
• Lima, Peru: Saturday, August 16 (Spanish)
  at Centro Cultural Peruano Japonés 
• São Paulo, Brazil: TBA