Stuff contributed by kyra.karatsu

Inspire Forward: Nikkei Heroes Under 30

Identity in the Music Industry with Musician & Two-Time Grammy Nominee Nick Lee

Kyra Karatsu

Introduction

Inspire Forward: Nikkei Heroes Under 30

Ancestry & Artistry: The Works of Annie Sumi

Kyra Karatsu

Japanese Canadian Annie Sumi is many things: songwriter, ethereal folk artist, and, recently, co-creator of the Kintsugi exhibition at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre in Toronto. Providing creative insight inspired by family heirlooms, her work on Kintsugi weaves together the threads of her ancestry with her artistry as a musician.

Nikkei Chronicles #11—Itadakimasu 3! Nikkei Food, Family, and Community

Food for Thought—TikTok & Tamagoyaki

Kyra Karatsu

Like any good Gen Z-er, I’ve made my fair share of TikToks since I first downloaded the app two years ago. Most are silly and trivial and recorded primarily for my “impressive” following of 45 followers—the majority being school friends. 

From Short Story to Stage Play: Masao and The Bronze Nightingale

Kyra Karatsu

After years of partnership and production, Dan Kwong and Rubén Funkahuatl Guevara’s Masao and The Bronze Nightingale has finally set stage at the CASA 0101 Theater in Boyle Heights.

The Times of Tulelake

Kyra Karatsu

Located near the Oregon-California border, the ghost of what once was one of California’s two internment camps now stands rather quietly against a backdrop of mountains and shrubs.

To Build a Bridge

Kyra Karatsu

“Why do you want to marry him?” 

Inspire Forward: Nikkei Heroes Under 30

Cole Kawana: JANM and the Power of Artificial Intelligence

Kyra Karatsu

“A snapshot of human memory.” 

My Two Aunt Karens

Kyra Karatsu

The name “Karen” has grown to symbolize many things in the recent year. Specifically, it’s become a sort of slang to describe an entitled, conceited woman who cries out for a store’s manager when things don’t go her way. From making a scene at the gas station to harassing teenagers …

Nikkei Chronicles #10—Nikkei Generations: Connecting Families & Communities

Grammy-nominated Flutist Ron Korb on his Journey to Japan

Kyra Karatsu

There’s a glint of pure excitement in the eyes of Grammy-nominated flutist and composer Ron Korb as he begins to open up about his experiences in Japan. “Every single day, there was some new thing, some exciting little thing,” he reminisces, “It was never boring. I just loved every minute …

We Hereby Refuse: The Illustrated Stories of Camp Resistance

Kyra Karatsu


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About

Kyra Karatsu is a Japanese-German Yonsei who grew up about an hour from Los Angeles’ Little Tokyo -- a site that she frequently visited with her Nisei (and longtime JANM volunteer) grandmother, Mary. Kyra is a third-year college student and is majoring in Communication. In addition to school and work, she enjoys writing for Discover Nikkei and the Rafu Shimpo.

Nikkei interests

  • community history
  • family stories
  • festival/matsuri
  • Japanese/Nikkei food
  • Japantowns
  • taiko

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