Christie Yamasaki (she/her)

Bio

Christie Yamasaki is currently a graduate student in the Asian American Studies program at UCLA. She became fascinated with the study of history and empire after learning more about her own grandfather’s experiences being incarcerated at Gila River, later being drafted into the U.S. Army, and finally serving overseas in Occupied Japan. Moving forward, she would like to continue to pull inspiration from her own ethnic background as a Japanese-Vietnamese American and do a comparative research project that focuses on wartime histories and memories of the Japanese American and Vietnamese American communities.

Solidarity Arts Fellowship reflection

“The Solidarity Arts Fellowship has taught me not to fear getting involved with community. Before taking part in this fellowship, I didn’t know anything about building within or across communities. I am inspired by Vigilant Love, and this group of Japanese Americans and Muslim Americans who have come together to unite the experiences of the past with issues of the present. The fellowship helped me to understand that solidarity begins with openness and vulnerability and needs to be maintained through active participation and engagement. Solidarity is not an instantaneous achievement, but a lifelong process that requires nourishment, friendship, and community.”

Object of resilience

“I have chosen two objects of resilience to feature in this photo. The first object is my paternal grandfather’s annotated camp journal. Although he was taken out of school at UC Berkeley, incarcerated at Gila River, and then eventually drafted, he always maintained a positive outlook on life. My grandfather actively gave speeches at rotary clubs and participated in JACL to spread awareness about the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII to try and prevent the injustices that he experienced from happening again to anyone else. The other object I have in this photo is a necklace from my maternal grandmother. When my grandmother fled from Vietnam, she had to leave all her property behind. However, she was able to take with her several items of jewelry because they were small. By buying and selling jewelry she was able to make a little extra money to sustain herself and her family. She used her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit not only to survive, but to remain self-sufficient and maintain her own sense of agency.”