THANK YOU to everyone who attended our first Virtual Pilgrimage to Manzanar!
Join Us in 2021!
We are excited to begin planning on the 2021 San Jose JACL Manzanar Pilgrimage. This will be a 3-day journey beginning on Friday morning and ending on Sunday evening (dates TBA). This is a rare chance to experience the Japanese American World War II incarceration at Manzanar National Historic Park, the most well-preserved of the 10 major concentration camps. We will depart by bus from San Jose on Friday morning and stay overnight at a hotel near the site. On Saturday, we will attend the ceremony that is planned each year by the Los Angeles-based Manzanar Committee.
For more information about the on-site program, please visit the Manzanar Committee website.
This program is modeled after a highly successful pilgrimage sponsored by the Florin JACL. We have modified the program to suit our San Jose audience. The goals of this pilgrimage are to:
Educate the San Jose community about the Japanese American incarceration & redress movement
Stimulate thoughtful intergenerational and intercultural discussions
Learn the lessons from the past to encourage youth involvement with the San Jose JACL
Draw parallels between the struggles of JAs during WWII and Muslims today
Educate others on advocacy concerning the rights of Muslims, refugees, immigrants, and others today.
We are recruiting a diverse group from among former camp detainees, Japanese American community members, Muslim Americans, youth, community educators, and those involved in civil and human rights today. Our interactive tour will include interesting bus activities, discussion groups, group BBQ dinner, cultural exchange among Japanese Americans and Muslim Americans, visit to the Manzanar National Historic Park Museum, short walking tour to the barracks/mess hall/latrine, program / interfaith ceremony with 1,000 others from LA, evening program run by college students, bowling night, and optional group dinners.
Registration to cover our costs is estimated to be $250-300 per person (final cost TBD based on interest level). This will cover bus transportation, 2 nights hotel accommodations (double occupancy), lunch, snacks, and souvenir T-shirt.
Discounted registration will be made available for former WWII detainees and youth 25 and under. We are also seeking youth who would like to join the planning committee as a Manzanar Ambassador.
If you are up for a truly meaningful 3-day adventure plus meeting and sharing experiences with others, this pilgrimage is for you.
We hope that you’ll join us on this unique journey!
Additional Trip Details
Please note that this is our first attempt at doing such an ambitious project and plans are still tentative. The final cost for the trip cannot be determined until after we gauge interest and receive deposits. We anticipate the final cost to be between $250-300 for adults 26 and older. This will include chartered bus transportation, 2 nights hotel accommodations (double-occupancy), as well as the costs of all programming. We anticipate that meals will also be an additional cost (on-your-own at eateries near the hotel, or via group bento-order). Details on meals will be provided at a later date.
We have applied for additional funding and will be soliciting donations to help provide partial scholarships for youth participants (25 and under) as well as to help lower costs for former incarcerees to attend.
Space is strictly limited, so in order to secure a place on this trip, we are asking for a deposit of $50 by (DATE TBD). This deposit is non-refundable, but may be transferred to another person if you are unable to attend. Because space is limited, we may have a waiting list.
We plan to announce our final plans and costs on March 1st. Final payments will be due on March 20th.
TENTATIVE ITINERARY
Friday (DATE TBD) - We will be departing via chartered bus on Friday, February 24th at 9am. The exact meeting location(s) will be determined after we find out who is participating and where they live. We will have ice-breaker activities on the bus and during the 2 rest-stops along the way. We will arrive at about 6pm and stay overnight in Bishop, CA, which is approx 45 minutes north of Manzanar. You will have dinner on your own near the hotel. After dinner, we are planning a cultural exchange program.
Saturday (DATE TBD) - We will depart the hotel at 9am for the 45-minute drive to Manzanar. After arriving, you will have some time to visit the museum and site on your own before the official program sponsored by the Manzanar Committee begins at 11:30am. The Manzanar Committee is an all-volunteer organization based in Los Angeles that has been planning this annual pilgrimage for 51 years. (For more information, please visit their website at: blog.manzanarcommittee.org) We will send you more details about their program as they become available.
Sunday (DATE TBD) - We will depart the hotel at 9am and head back, again with 2 rest-stops along the way. At the rest-stops, and on the bus, our leaders will organize discussions so that we can debrief our experiences. We anticipate being back in San Jose by about 5pm.
Next Steps
Please note the following deadlines.
- ASAP: Click here to submit an interest form. (Required - it provides us with all of the necessary contact information)
- (DATE TBD): $50 deposit due.
- (DATE TBD): Final costs announced.
- (DATE TBD): Final payment due.
Questions?
Thanks again for your interest in this exciting new program. Stay tuned for more information!
