A campaign to create what may be the first historical marker at a round-up point where Japanese were taken away to internment camps in 1942 continues to gain support among Venice High School students.
The students have been writing letters to Councilperson Bill Rosendahl and to the Beachhead in support of a permanent marker at the northwest corner of Lincoln and Venice Blvds.
The effort was initiated in 2001 by the Venice Peace and Freedom Party which collected hundreds of names of Venice residents on a petition in support of the marker. It was approved by then-Councilperson Ruth Galanter. However, she was removed to the East Valley by the City Council before she had time to act on it.
In 2003, the Free Venice Beachhead took up the cause in its April issue. Again, this April the Beachhead ran a front page photo of the round-up, and an article by Scott Yuda, Jr. The campaign by the students began a short time later.
Since last month’s Beachhead, the following students have sent letters:
Amber Parvanehp
Andrea Esannason
Angelica Hernandez
Angelica Jue
Anthony Molina
Araseli Serrano
Barbara Rodriguez
Branden Fernandez
Carlos Ayala
Chrisitian Jimenez
Christian Quintero
Christopher Blevins
Daniel Loza
Daniel Vergara
Daniela Alonso
David Ahumada
Efrata Negatu
Elias Riskin
Elizabeth Albers
Elizabeth Guardado
Elizabeth Medina
Emily Guardado
Emily Montenegro
Eric Schoenbaun
Geraldo Lopez
Gerardo Hernandez
Gina Ibrahim
Grace Lee
Jennifer Acosta
Johnny Castillo
Juan Perez
Julian Quintanilla
Johathan Zaugh
Keaton Frey
Kenjo Corbisiero
Leon Sage
Leonor Lopez
Logan Douangsitthi
Mara Heilig
Nancy Gonzalez
Naoka Sasaki
Nathan Saavedra
Raghav Handa
Raul Quintanilla
Tiffany Roque
Timothy Geiger
Viviana Urrutia
Wendy Santiago
Other residents of Venice and surrounding communities are invited to join the students in sending an email of support for a marker commemorating the forced removal of West Coast Japanese to camps.
We at the Beachhead believe that a reminder of this sort will not only memorialize the Japanese who were torn from their homes, but will serve as a warning to future generations that “it can happen here.”
Send your email to:
councilman.rosendahl@lacity.org
beachhead@freevenice.org
Categories: Civil Rights, History, Venice
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