Civil Rights

Students Continue Campaign for Memorial for Japanese Who Were Taken to World War II Camps

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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:

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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  1. Pingback: Venice, California Street Corner To Become Japanese American Memorial Site « Manzanar Committee