The Japanese American National Museum Launches An American Vocabulary: Words to Action in Response to Increased Anti-Asian Violence

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) will launch a new, collaborative project, An American Vocabulary: Words to Action, on Saturday, October 8, 2022, from 3 p.m.–6 p.m. on the JANM Plaza. The event will include live music with rapper jason chu, percussionist Gingee, and DJ Grace Ktown. Visual artist, Audrey Chan, will facilitate an art demonstration connected to the project that encourages participants to honor their own community histories. Community organizations will also have tables set up in the plaza. The event is free and outdoors but RSVPs are requested. The first 300 RSVPs will receive An American Vocabulary flash card set. 

An American Vocabulary: Words to Action consists of twenty-one multilingual flash cards that portray figures, events, and actions illustrating the four themes of voice, ancestor, persistence, and care as well as discussion questions from JANM. The cards symbolize the way Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities translate their inimitable American histories across linguistic, cultural, and imaginative barriers. An American Vocabulary was created by Chan and chu, the 2022 fellows for the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (NCPD@JANM) artists fellowship program. Through this project, they will equip all audiences with a vocabulary for AANHPI agency and allyship in the fight for social justice. 

This event and the NCPD@JANM artists fellowship program is a collaboration between NCPD@JANM and Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California that is funded by Artists At Work, a national initiative developed by THE OFFICE performing arts + film, with support from the Mellon Foundation, the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture, Asian Arts Initiative, and the Ford Foundation.

“This innovative project breaks down barriers by giving everyone a powerful visual resource to fight against injustice, hate, and violence. It will also foster intergenerational communication, educate the public about the diverse Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, and give everyone an opportunity to be an advocate or ally in the advancement of social justice,” said Ann Burroughs, President and CEO.

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About the Japanese American National Museum (JANM)

Established in 1985, JANM promotes understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. Located in the historic Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles, JANM is a hybrid institution that straddles traditional museum categories and strives to provide a voice for Japanese Americans as well as a forum that enables all people to explore their own heritage and culture. Since opening to the public in 1992, JANM has presented over 70 exhibitions onsite while traveling 17 exhibits to venues such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Ellis Island Museum in the United States, and to several leading cultural museums in Japan and South America. For more information, visit janm.org or follow us on social media @jamuseum.

About Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL)

AJSOCAL is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI). Founded in 1983, AJSOCAL serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, AJSOCAL focuses on the most vulnerable members of AANHPI communities while building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice. More info is at AJSOCAL.org.

About Artists At Work (AAW)

Artists At Work (AAW) is a workforce resilience program in the spirit of the Works Progress Administration (WPA) and is designed to support healthy communities through artistic civic engagement. AAW artists are paired with a participating cultural organization and paid a living wage salary to continue to make art and to be embedded in a local social impact initiative that will benefit from their skills and creative thinking. Audrey Chan and jason chu are participating artists in the Artists At Work initiative in Los Angeles County 2021-2022. Artists At Work in Los Angeles County is produced by THE OFFICE performing arts + film and made possible by the generous support of the Mellon Foundation.