Give Today! Support Our Work for Minidoka National Historic Site.
On my first arrival to Minidoka with no one else on site, I was standing alone, softly gazing in the distance. In the quiet undisturbed moment, I felt reverential and a connection.
I could “see” my Nisei mom and her brother strolling not far away as they might have done seventy years before.
The silence and the “pure” surroundings were important in invoking that state of mind, an impactful and emotional experience for me. All my family stories and their memories of Minidoka became real to me at that moment. I walked away with a deeper felt meaning of my family and community history.
--Shawn B, Seattle, WA
Honoring our past. Protecting our future.
Shawn’s moving comment is one of over a thousand submitted to the Bureau of Land Management against the massive wind project proposal threatening the Minidoka National Historic Site. His reflection speaks to the importance of preserving Minidoka as a place to tell both the painful story of Japanese Americans wrongly incarcerated during World War II and the lessons learned through Minidoka’s immersive, reflective, and healing setting.
Help Friends of Minidoka honor survivors’ legacy and ensure that their experiences are not forgotten. With the rise of anti-Asian American hate, we must continue to share the Minidoka story in the fight for racial justice in our country. Through preservation, protection, and education, we strive to inspire citizens to become stewards of our nation's democratic ideals.
In 2022, our focus will be on education and outreach:
Advocate for the preservation and protection of Minidoka and its legacy;
Commemorate the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and subsequent events;
Release a new full-length documentary, short videos, and companion lesson plans;
Update our website to increase access to educational resources; and
Design and implement training for educators and increase school engagement.
Please give today! Help us fulfill our mission to preserve and protect Minidoka’s legacy and immersive learning experience that Shawn so beautifully describes.
Sincerely,
Robyn Achilles
Executive Director
Friends of Minidoka