GiveBig2020

1 R Special Advertising Section | SUNDAY, APRIL 26, 2020 17 Erin Shigaki’s family lived on King Street and 16th, where they re- sided before World War II in the late 1930s. Her family belonged to the Japanese American Episcopal Church on the same block as the house, and her great-grandfather helped build the Seattle Japanese Language School. When WWII broke out, Erin’s fam- ily was incarcerated like the other 125,000 Japanese American families living on the West Coast. They were looked upon by their neigh- bors with suspicion, stripped of their rights as American citizens, and uprooted from their homes and communities. Unlike many Japanese American families, Erin grew up hearing stories about the incar- ceration from her grandmothers. These stories inspired Erin’s work as an artist, exploring issues that communities of color face, and the similarities to what’s happened historically to what is happening now. “The prejudice and fear of Asian Americans that was present dur- ing WWII is rhyming strongly with the stuff happening today — from migrant detention to increased hatefulness directed toward our community during the COVID crisis,” Erin says. “It drives me to continue to tell our story.” With the rise of racism yet again towards the APA community, we call on our histories and the vision of artists to find perspective and lessons of strength. “I feel driven to celebrate the resilience of our ancestors; to know that we have come through trauma and endured as immigrants,” Erin says. “Despite poverty, redlining, and incarceration, we find joy and persist. Art provides a visual window into these stories. If we can talk about history and educate people through our work, that is invaluable.” By supporting the work of artists like Erin, the Wing Luke Museum is critical in dispel- ling people’s assumptions about APAs and bringing our communities together. As news about the coronavirus stoked prejudice and fear, the APA community and Chinatown-International District felt the impact of the pandemic early on. Now, more than ever, our stories and lived experiences as Asian Pacific Americans must be visible, amplified, and not left behind on the road to recovery. Donate on GiveBIG to our resilience, and your gift will be matched dollar for dollar up to $100,000. Together, we are resilient PROVIDED BY WING LUKE MUSEUM We connect everyone to the dynamic history, culture and art of Asian Pacific Americans through vivid storytelling and inspiring experiences to advance social and racial equity. Visit wingluke.org . Artist Erin Shigaki TOGETHER, WE ARE RESILIENT. We share and celebrate the stories of the Asian Pacific American community to remind us that our legacy is of strength and perseverance. GiveBIG to the Wing Luke Museum today.