Manzanar Pilgrimage
Manzanar was the first of the WWII confinement sites in which more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were unjustly incarcerated during World War II. Each year, over 1,000 people make a pilgrimage to Manzanar, including former incarcerees, descendants of incarcerees, students, teachers, artists, community leaders, spiritual leaders, and cultural workers from different backgrounds and generations.
In 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2023 Vigilant Love organized delegations to remember and return to Manzanar National Historic Site in Lone Pine, California. A community of intergenerational, multi-ethnic, and inter-spiritual visitors honored and remembered the stories of those forcibly removed and incarcerated at the former concentration camp during World War II. Together, those of us who attended made space for art, reflection, healing, and prayer. Since then, we’ve attended the Manzanar pilgrimage virtually, and look forward to a time when its safe to return in-person again.
The connection between Manzanar and the current-day policies that disempower and further marginalize our communities reminds us of the importance of creating spaces where people from all backgrounds can come together to uplift one another, facilitate healing, and envision radical futures brimming with joy and vigilant love.