Join ARC- the Asian Pacific Islander Rainbow Coalition - on Saturday, March 22nd at 11:30 AM for our second year at the Chinatown Golden Dragon Parade. You will be marching with us and representing Okaeri alongside other AAPI LGBTQ+ and affirming community organizations.

After the parade, APAIT will be hosting a Banquet and Book Reading at Mama Lu’s Dumpling House, 700 North Spring Street, featuring special guest speaker Curtis Chin, activist/author of Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant, his memoir about his life and coming out in Detroit.

Banquet is first come first serve, and you must participate in the parade to join the banquet. 

「オカエリコネクツ！日本語LGBTQ＋当事者サポートグループ3月版はアメリカ日曜１６日の西海岸時間午後5:30pm（8:30pmEST // 日本は20日午前10:30am）となります。

「オカエリコネクツ！日本語 親・アライグループ」は、米国西海岸時間１６日（日曜）午後4:00pm（7:00pmEST // 日本は20日午前9:00am）からです。昨年より2時間遅い開始時間となりますので、ご注意ください。

このリンクから２０２５年度、計１２全セッションの申し込みが可能です。もちろん毎月出席できなくても構いませんので、まずはお申し込み下さい。Zoomからミーティングリンクがメールアドレスに送られます。

もしミーティングについて、ご質問や不安なことがあれば、どうぞ遠慮なくconnects@okaeri.org でお聞かせください。ミーティング以外の時間に、個別相談も可能ですので、まずお問合せください。 どうぞお気軽にご参加ください。

Join us for a virtual book talk to learn about the creative processes behind the pieces, how our cover art came to be, along with readings by the contributors! We will be joined by the following contributors: Mitsuko Brooks, Ken Takeuchi, Anne, Ian Martyn, and Gabrielle Kazuko Nomura. Stay until the end for a Q&A. This book talk will be facilitated by two of the co-editors: Rino Kodama and Michael Matsuno.

「オカエリコネクツ！日本語LGBTQ＋当事者サポートグループ」２月版はアメリカ日曜１６日の西海岸時間午後5:30pm（8:30pmEST // 日本は20日午前10:30am）となります。

「オカエリコネクツ！日本語 親・アライグループ」は、米国西海岸時間１６日（日曜）午後4:00pm（7:00pmEST // 日本は20日午前9:00am）からです。昨年より2時間遅い開始時間となりますので、ご注意ください。

このリンクから２０２５年度、計１２全セッションの申し込みが可能です。もちろん毎月出席できなくても構いませんので、まずはお申し込み下さい。Zoomからミーティングリンクがメールアドレスに送られます。

もしミーティングについて、ご質問や不安なことがあれば、どうぞ遠慮なくconnects@okaeri.org でお聞かせください。ミーティング以外の時間に、個別相談も可能ですので、まずお問合せください。 どうぞお気軽にご参加ください。

Attention Bruin Community, Okaeri is coming to UCLA! We have been invited by Professor Grace Hong to speak at her AAS50 class (Asian American Women class) on Letters to Home. We are so honored that the students are reading Letters to Home, and can’t wait to be in conversation through an Asian American, feminist, queer, and trans lens. Okaeri Founder and Chair, Marsha Aizumi, and two of the book editors, Cody Uyeda and Rino Kodama will be speaking. If you are a student at UCLA, we hope to see you there!

Our next Okaeri Connects session is on Sunday, February 9th from 4:00-5:30PM PT. Come be in community with fellow Nikkei LGBTQ+ folks, as many of us are feeling all sorts of emotions and anxieties under our new administration.

Okaeri Connects is for LGBTQ+ Nikkei/Japanese folks to find each other and create affirming spaces by sharing our personal experiences and stories. We believe that building relationships, being seen, and connecting ourselves within our big Nikkei world can improve the quality of our lives. Come check out our support group and meet fellow queer and trans Nikkei!

新年明けましておめでとうございます。今年の「オカエリコネクツ！日本語LGBTQ＋当事者サポートグループ」1月版はアメリカ日曜19日の西海岸時間午後5:30pm（8:30pmEST // 日本は20日午前10:30am）となります。

今年最初の「オカエリコネクツ！日本語 親・アライグループ」は、米国西海岸時間19日（日曜）午後4:00pm（7:00pmEST // 日本は20日午前9:00am）からです。昨年より2時間遅い開始時間となりますので、ご注意ください。

このリンクから２０２５年度、計１２全セッションの申し込みが可能です。もちろん毎月出席できなくても構いませんので、まずはお申し込み下さい。Zoomからミーティングリンクがメールアドレスに送られます。

もしミーティングについて、ご質問や不安なことがあれば、どうぞ遠慮なくconnects@okaeri.org でお聞かせください。ミーティング以外の時間に、個別相談も可能ですので、まずお問合せください。 どうぞお気軽にご参加ください。

今日２０２４年最後の Okaeri Connects! 気軽に参加下さい！

当事者：4時 PT

親・アライグループ：2時 PT
Okaeri Connects とは？

LGBTQ+を自認（またはそうかもしれない）人たちの集まり. 北米に住む日系LGBTQ+の仲間と繋がりたい、LGBTQ+のことをもっと知りたい、周りに相談できる人がいない、差別のない社会を作りたい。。。様々な思いを持つ人たちと、「安全な場所」でおしゃべりしませんか。月一回集まって日本語によるコミュニティーを作りましょう。

お申し込みはこちらへ：

当事者：bit.ly/OkaeriConnectsJP-2024

Okaeri NorCal Book Club

📚 We're excited to share our last event for the year will be our second meetup of the NorCal Okaeri book club. We will be reading The Night Parade by Jami Nakamura Lin. If you plan on attending, please fill out the RSVP form.

Where: Berkeley Espresso, 1900 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94704
When: 10:30 am, Saturday, December 14th
What: Discussion of The Night Parade by Jami Nakamura Lin
📍 RSVP: bit.ly/OkaeriNorcal-BookClub2024

📚 Book synposis: Featuring stunning illustrations by her sister, Cori Nakamura Lin, and divided into the four acts of a traditional Japanese narrative structure, The Night Parade is a genre-bending and deeply emotional memoir that mirrors the sensation of being caught between realms. Braiding her experience of mental illness, the death of her father, the grieving process, and other haunted topics with storytelling tradition, Jami Nakamura Lin shines a light into dark corners, driven by a question: How do we learn to live with the things that haunt us?

Questions? Email norcal@okaeri.org and christine.miyashiro@gmail.com.

１２月８日　（日曜日）12PM PT / 3PM ET

悪気なく使った言葉が、LGBTQ+の人たちとその家族をモヤモヤさせていることがあります。
その言葉の根底に隠れている考えとは？ LGBTQ+でない人たちにとって、LGBTQ+当事者の問題とは本当に無縁？
アライに出来ることって何？
 
この無料オンライン・ワークショップでは、実例をとおしてLGBTQ+でない私たち（親、家族、同僚、友達、アライ）が知っておきたいことを話し合っていきます。どなたでもぜひ、気軽に参加下さい！

矢部　文（やべ・あや）
「オカエリ・コネクツ！」共同ファシリテーター。レズビアンの娘をもつ母親の立場から、日本人を含むアジア系ＬＧＢＴＱ＋当事者とその家族を可視化し、誰もが生きやすい社会づくりを目指して活動中。ニューヨーク在住。

オカエリコネクツ！ 日本語

今月の Okaeri Connects! は 11月17日に行われます。
当事者：4時 PT
親・アライグループ：2時 PT

Okaeri Connects とは？
LGBTQ+を自認（またはそうかもしれない）人たちの集まり. 北米に住む日系LGBTQ+の仲間と繋がりたい、LGBTQ+のことをもっと知りたい、周りに相談できる人がいない、差別のない社会を作りたい。。。様々な思いを持つ人たちと、「安全な場所」でおしゃべりしませんか。月一回集まって日本語によるコミュニティーを作りましょう。

Okaeri Connects is for LGBTQ+ Nikkei/Japanese folks to find each other and create affirming spaces by sharing our personal experiences and stories. We believe that building relationships, being seen, and connecting ourselves within our big Nikkei world can improve the quality of our lives. Come check out our support group and meet fellow queer and trans Nikkei!

Please join us at West Los Angeles United Methodist Church, a Reconciling and Affirming congregation, on Saturday, November 9, at 1:30 pm, for the screening of the award-winning documentary 1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture. What if the word 'homosexual' was never meant to be in the Bible?

The collaborative event is co-sponsored by West Los Angeles, Centenary, and Faith UMCs (historic Japanese American congregations), together with Okaeri Community. A panel discussion will follow the screening. Light refreshments.
 
SPECIAL GUEST PANELISTS:
Retired UMC/Cal-Pac Bishop Grant Hagiya, a leading voice in the UMC Reconciling movement and President of the Claremont School of Theology.
 
Ed Oxford, the researcher featured in the film whose work led to the discovery of the mistranslation.
ABOUT THE FILM: The film “1946: The Mistranslation That Shifted Culture” is a feature documentary that follows the story of tireless researchers who trace the origins of the anti-gay movement among Christians to a grave mistranslation of the Bible in 1946. It chronicles the discovery of never-before-seen archives at Yale University which unveil astonishing new revelations, and casts significant doubt on any biblical basis for LGBTQIA+ prejudice. Featuring commentary from prominent scholars as well as opposing pastors, including the personal stories of the film’s creators, 1946 is at once challenging, enlightening, and inspiring.”
 
Address:
West Los Angeles UMC
1913 Purdue Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90025

RSVP at jotwlaumc@gmail.com.

Parking is available in the adjacent church lot or at the nearby West LA Buddhist Curch (corner of Purdue & LaGrange). Relaxed street parking should also be available.

Celebrate with Okaeri and join us for the official launch of our new book, Letters to Home: Art and Writing by LGBTQ+ Nikkei and Allies! Featuring discussions with the editors and selected contributors, the book launch will showcase the diversity of impact and beauty across the pieces. Light refreshments will be served.

About the Book

Letters to Home asks contributors to reflect on the Japanese phrase, okaeri (お帰り), which means “Welcome home” or “Welcome back,” as it relates to their lived experiences as queer Nikkei and allies. In the words of Okaeri’s founder, Marsha Aizumi, the word okaeri reflects the hope that “no matter how long or how far you have traveled from the Japanese American community, you can always return home and be welcomed.” Exploring topics of identity, community, and acceptance through poetry, essays, photography, and art, Letters to Home recognizes that such an environment can only be created when we find the courage to share our stories and foster love, empathy, and understanding.

Letters to Home: Art and Writing by LGBTQ+ Nikkei and Allies will be available for purchase at the JANM Store.

We are excited to share our next Okaeri Norcal event will be on October 27th at 2 pm in partnership with Omusubi! We'll be taking a tour of the art exhibition, Remembering in the Absence of Memory, at Stanford University's Cantor Arts Center led by the artist TT Takemoto.

This exhibition features two video works and two complementary series of small handmade objects and works on paper by San Francisco Bay Area-based artist TT Takemoto. Takemoto’s videos "Looking for Jiro" (2011) and "On the Line" (2018) uniquely center queer experiences of intimacy in prewar and WWII contexts. The Gentleman’s Gaman series (2009–23) and an installation of handcrafted kokeshi dolls (2023) offer expanded modes of engagement with challenging and overlooked narratives in Asian American history, as reimagined by Takemoto.

If you are interested in attending, please fill out the following RSVP form: bit.ly/OkaeriNorcal-ArtTour. We plan to coordinate carpools for folks coming from San Francisco and the East Bay; however, we cannot guarantee a ride. If you plan to drive yourself to the Center, information about parking can be found at the Cantor Arts Center website

After touring the exhibition, we will grab Boba and/or a sweet treat!

Questions? Email norcal@okaeri.org and christine.miyashiro@gmail.com.

Come join us for a frightfully fun evening of karaoke and festivities with your Okaeri fam at Peking Tavern in Little Tokyo on Saturday 10/26, 4-7pm! Light refreshments will be provided, and costumes are highly encouraged! There will be prizes for karaoke/costumes as well. This event is 21+ , entry is free, but please RSVP via Eventbrite.

Come Join the Circle as we focus on healing and repair, and celebrate Queer and Trans resiliency at FandangObon by sharing the live premiere of OKAERI ONDO, a new song/dance co-created with Great Leap!

📍Saturday, 10/5: 3pm - 6pm PT at the Japanese American National Museum Plaza (100 N. Central Ave, LA, CA 90012).

Rooted in culturally-based sustainability practices, FandangObon honors the balance between Mother Earth and Humanity by bringing together communities into one circle through participatory music and dance. We are so excited to see the Okaeri Ondo come to life with vocalists and a live band.

👘 Need a refresher on the Okaeri Ondo choreography? Check out our Youtube channel.

Trans Allyship: Learn, Grow, Act is a symposium jointly organized by Okaeri, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), and PFLAG. This effort grew from the realization that the transgender community, and its Japanese American and API members, are largely invisible and misunderstood both in LGBTQ+ spaces and especially among allies.

Through this symposium, we aim to address this gap by
(1) facilitating a basic understanding of the trans community, and
(2) emphasizing touchpoints of Heart, Head, and Home: to connect, educate, and encourage attendees to take action in their own communities. In doing so, we hope to educate and inform allies about the transgender community to help them make better-informed and more inclusive social, community, and civic choices.

The symposium will be held virtually over Zoom on Saturday September 28th, from 10am-3:30pm PST, and will feature an opening plenary, guest speakers, workshops, and discussion groups exploring areas of advocacy, information, and family support. Registration is free and open to all.

Join us for a special programming of Okaeri Connects! where we will be joined by Kodo Nishimura. Hear his perspective on queerness, Buddhism, and how he became an LGBTQ+ activist.

After the speaking portion, we will break out into facilitated discussion groups for 30 minutes in typical Okaeri Connects! style.

ABOUT KODO NISHIMURA: Kodo Nishimura is an artist and Buddhist monk born in Tokyo in 1989. He graduated from the Parsons School of Design in New York. After graduating, he started to thrive as a makeup artist in the US, working behind the scenes of NY Fashion Week etc. In 2015, Kodo trained to be a monk and was certified by the Pure Land school. He rose to fame following his appearance in “Queer Eye: We're in Japan.” As an LGBTQ+ activist, he spoke at the United Nations Population Fund, Yale University, and Stanford University, which attracted wide coverage on the likes of CNN, BBC, ABC and Vogue. He recently appeared on “Planet Sex with Cara Delevingne” on BBC and Hulu. His book “This Monk Wears Heels” is available 8 languages. His mission is to empower all people sharing Buddhist wisdom with a touch of makeup.

This program is organized by Okaeri Connects! Okaeri Connects! is for LGBTQ+ Nikkei/Japanese folks to find each other and create affirming spaces by sharing our personal experiences and stories. We believe that building relationships, being seen, and connecting ourselves within our big Nikkei world can improve the quality of our lives.

Thank you to JACF for sponsoring this program. Okaeri is fiscally sponsored by LTSC.

LGBTQ+を自認（またはそうかもしれない）人たちの集まり. 北米に住む日系LGBTQ+の仲間と繋がりたい、LGBTQ+のことをもっと知りたい、周りに相談できる人がいない、差別のない社会を作りたい。。。様々な思いを持つ人たちと、お互いに支え合う環境を一緒に作りませんか？月一回集まって日本語によるコミュニティーを作りましょう。

BAY AREA Summer Picnic n’ Potluck: Sat 8/17 🌈 It’s time for the annual Omusubi picnic! This year it will be co-hosted with Okaeri NorCal. Friends, family and pups (on-leash) welcome!

Meet on the lawn near the Hidden Cafe at Strawberry Creek Park on Saturday, 8/17, 12-4 pm. Please sign up for a dish to bring to the potluck at: bit.ly/OmusubiOkaeriPotluck-2024. Need a ride or have a ride to offer? Please sign up on the second tab of the sign up sheet. Bring a hat, sunscreen and something to sit on. Street parking available. Questions? Contact kris at krismizutani@gmail.com.

Please come out to support this new virtual space and share how it can best support the parents, caregivers, and allies who love their LGBTQ+ children, family members, and friends.

• Let's reconnect with parents and caregivers from the Okaeri 2023 conference.

• Let's invite new parents and caregivers to join to know they are not alone

• Let's find resources to help us on our journey

• Let's share our stories of hope and love
  

At this meeting based on interest and availability, we will determine if parents, allies, and caregivers would like to have a quarterly or semi annual Okaeri Connects for Parents, Caregivers, and Allies.

RSVP here. 

Join us at Okaeri Matsuri this summer on Saturday, June 29th at the Terasaki Budokan!

Okaeri Matsuri is a community festival that gathers our Nikkei LGBTQ+ community to celebrate queer joy, inspired by Japanese summer festivities! The event is free, open to all LGBTQ+ communities and friends, and will include: Odori/Dancing, Performances, Games, Food, and more!

LGBTQ+を自認（またはそうかもしれない）人たちの集まり. 北米に住む日系LGBTQ+の仲間と繋がりたい、LGBTQ+のことをもっと知りたい、周りに相談できる人がいない、差別のない社会を作りたい。。。様々な思いを持つ人たちと、お互いに支え合う環境を一緒に作りませんか？月一回集まって日本語によるコミュニティーを作りましょう。

Join us for the start of Pride month at our potluck for our LGBTQ+ community in Japantown!

Free Admission, Advance Registration Required

The Center is teaming up once again with Okaeri to co-host a fun potluck to kick off your Pride month celebrations! Come out to meet other Nikkei LGBTQ+ folks and allies from around the Bay Area, and enjoy some great food as we connect and look forward to the rest of the month’s Pride events.

Admission is free; advance registration is required. Register online and please also fill out our potluck sign up sheet to let us know what potluck item you are bringing! Please provide at least 6 servings if bringing a dish, and include a list of ingredients/possible allergens to display next to your potluck item. We encourage everyone to bring a tupperware container to take home any leftovers!

OKAERI WATCH PARTY: Honor Thy Children

Join us for the premiere of "Honor Thy Children", an episode from our upcoming Okaeri Voices Season Two launch.

HONOR THY CHILDREN

After losing all 3 of his sons, two who were gay, Al Nakatani describes his journey to love and honor his children. Al and his wife, Jane used their tragedy to share their story of loss in hopes that other parents would love and accept their children no matter how they identify. The Nakatanis also became chosen parents to so many LGBTQ+ individuals who were not embraced and seen by their families as the beautiful, amazing human beings they are.

The film screening will be followed by a Q&A with the following panelists:

• Jane Nakatani: Cofounder of Honor Thy Children & Al Nakatani's wife

• Paul Tonnessen

• Johnny Manzon-Santos: Health & Social Justice Advocate

• Barney Cheng: Filmmaker

• Facilitation by Eric Arimoto

There will be time reserved for people to give tribute to Al.

Learn more about Okaeri Voices here!

This event is FREE, with a suggested donation of $10-$20 to support the Okaeri Voices Project and Honor Thy Children Foundation. Upon registering you will receive a confirmation email with the Zoom link to join the screening.

Join us on Wednesday May 8th, 6PM at Bolsa Chica State Beach to run (or walk) the AAPI 5K!

The AAPI 5K is a community run celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The run will highlight the vibrant Asian American community and organizations that work year-round to create a safe and welcoming space. The event will fundraise for incredible AAPI non-profits.

We are so excited to run and fundraise alongside this strong line-up of AAPI community organizations! We hope you can join us in celebrating AAPI Heritage Month at this community-driven event that promotes health, unity, and cultural diversity.

Register here!