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Contact: Diane Tanaka
310-222-5709 office
GO FOR BROKE EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION PRESENTS
AN AMERICAN STORY TEACHER TRAINING WORKSHOP WITH KEN MOCHIZUKI
Author of Award-Winning Children’s
Books “Heroes” and “Baseball Saved Us”
Discusses the Japanese American Experience to Young Readers
Torrance, Calif. (March 17, 2003) - With the
acclaimed success of obtaining both the Teacher’s Choice
Award and the Parent’s Choice Award, author and writer Ken
Mochizuki has clearly established his prominence in children literary
circles. His picture books “Baseball Saved Us,” “Heroes,”
and “Passage to Freedom: the Sugihara Story,” have
consistently rendered teachers and parents with the resources
to expose their children to the experiences of Japanese Americans.
As a special treat to Southern California educators, the Go For
Broke Educational Foundation will bring Mochizuki’s expertise
to Los Angeles on April 19 as a featured guest speaker at its
An American Story series teacher training workshop, to be held
from 8:30 a.m. -12 p.m. at the Japanese American National Museum.
The workshop is offered free of charge to educators as an opportunity
to gain valuable resource materials for instruction in their classroom
discussions. Educators in attendance will also receive a free
autographed copy of Mochizuki’s “Heroes,” a
touching children’s book in tribute to the 442nd Regimental
Combat Team during World War II.
The secret of Mochizuki’s success lies in his talent for
writing heartfelt books that speak to young children about the
importance of tolerance. Born and raised in Seattle, Mochizuki
was always aware of his Japanese American heritage, often feeling
the victim of racial stereotyping and prejudice. In order to speak
out on those issues, Mochizuki created books targeted for younger
audiences, allowing them to learn the value of embracing cultural
difference and eradicating racial hatred. His books also give
younger audiences the opportunity to peer into a sensitive time
during World War II when Japanese Americans and others were persecuted
in their own countries because of their race.
Mochizuki earned a bachelor’s degree in communications
at the University of Washington and served as staff writer/editor
for the Seattle newspapers “International Examiner”
and “Northwest Nikkei,” with a special interest in
the history and current issues of Americans of Asian/Pacific descent.
In 1999, he was hired by the U.S. Army to give presentations on
the history of Asian/Pacific Americans in the U.S. military. In
addition to his award-winning children’s books, Mochizuki
is also the author of a young adult novel entitled “Beacon
Hill Boys,” a coming of age story of four Japanese American
teenage boys growing up in the early 1970s. Mochizuki currently
divides his time between being a full-time author and free-lance
writer as well as manages to travel to speak to students, teachers
and others about his work.
Mochizuki’s appearance at the workshop is a rare opportunity
to hear first-hand about his work. Reservations are required and
can be obtained by contacting Helen Ota at (310) 222-5711 or emailing
Helen@goforbroke.org.
The Japanese American National Museum is located at 369 East First
Street in Los Angeles.
The Go For Broke Educational Foundation institutes educational
programs focused on the heroism and history of the Japanese American
soldiers of World War II, as well as the West Coast evacuation
and incarceration of Japanese Americans and civil liberties issues
raised by those events. Currently the Educational Foundation’s
programs include An American Story teacher training workshops
and curriculum development, Hanashi Oral History Program, and
select media projects, including producing “A Tradition
of Honor” documentary. For more information, go to www.goforbroke.org.
In 1989 Japanese American World War II veterans established the
100th/442nd/MIS WWII Memorial Foundation to build the Go For Broke
Monument as an eternal tribute to the heroics of the segregated
Japanese American units: 100th Infantry Battalion, 442nd Regimental
Combat Team, MIS (Military Intelligence Service) and the many
other men and women who served overseas during World War II. The
monument is located in downtown Los Angeles at Temple and Alameda
streets.
