Blogs
Vancouver Courier: Kogawa House a new miracle
Thu, 2006-09-21 17:18 — Todd WongHere's an article by Allen Garr from the Vancouver Courier.
Allen came to the open house at Kogawa House on Sunday, September 17th.
The Courier has written some great articles about Kogawa House and followed the campaign to save the house from demolition.
pictures of Joy Kogwa with her childhood friend Ralph Steeves are on this web site and www.kogawahouse.com
Allen came to the open house at Kogawa House on Sunday, September 17th.
The Courier has written some great articles about Kogawa House and followed the campaign to save the house from demolition.
pictures of Joy Kogwa with her childhood friend Ralph Steeves are on this web site and www.kogawahouse.com
____________________________________________________________________________
Kogawa house a new miracle
By Allen Garr
We tend to value things more when they are stolen from us. Quite ordinary things can become symbols of opportunities lost or injustices suffered. The rare occasion when they are recovered is cause for reflection and celebration.
The small bungalow at 1450 West 64th Ave. in Marpole was such a stolen item. It has no particular architectural importance. Most of the other houses like it in that neighbourhood were torn down years ago and replaced by Vancouver Specials. But it has an enduring quality.
At the beginning of the Second World War, the Nakayama family lived there: mom and dad with their daughter Joy and son Timothy.
Then came the war and Pearl Harbour and, as we all now know, hundreds of families like the Nakayamas were branded enemies of Canada, rounded up and evacuated from their homes. The Nakayamas were shipped to the B.C. interior.
Ralph Steeves says the day his "school chum" Joy disappeared from his life, he came home from lunch to find his mother in tears over what had happened.
His father, who headed a construction crew, was dispatched to the PNE grounds. His job was to convert the horse barns into stalls big enough to handle the Japanese-Canadian families until they were packed out of town. Steeves says when his dad realized what he was being asked to do, he walked off the job.
The small bungalow was sold for $1,400 and changed hands several times over the years. Joy eventually became a writer, married David Kogawa and moved to Toronto. But that building never left her thoughts.
Once as a teenager she wrote to the owners of the property. Could they tell her if the house ever came up for sale? She received no response. During the '60s and '70s, whenever she managed to get back to Vancouver, she would go by the house. There was a still a cherry tree in the back yard, the one she remembered as a child.
In 1981, Joy Kogawa's novel Obasan was published. It was a fictionalized account of her life in that house and the years of displacement she and her family suffered through.
A decade later Kogawa was in the neighbourhood again and, this time, she knocked on the door. The owner invited her in for a tour.
Three years ago, a "for sale" sign turned up on the house. It was about to change hands again. Kogawa and her friends held a reading from Obasan in front of the building to say goodbye.
But it didn't end there. A year ago the owners seemed intent on demolishing the building. The COPE council of the day moved a motion to delay the permit for 120 days and allow The Land Conservancy (TLC) to raise funds and buy the property. The building would be used to support a writer in residence to produce works dealing with injustice.
The owner was willing to co-operate. Enough money was raised. TLC now owns the property and last Sunday held an open house to celebrate. I arrived to find a diminutive Joy Kogawa, glasses perched well down her nose, leaning against a high table comparing notes with Shirley Zawalykut.
Zawalykut drove in from Delta after reading a Courier story reprinted in the Sun along with a photo of the house. "I told my husband: That's my grandma's house." Zawalykut lived there too when she was a child in the '50s.
Then I met Steeves, who pointed to a scar above his eye he got in a childhood game with his chum. He said he was mentioned in Obasan as the kid who taught Joy to light matches and just about burned the house down.
The cherry tree is still there at the yard at the edge of the lane and it's in dreadful shape. It is diseased and split. A week ago a garbage truck ripped off one of the few remaining healthy branches. But a cutting was rooted and planted at city hall as a reminder of what was lost and what has been recovered.
"Just like a miracle," Zawalykut called it.
published on 09/20/2006
Joy Kogawa's comments about the Sept 17 first public open house for Kogawa House
Tue, 2006-09-19 22:47 — Todd WongJoy Kogawa sent us an e-mail about her day at the Open House event.
She writes:
I was blown away the moment I arrived – the big tent for registration in the front lawn, the flowers on the stone pillars, the long display of the timeline and photos along the fence. It was so attractive and celebratory and such a surprise!
And then inside, with the display – Tim’s toy cars, the Japanese writing tablet, the 1937 calendar, the green picture that used to be in the house, etc. Joan and Sabina in attendance in the living room, the words from Obasan on the red paper on the walls and doors, the crush of people, the congratulatory words and smiles, the tv crew with Todd, the woman who had lived in the house after we left, the Steves’ ‘boys’ and their wives, and ‘my’ bedroom with my funny old desk and typewriter and a few more things from the house – and talking to so many people.
I was late for the book signing outside, down past the Nikkei history display, past the area set up for selling books, to the two tents and the long book signing, a steady stream from 2 to 4, and in the middle of it, the wonder of music, with Todd and his accordion, the Masako Watanabe from the JCCA Bulletin on his guitar and Harry Aoki on his double bass and Jessica Cheung. It had the touch of Todd. The Farewell Song (from Naomi's Road opera). I was so choked up.
A daughter of a Toronto Nissei friend, a grandchild of dear Toronto friends, teachers, students, church people, neighbours, a young man who had made a documentary about the internment – And I didn’t get to see the garage setup until it was time to take it down.
Then the spreading of the manure around the poor doomed tree, and the apple tree. And at the end, Todd again with his accordion and ‘happy birthday’ and having the wonderful chocolate zucchini cake that Ann-Marie made for David’s birthday. The most delicious moist chocolate cake ever! I wanted to savour it and keep it for after dinner at our daughter’s place.
David was saying in the car, “That Ann-Marie. She sure knows how to cook.”
What a day and what a team!
It’s all stored, a memory potion to bring forth and taste and remember, a wondrous event that will be there, for the rest of my life, ready to transform something sad into something good, an event that tells us miracles can happen, that the impossible can happen, and that love wins.
Kogawa House - open house event - Sept 17, photos on flickr.com
Tue, 2006-09-19 22:38 — Todd WongOpen House event at Joy Kogawa House, September 17th.
photographs posted on Flickr.com
Kogawa House Time Line
Uploaded on 19 September 2006
By gunghaggisdr...
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Joy Kogawa
Uploaded on 19 September 2006
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house, open, joy, 2006 | Jessica with .... |
 | Catherine and the cherry tree |
 | Tamsin Baker and Catherine |
 | and the best news is!! |
 | Harry Aoki |
 | The rain can't hold us back |
 | Todd Wong and Jessica Cheung |
some of the guests watch the performance
Uploaded on 19 September 2006
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Joy and the cherry tree
Uploaded on 19 September 2006
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The First Open House at Kogawa House
Mon, 2006-09-18 22:55 — Todd WongKogawa House
The open house event at Joy Kogawa House went very well. Many many people came to see the house, and to meet Joy Kogawa, buy copies of her books and have Joy sign them. The Land Conservancy of BC did a wonderful job setting up displays about the history of the house, and the time line events about the Save Kogawa House campaign.
It has been great for the Kogawa House committee to work with Heather Skydt and Tamsin Baker of TLC. Members of our Kogawa House committee also attended to help host and volunteer: Ann-Marie Metten, David Kogawa, Richard Hopkins, Jenni Kato, Joan Young, Sabine Harper and myself.
As people walked up to the house, the first thing they saw was that the white picket fence was decorated with pictures and events highlighting the timeline to save the house from demolition, starting from when the house was built in 1942, and when Joy's family moved into the house.
A tent was set up in the front yard, attended by TLC volunteers Jon and Janet, who gave people an information sheet about the house, and recieved donations for the restoration of the house. TLC also had another display with newsclippins and pictures from events during the Save Kogawa House campaign.
Volunteers greeted people as they entered the house, and other volunteers stood throughout the house to help explain stories of different rooms, as well as historic family items such as toy cars belonging to Joy's brother Timothy, a calligraphy set used by Joy's father, and wooden crates used by the family as they moved from the internment camp in Slocan, BC, to Coaldale, Alberta.
And everybody wanted to say hello to Joy Kogawa.
There was a man who used to play with Joy as a child, before she moved away - Ralph told me that his older brother was in one of the pictures on display that featured Joy and her brother Timothy as children in 1940. There was a woman who brought pictures of the house, during the 1940's when her grandparents lived there, after her family moved away. Both Joy and this woman were very moved by this meeting.
There was a woman Daisy Kong, who had taken pictures of Joy at the Order of BC ceremony earlier this year in June, because Daisy's brother Dr. Wallace Chung also recieved the Order of BC along with Joy, in Victoria. Daisy was amazed when I told her that Dr. Wallace's wife Dr. Madeline Chung was the doctor who delivered me as a baby.
Garry Geddes, current writer in residence at Vancouver Public Library, arrived to give Joy a hug.
Attending the event was also Jen Kato, on our Kogawa House committee, and Jeff Chiba Stearns, who just won the Best Animated Short for the Canadian Awards for Electronic Arts and Animation.
People bought Joy's books and asked her to sign them. My friend Gail Thomson helped manage the booksales. Gail is a librarian at Fraserview Branch in Vancouver, where Joy came to speak during the One Book One Vancouver program.
We surprised Joy with a special musical performance: Jessica Cheung (who played the role of Naomi in the Naomi's Road Opera) sang "The Farewell Song" from the Opera, I accompanied on accordion, Harry Aoki on double bass, and Harry's friend Misako Watanabe on accoustic guitar. Joy was moved to tears.
After the event, we had birthday cake to celebrate David Kogawa's birthday. David is one of our wonderful Kogawa House committee members, and Joy's ex-husband and good friend.
CBC: Reprieved Kogawa House opens to public
Fri, 2006-09-15 19:46 — Todd WongHere's a story on CBC about Kogawa House, and the open house event on Sunday.
I will be there with my accordion, and also volunteering.
Repreived Kogawa House
opens to public
http://www.cbc.ca/story/arts/national/2006/09/15/kogawa-house.html
Last Updated Fri, 15 Sep 2006 17:59:45 EDT
Joy Kogawa's house, which received a last-minute reprieve from demolition when it was bought by a Vancouver heritage agency this spring, will open to the public this Sunday.
The modest wood-frame house in Marpole is featured in Obasan, Kogawa's much loved novel about the internment of Japanese Canadians, and her children's book, Naomi's Road.
The Land Conservancy of British Columbia bought the house in May and plans to turn it into a residence for writers and an education centre about the Japanese internment during the Second World War.
But the public is being given a one-day chance to see the bungalow before restoration work begins.
Kogawa will be there for a scheduled book signing and the desk and typewriter that she used to write Obasan will be on display.
The event is a fund-raiser to help pay for restoration of the house, which could cost an estimated $500,000.
The house itself was saved from a wrecking ball through the intervention of the Land Conservancy, which led a campaign to save it, working with writers' groups and heritage groups.
The campaign drew donations from 550 people from around the world and a last-minute corporate donation of $500,000 helped with the purchase price.
A developer who owned the property wanted more than $700,000 for the house, which has been neglected over the years.
Kogawa lived in the house with her family from 1937 to 1942, when it was confiscated by the government.
The house has national significance as a symbol of the racial discrimination experienced by Japanese-Canadians during the Second World War.
The house is one of the few residences left in Vancouver that is identified as having been sold by the Canadian government without the lawful owner's permission.
The house is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday.
Google Alert for: kogawa house - September 14
Thu, 2006-09-14 17:33 — Todd Wong
Google Alert for: kogawa house - September 14
in the city UPCOMING EVENTS inthecity@westender.com
Georgia Straight - Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada
... racial discrimination. The open house happens on Sunday afternoon (September 17), with Kogawa herself in attendance to sign books.
Joy Kogawa and her childhood home
Vancouver Westender - BC, Canada
... Homecoming: The Save Kogawa House Committee and the Land Conservancy host a fundraiser and the first public tour of the Joy Kogawa House (1450 W. 64th) on ...
Georgia Straight - Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada
... racial discrimination. The open house happens on Sunday afternoon (September 17), with Kogawa herself in attendance to sign books.
Todd visits Kogawa House - inside and out
Thu, 2006-09-07 19:14 — Todd Wong
Todd visits Kogawa House
- inside and out
The 1915 house is modest, and now seems out of place beside the new larger homes built on either side of it. There is a tall cedar tree and a tall pine tree, and rhododendron bushes in the front yard, shielding the house, as if it is hiding it from the street trying not to be noticed. It is really a wonder that such a small house has survived until now, with all the redevelopment in the Marpole neighborhood.
I looked carefully at the house that I have visited many times in the past year, always veiwing from the outside. The front door was open. Inside was a planning meeting organized by The Land Conservancy of BC - the new owners of the historic house. We would be planning the open house event on September 17th as the first public event at Kogawa House.
Attending the meeting were staff and board members of The Land Conservancy of BC. Heather Skydt and Tamsin have been working with us since December 2nd of last year when the TLC officially stepped in to lead the fundraising to purchase Kogawa House. Ann-Marie Metten is my colleague and friend on the Kogawa House committee. Fran is the event chair. Janet is a member. Rich Kenney is staff.
We are planning an afternoon that will include:
- book signings by Joy
- musical entertainment
- historical displays
- history of the house
- food and drinks
The house is in pretty good structural shape. Past owners have renovated the house at different times. An addition was created. But it looks like the original wood floor and panels in some areas. Joy's desk from Toronto and typewriter that she used to write Obasan is now sitting in her former bedroom. A door from her childhood bedroom was created into what used to be her parents bedroom, next door. Her older brother Timothy slept downstairs. - musical entertainment
- historical displays
- history of the house
- food and drinks
It is a modest house, but a house that you could imagine a Canadian family celebrating Christmas in during the 1940's. The father telling the children that his sister will come look after them, while their mother has to go to Japan to look after her mother. You can imagine the scenes from the Naomi's Road opera happening in this house.
It is a house that a six year old would dream about in the years to come, pining that she could return, after being shuffled from temporary house to temporary house, in internment camps, and sugar beet farms where they were forced to live and work because the Canadian government had deemed this "Born in Canada" family "too dangerous" to live on the Pacific Coast.
In the past year, I have written much about the need to save this house on this website, and even started up a new website www.kogawahouse.com. I wrote up 20 Reasons to Save Kogawa House from Demolition on Oct 19th.
It had been September 22nd, 2005 when Ann-Marie Metten informed me that an architect was inquiring about a demolition permit for 1450 West 64th Ave. Kogawa House. Anne-Marie and I had spoken earlier in February, 2005 when I first wrote 20 Reasons why Joy Kogawa's Obasan is the perfect nomination choice for One Book One Vancouver 2005 program at VPL.
Later that same day, on Sept. 22nd Ann-Marie and I had sent out the following press release:
Kogawa Homestead threatened by Demolition Permit Application
- same week as Joy Kogawa is celebrated throughout Vancouver
This week, notice was received that an application for demolition was made to Vancouver City Hall by the owner of the Kogawa homestead. It is a house celebrated by the award winning novel "Obasan," and the childhood home of famed writer Joy Kogawa.
Kogawa's reaction has been of shock and dispair, as she knew that efforts were being made to save the beloved cherry tree in the back yard which figures prominently in the novel. Vancouver city councillor Jim Green is a founding member of the "Save the Kogawa Homestead" committee.
This is a weekend when Joy Kogawa is being celebrated all across Vancouver... at the Vancouver Public Library for One Book One Vancouver, at a Sep 24th dinnner celbebration for the Rice Paper Magazine 10th Anniversary Celebration, on Sunday for the Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair, and next week for the Vancouver Opera Premiere for "Naomi's Road."
A movement to buy the house, and to apply for heritage designation was aborted 2 years ago because of high costs to buy the house and resistance from the new owner to sell. The owner at the time said that she liked the house and did not intend to demolish it.
Now more than ever, it is important to preserve this house for the cultural heritage of Vancouver. There is not another house in Vancouver that is recognized for being confiscated during a dark time in Canada's history.
No other house in Vancouver could be turned into a bright spot on our cultural landscape as a writer's retreat, celebrating the work of a writer which has been called the most influential Canadian novel of the past 20 years. There is no other writer whose work helped fuel the Japanese-Canadian Redress movement, and has also received the Order of Canada.
In May, the Vancouver Public Library selected Obasan as the book chosen for all Vancouverites to read, as part of their award winning "city wide book club." Earlier this summer, during One Book One Vancouver events Joy Kogawa held up a graft of the cherry tree that held such a revered place in the novel Obasan - studied by so many Canadians in high schools and universities across Canada. Both the novel and the homestead have a proven place in Vancouver’s literary history.
By the next day we had a call from Alexandra Gill of the Globe & Mail, who put a small article in that weekend's edition.
Also on the Friday night, highlights from the upcoming Vancouver Opera production of Naomi's Road were performed by at the 2nd Annual Vancouver Arts Awards. I bumped into then city councillor Jim Green and mayor Larry Campbell. They asked me about the state of the house, and I informed them. Both Green and Campbell announced to the packed audience of Vancouver's cultural movers and shakers that they were distraught to hear that Joy Kogawa's childhood home was threatened, especially when city council had just passed a motion to plant a cherry tree graft from the house at city hall.
On Saturday night, Joy Kogawa was celebrated with a Community Builder's Award by the Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop at the 10th Anniversary Rice Paper dinner. Joy asked me to speak about the campaign to save the house.
On Sunday afternoon, Joy Kogawa read from her novel Obasan, at the closing event for the 2005 One Book One Vancouver program for the Vancouver Public Library, held during the Word on the Street Book and Magazine Fair.
It was a busy weekend - but the word was out - Joy's childhood home was in danger of demolition. Who people be willing to help save it?
It is now a year later. So much has happened.
Here are some of the highlights:
May, 2005 - Obasan named as the One Book One Vancouver 2005 selection by the Vancouver Public Library. Joy also is reunited with her brother Rev. Timothy Nakayama, whom she hasn't seen in 10 years. 
September 27th,
Asian Canadian Writer's Workshop / Ricepaper magazine 10th Anniversary dinner honouring Joy Kogawa as a Community Builder
(left photo courtesy of Jessica Cheung - right photo courtesy of Vancouver Opera)
September 30 - Oct 2.
Naomi's Road (review) opens at Norman Rothstein Theatre. Commisioned by Vancouver Opera for the Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble, it will go on to perform at schools throughout BC, plus Alberta and Washington State.
Naomi's Road (review) opens at Norman Rothstein Theatre. Commisioned by Vancouver Opera for the Vancouver Opera Touring Ensemble, it will go on to perform at schools throughout BC, plus Alberta and Washington State.
November 1st,
Obasan Cherry Tree Day, declared by Vancouver City Hall. Event is presided over by then Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell, and attended by Paul Whitney (City Librarian), and James Wright (Vancouver Opera General Director).
November 3rd,
Vancouver City Council votes to delay processing demolition permit for 120 day, effective November 30th. 120 days given to Kogawa House, as demolition timeline extended
November 2005
December 26th,
Joy Kogawa featured on CBC Radio's "Sounds Like Canada"
interview by Kathryn Gretzinger
January 22, 2006
Joy Kogawa is the featured poet/author at 2006 Gung Haggis Fat Choy Robbie Burns Chinese New Year dinner. Kogawa House is included as a recipient from annual fundraising dinner.
February 8th, 2006
Joy Kogawa House named to Heritage Vancouver's 2006 Top Ten list of endangered buildings.
February 11
Joy Kogawa & Friends - Emotionally and Truthful reading at Chapters on Robson, Saturday Feb 11
Joy is joined by Daphne Marlatt, Ellen Crowe-Swords and Roy Miki.
February 15,
Joy Kogawa is keynote speaker for the Canadian Club's annual "Order of Canada / Flag Day" luncheon - welcoming BC's newest recipients of the Order of Canada. Joy recieved the Order of Canada in 1986.
February 27th,
"Emily Kato" Book launch at Vancouver Public Libary - it is a rewritten version of Itsuka, the sequel to Obasan and focusses on the Japanese Canadian redress process.
March 9th,
Joy Kogawa fundraiser in Toronto, at Church of the Holy Trinity.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/11/1816004.html
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/blog/_archives/2006/3/16/1823641.html
March 26th,
Thomsett Elementary School Children visit Kogawa House with Joy
These Richmond school children also went to City of Vancouver to ask Mayor Sam Sullivan to help save the house.
These Richmond school children also went to City of Vancouver to ask Mayor Sam Sullivan to help save the house.
TLC negotiates a 30 day extension for the demolition permit with the owner of the house.
April 25th,
Joy of Canadian Words - fundraiser event in Vancouver, at Christ Church Cathedral. Special speakers include CBC Radio's Sheryl Mackay, actors Joy Coghill, Doris Chilcott, Hiro Kanagawa, Maiko Bae Yamamoto, Chief Rhonda Larabee. Hosted by Todd Wong (Save Kogawa House Committee) and Bill Turner (The Land Conservancy).
April 30th,
TLC exercises their option to purchase historic Joy Kogawa House.
May 15th
Naomi's Road at Seattle Public Library - seen by Joy Kogawa's brother Rev. Timothy Nakayama
May 18th,
Joy Kogawa named to Order of BC
May 30th,
TLC officially purchases Kogawa House - mortgage free!
TLC becomes proud owner of historic Joy Kogawa House
June 22nd
Joy Kogawa goes to Victoria to recieve Order of BC
http://www.protocol.gov.bc.ca/protocol/prgs/obc/2006/2006_JKogawa.htm
June 23
Gung Haggis Fat JOY KOGAWA HOUSE celebration dinner.
Joy returns from Victoria with Order of BC
Letter of Support from MLA Carole Taylor for Kogawa House
Wed, 2006-07-12 15:57 — Todd WongSave Kogawa House Committee
8107 Cartier Street
Vancouver, BC V6P 4T6
Dear Committee Members:
I would like to recognize you, the members of the Land Conservancy of BC, your volunteers and your donors for the successful conclusion to the project you undertook to save the historic Joy Kogawa House in Marpole. In what is really a very short period of time you have ensured that this cultural landmark will be saved to form part of our history, for future generations of British Columbians to benefit from and enjoy.
Congratulations to you all for your dedication and hard work!
Sincerely,
Carole Taylor, MLA
Vancouver - LangaraJoy Kogawa listed in The Toronto Star's "Essential Book List" for Canada Day
Mon, 2006-07-03 10:19 — Todd Wong
Joy Kogawa listed in The Toronto Star's "Essential Book List"
For Canada Day, the Toronto Star examined what is considered essentially Canadian. They chose judges in all culture categories, who had a few months to compile the top 10 most significant and essential Canadian works. Guess what made the top 10 in books?!
Obasan (1981)Joy Kogawa
It's not often a piece of fiction gets read aloud in the House of Commons, but such was the case with Obasan. The novel played a crucial role in the Japanese-Canadian redress settlement. A blend of fiction and documentary fact, Kogawa's lyrical and moving novel sheds light on the Canadian government's racist policies toward Japanese Canadians during the Second World War. Centred on the protagonist Naomi, a third-generation Japanese Canadian, the novel interweaves past and present as it traces her struggle to unravel the veil of secrecy behind her mother's mysterious absence during wartime. A fiercely nationalistic novel, Obasan nonetheless demands that we take a closer look at the myth of the multicultural nation, and at citizenship and belonging in Canada.
TLC BECOMES PROUD OWNER OF HISTORIC JOY KOGAWA HOUSE
Wed, 2006-05-31 13:48 — Todd WongTLC BECOMES PROUD OWNER OF HISTORIC JOY KOGAWA HOUSE
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 31, 2006
TLC BECOMES PROUD OWNER OF HISTORIC JOY KOGAWA HOUSE
VANCOUVER, BC – TLC The Land Conservancy of BC are official owners of the Historic Joy Kogawa House in Marpole. Thanks to 550 donors from around the globe and one last minute donation of about $500,000 dollars from an anonymous corporate donor, the cultural landmark will be saved as part of Canada’s history for future generations. News of the generous donation is very timely for TLC as the option to purchase the house closes today.
“The future of the Historic Joy Kogawa House is now completely in our hands, and we are proud of what we were able to accomplish with such a short deadline,” said TLC Deputy Executive Director Ian Fawcett. “This is one huge hurdle cleared. The next challenge is to continue raising the rest of the funds necessary to complete this project, to restore the house ($200,000) and to set up an endowment to offset the costs of establishing a writers-in-residence program ($300,000) in perpetuity.”
While formal funding requests to the City of Vancouver and to the Government of Canada are still not confirmed, TLC continues to work through the process with them, as well as with several other potential donors and grant agencies. Now that the immediate threat of demolition is gone, TLC urges the public to donate to the future of the historical site.
“When we look at the uncaring in our planet, here is evidence that relationships can be rehabilitated, and the formerly despised can be embraced. The dream that writers who are presently among the despised of the world can come and write their stories here fills me with hope,” said award-winning Canadian author Joy Kogawa. “Racism is a present tragedy in the world, as it has been in the past. Here is one small way that we can say in Canada, that racism can be overcome.”
After hearing the news that the Historic Joy Kogawa House will be saved, a Grade 3 student from Tomsett Elementary School in Richmond – one of many schools throughout the province that eagerly took up the fundraising school challenge for Kogawa House –said: “It’s not like anything I’ve done before. It changed every single way I think about every single thing. I think saving Kogawa House is a great way of learning about history. We learned about how people were discriminated against and how we should think more about other people’s feelings. I felt very proud of myself when I heard that the Kogawa House was saved.”
Donations for the Historic Joy Kogawa House can be made to TLC at (604) 733-2313 or online at www.conservancy.bc.ca
