Special Guest Gallery Chat: Questions 27 & 28 with Author Karen Tei Yamashita

Special Guest Gallery Chat: Questions 27 & 28 with Author Karen Tei Yamashita

Join acclaimed author Karen Tei Yamashita for a Special Guest Gallery Chat in conjunction with OMCA’s current exhibition, Be Here / 1942: A New Lens on the Japanese American Incarceration. Born in Oakland in 1951, Yamashita is a member of the Sansei generation, the grandchildren of Japanese immigrants. With both of her parents incarcerated at Topaz, Utah, during World War II, Yamashita brings a personal connection to this history. 

Centering her novel Questions 27 & 28, she will invite visitors to consider the questions and their enduring significance in relation to Japanese American incarceration, identity, memory, and belonging. Copies of the novel will be available in the OMCA Shop for purchase.

About Karen Tei Yamashita:

Karen Tei Yamashita is the author of ten books, including I Hotel, finalist for the National Book Award. A recipient of the National Book Foundation’s Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, she is Professor Emerita of Literature and Creative Writing at the University of California, Santa Cruz. In 2024 Yamashita was inducted as a Literature Fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Accessibility

Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) is committed to providing programs that are accessible, welcoming, and inclusive of our community. Wheelchairs, sensory inclusive devices, and additional amenities are available for checkout on a first come, first served basis at the Ticketing Desk. To request other accommodations, like American Sign Language (ASL), Cantonese, Spanish or another language interpreter, please email visitor@museumca.org at least three weeks before the event. Learn more about our accessibility options.