“Together for Fukushima,” a benefit concert and public education event for children in Fukushima, Japan, will take place on Sunday, November 17 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Nishi Hongwanji Los Angeles Betsuin Kaikan in downtown Los Angeles.
Sponsored by the UCLA Asian American Studies Center and the George and Sakaye Aratani Community Advancement Research Endowment (C.A.R.E) the mission of “Together for Fukushima” is to build awareness and understanding about the current conditions in Fukushima, Japan, and to raise funds to bring hope and well-being for children in Fukushima.
“On November 17, Japanese and Japanese Americans will join hands and hearts to cheer on the children of Fukushima for a bright and hopeful future knowing their friends in America have not forgotten them,” said Soji Kashiwagi, Executive Director of the Grateful Crane Ensemble.
Participating organizations include the Grateful Crane Ensemble, EGAO, Akabeko Project and Love to Nippon. Additional event sponsors include Koda Farms, Robin Koda, Lorna Fong, Sadako Kashiwagi and Allen Okamoto.
The event will feature Grateful Crane’s Tohoku tour members singing songs and sharing experiences from its 2018 tour of Fukushima, a report back to the community on a special mission members of Love to Nippon took to Fukushima in September, 2019 and presentations from local groups EGAO and the Akabeko Project.
Funds raised will support public-safety efforts to provide clean, safe bottled water for children and their families in several Fukushima-area schools, will assist children’s homes in building indoor playgrounds and will support a school for disabled children.
The event is free to the public, but donations will be accepted. The following Japan-based organizations will benefit from this event: Association for Aid & Relief Japan (AAR Japan) Fukushima Bottled Water Project, Fukushima Children’s Home and the Ohana Ouenja Center for Children with Disabilities in Motomiya.
The Nishi Hongwanji Los Angeles Betsuin Kaikan is located at 815 East First Street, in downtown Los Angeles. To RSVP, please email Grateful Crane at gratefulcrane@gmail.com.