Read this community tribute at densho.org/catalyst/in-...

“A beloved colleague and mentor to many… Though I am saddened by his passing, I can’t help but smile when I think of his friendliness, generosity, and inspired commitment to Japanese American history and community. He was truly one of a kind.” — Brian Niiya

In a collective tribute, Densho Content Director Brian Niiya and a cohort of Densho collaborators — all of whom, along with Art himself, have written for Densho’s Encyclopedia — describe Art’s incredible contributions to and impact on the Japanese American community.

Art Hansen was a devoted scholar and beloved community historian whose commitment to documenting Japanese American experiences and voices reshaped the WWII incarceration narrative and inspired generations of researchers and storytellers.

As the number of Nisei veterans dwindles, we are deeply grateful to the many veterans and families who have entrusted their personal collections, photographs, and oral histories to Densho’s digital archives—ensuring their stories of courage, sacrifice, and resilience endure.

Their service revealed the deep contradictions of American democracy during World War II—fighting for freedom abroad while their own rights were denied at home—and reshaped the postwar Japanese American community for generations to come.

Nisei women also broke barriers, serving as nurses, doctors, and linguists in the Army Nurse Corps and Women’s Army Corps.

With courage and conviction, they served in the 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team (which became among the most decorated units of its size and length of service in U.S. history), and in the Military Intelligence Service, where linguists and translators played vital roles.

Even as their families and communities were unjustly incarcerated, about 33,000 Nisei—second-generation Japanese Americans—served in the U.S. military during WWII.

Read the full interview at densho.org/catalyst

With Densho Education & Public Programs Manager Courtney Wai, Christian shares how his journey from the classroom to community outreach continues to shape his commitment to advancing AAPI representation in education and creating spaces where those histories can be seen, heard, and taught with care.

Before joining UCLA, Christian was a middle school Social Studies teacher between 2017–2023 in New York City. He is driven to elevate the voices of AAPI communities while ensuring that their stories and histories are taught with fidelity.

He holds a B.A. in History and Adolescent Education Certification from The College of Mount Saint Vincent and an M.A. in American Studies with a concentration in Ethnic Studies from Columbia University.

Together, we’re keeping the stories, voices, and values of our community alive. By safeguarding the history of Japanese American incarceration, which includes the decades-long fight for Redress, we ensure that these lessons of resistance, resilience, and justice are passed on for generations to come

We also want to recognize Visual Communications and Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (NCRR) for preserving and sharing the 1981 Los Angeles CWRIC hearings—powerful historical footage that continues to inspire action and remembrance today.

Huge thanks as well to the Little Tokyo Community Council and Nikkei Progressives for letting us broadcast from their venue, and to UnderOneGroove Entertainment for providing tech and livestream support.

We’re deeply grateful to our incredible speakers traci kato-kiriyama, Kathy Masaoka, and Don Tamaki for sharing their stories, wisdom, and reflections on resistance and resilience.

We will show more footage from the hearings, followed by reflections from our guest speakers. Thank you Visual Communications and NCRR for sharing this footage.

Register for this program using the link in our bio or at densho.org/events.