Center Theatre Group To Host Free Community Conversations For VALLEY OF THE HEART

Center Theatre Group will host two Community Conversations inspired by Luis Valdez's play "Valley of the Heart," which runs at the Mark Taper Forum through December 9, 2018. Community Conversations are a series of panel discussions that are free and open to the public and feature local thought leaders in dialogue about the context, issues and ideas finding voice on Center Theatre Group stages.

The first Community Conversation will take place at the Japanese American National Museum on Monday, November 5 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and will include a screening of "Stand Up for Justice: The Ralph Lazo Story" followed by a post-screening panel discussion. The screening is a docudrama short film about Ralph Lazo, a Mexican American teen who showed his solidarity during the Japanese American internment when he voluntarily relocated to Manzanar for two years during WWII. The post-screening panel will discuss both the film and Luis Valdez's "Valley of the Heart" and how they depict this specific moment in U.S. history. The Japanese American National Museum is located at 100 N Central Ave in Little Tokyo. Panelists include "Stand Up for Justice" writer/director John Esaki, civil rights leader Miya Iwataki, Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR) member Kathy Masaoka and redress/reparations delegate Kiyomi Emi, who is also the granddaughter of Frank Emi (co-creator of the Heart Mountain Fair Play Committee).

The second Community Conversation will take place on Wednesday, November 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and is titled Dignity Amidst Injustice: From the Japanese American Internment to Today. The conversation will discuss how the Japanese American internment was not a singular, isolated incident, but part of a centuries-long history of exclusionary legislation that continues today. It will also examine how Japanese Americans maintained their dignity-for some through resistance, for others through enlistment and for many through solidarity, strength and the preservation of culture and tradition. This event will take place at The Music Center Annex building, 601 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, in Rehearsal Room A. The event will be moderated by Leslie Ishii and panelists will be announced at a later date.