With a National Parks Service Japanese Confinement Site Grant, the Coalition created a traveling exhibit that tells the story of Tuna Canyon Detention Station and the Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants and others who were incarcerated there.August 15, 2021
Dear Tuna Canyon Friends and Families,
During World War II, the Tuna Canyon Detention Station (TCDS) in the City of Los Angeles was one of two confinement sites in the earliest forced removal of innocent people from Southern California. The mission of our group, the TCDS Coalition, is to illuminate the U.S. government’s World War II incarceration of Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants and others at the TCDS so that such injustice is never again experienced by any group.
On June 25, 2013, the Los Angeles City Council designated a one-acre oak grove at the TCDS site as Historic-Cultural Monument No.1039. Our vision is to create a memorial here to honor Tuna Canyon detainees. But we can do so only with your help.
With grants from the National Park Service, we have built a traveling exhibit, created a Legacy Project to interview detainee descendants, and conducted research. We have also developed our strong focus on education with presentations at community forums, libraries, museums, schools community forums, libraries, museums, schools, and colleges and by giving extensive research support to families and major organizations. Such education is more important than ever.
Building on our successes, we are raising funds for the public purchase of land for the memorial and much-needed open space. We are working with California’s Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority who will own and maintain this area. However, if we do not act now, landowners may build hundreds of houses. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has set aside $1.7 million toward this open space project. But all of this is dependent on our raising $170,000, which we can only do together with you.
This is our window of opportunity. Please consider making an online donation at http://www.tunacanyon.org/donate Information about sponsorship opportunities can also be found on this website.
We know this has been a very difficult year for many, but we hope you will be part of our campaign to raise the needed funding by Tuna Canyon’s 80th anniversary in December. We appreciate your ongoing support.
Gratefully,
Nancy Oda, President
and the Board of Directors