Celebrating California Gardens Blog Series: Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month
UC ANR Staff and the APHM Planning Team, are hosting online educational programs and activities to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Month throughout May. All events are open to all UC ANR employees and volunteers. 2021 UC ANR's Asian Pacific Heritage Month Meetings Registration link.
- The Asian Pacific Identity: Experiences and Stories
May 4, 3-4pm - Asian Pacific Farmers in California: Past and Present
May 11, 3-4pm - Violence in Asian Pacific Communities: Exclusion, Internment and Hate Crimes
May 18, 3-4pm - Supporting Our Friends and Colleagues: Bystander Intervention Training by Hollaback!
May 25, 3-4pm
Florence Nishida "Growing Asian vegetables in Los Angeles"
The thriving business was lost when the family, along with 120,000 Japanese Americans, were interred during WWII. After their forced displacement, the family returned to Sacramento and re-established Oki Nursery, expanding the business to include ornamentals. Over the years, Oki Nursery employed thousands, teaching, encouraging, and supporting future generations of nursery professionals. In further support of the industry, the family-integrated technology into plant production, pioneered overhead irrigation, mechanized containerized nursery production, and more.
Additional readings and resources:
- A master gardener transforms a South L.A. food desert into an edible oasis (LA Times) Interview of Florence Nishida for the LA times about her passion for teaching her community the joys of gardening and growing edible plants and a co-founder of the LA Grounds demonstration garden. Florence has been a champion for food access and food security in Los Angeles.
- Oral History Interview with George Oki, Sr. created by the Florin Japanese American Citizens League and published as part of California Revealed from California State University, Sacramento. Also hosted by the University of California as part of Calisphere.
- Bok Choy Isn't ‘Exotic' (Eater.com) - "A young generation of Asian-American farmers is reclaiming Asian vegetables — and in the process, their own culinary heritage."
- How Asian Americans Use Kitchen Gardens To Reclaim Their Heritage (Huffpost.com) “Growing produce that's common in Asia has become a radical act of cultural preservation.”
- Peach Farmer's Daughter by Brenda Nakamoto, the story of a third-generation Japanese American woman growing up on her family farm in rural California. Available through book retailers and Amazon.com.
Are you a UC Master Gardener Program volunteer or a member of our community with a story to contribute to the Celebrating California Gardens blog series marking Black History Month, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, and American Indian Heritage Month? Reach out to Melissa Womack, Statewide Marketing Coordinator, at mgwomack@ucanr.edu to share your idea!