The Road to Manzanar

Whenever I learned about World War II in school, internment camps were a brief, one minute explanation. Most times, teachers would defend them by saying that the American people were “afraid” and while it was wrong, critics are too “harsh.” This never rang true and became deeply frustrating to hear. It prompted me to do individual research. I began to focus my search on Manzanar, as it was the closest camp to me. As a proud Japanese American, I felt it necessary to visit and document my journey. But as I arrived at the camp, it became more than just an expedition and a heartbreaking look at American injustice. The resulting film is a culmination of years of research and contemplation; a homage to the interned and a disapproval of a nation’s wrong.