Cactus Blossoms: Poetry In (and Beyond) Gila River

Saturday, October 19, 2024, 2 pm

Archeologist Koji Lau-Ozawa and poet Brynn Saito share their journey rediscovering Cactus Blossoms, an anthology of poetry written by high school students who were incarcerated at the Gila River camp during World War II. From striking desert imagery to prayerful longings for freedom, the poems express the complex inner life of those confined in the Arizona desert. Brynn and Koji—both yonsei descendants of grandparents incarcerated at Gila River—embarked on a quest to find and interview the Cactus Blossom poets. They'll screen a short documentary they produced, and discuss the unique intersection of poetry, memory, and history. 

Brynn Saito will close the event with a reading from Under a Future Sky, her latest book of poems inspired by a pilgrimage she took with her father to Gila River in 2019. RSVP for in-person or online.