“Basically, over the years, this has become Grandpa’s story.”

Season 1 Episode 5 — October 26, 2024

This episode is supported by Pacific Mercantile Company.

Alyssa Nilemo’s mother Donna Inouye steps me through their family tree. Alyssa has ancestors from Japan who settled in Colorado over a century ago, and tracing the threads that weave through California, rural Colorado, and Downtown Denver, I learn about the multiplicity of the Japanese American experience within Alyssa’s family history. Herb Inouye, who experienced the caravan journey in 1942, became a cornerstone of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist community and a force that shaped Alyssa’s kindness worldview.

Featured Guests

Donna Inouye

Alyssa Nilemo

References

Herbert Hideyo Inouye Discover Nikkei Author Page — discovernikkei.org/en/journal/author/inouye-herbert

Alyssa Nilemo Ballotpedia Page — ballotpedia.org/Alyssa_Nilemo