{"product_id":"uchinaamerican-anthology-of-okinawan-american-art-literature","title":"UchinaAmerican: Anthology of Okinawan American Art \u0026 Literature","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e \u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(255, 42, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"a_GcMg font-feature-liga-off font-feature-clig-off font-feature-calt-off text-decoration-none text-strikethrough-none\"\u003e**This forthcoming title is only available for preorder at this time \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e“Rarely have I encountered a book that portrays the Okinawan American experience with such intimacy, humor, and brutal honesty. The literature and art in \u003cem\u003eUchinaAmerican\u003c\/em\u003e prompted a deep reflection on my own Uchinānchu identity. I am in awe of the creativity of this project—and I cannot wait for the world to see this book”\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp dir=\"ltr\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e— Destin Daniel Cretton, independent filmmaker and director for Marvel Studios\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eIn \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUchinaAmerican: Anthology of Okinawan American Art \u0026amp; Literature\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, more than 70 artists and writers explore the question, \"What does it mean to be Okinawan American?\" \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eA companion to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eChiburu: Anthology of Hawaiʻi Okinawan Literature\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, this collection expands the showcase of Okinawan American voices to the U.S. continent. Editors Lee A. Tonouchi, Laura Kina, and Wesley Iwao Ueunten curate a compilation of pivotal historical works alongside fresh new voices weaving a shared discourse of determination, joy and dissent. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAddressing the historical absence of diasporic Okinawan narratives in the U.S. Asian American literary canon, this collection gathers a vital cohort of Okinawan American creatives. Through a vibrant array of expressions—including short stories, poetry, spoken word, essays, comics, stand-up comedy, drama, film, song, dance, music, art, craft, graphic design, fashion, and more—these creators engage with critical socio-political themes, examining the intersections of assimilation, militarism, and war trauma while championing cultural resilience, decolonization, and Indigenous futurity as pathways to peace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e________\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCo-Editor \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003e\"Da Pidgin Guerrilla\" Lee A. Tonouchi\u003c\/em\u003e currently stay Hawai‘i's Poet Laureate (2026-2029). His poetry collection \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSignificant Moments in da Life of Oriental Faddah and Son: One Hawai‘i Okinawan Journal \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003ewon da Association for Asian American Studies Book Award. His children's picture book \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOkinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e won one Skipping Stones Honor Award. An'den his play \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eUchinaAloha\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e wen go win one Po‘okela Award. In 2023 da American Association for Applied Linguistics wen recognize him with one Distinguished Public Service Award for his work in raising public awareness of important language-related issues and promoting linguistic social justice.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCo-Editor\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eLaura Kina\u003c\/em\u003e (she\/they) is a queer, disabled, yonsei, mixed-race Uchinānchu artist, author, and Vincent de Paul Professor at The Art School at DePaul University in Chicago. Her publications include co-authoring \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWar Baby\/Love Child: Mixed Race Asian American Art\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e,\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e Queering Contemporary Asian American Art\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eWord of Mouth Asian American Artist Sharing Recipes\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e, and illustrating \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eOkinawan Princess: Da Legend of Hajichi Tattoos\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e. Kina’s public collections include the Mingei International Museum, Okinawa Prefectural Museum and Art Museum, and The Smithsonian Archives of American Art. In 2026, Kina received a Lifetime Achievement award from the Association for Asian American Studies.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCo-Editor\u003cem\u003e \u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cem\u003eWesley Iwao Ueunten\u003c\/em\u003e was born and raised on Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i. He now lives in the San Francisco Bay area where he has been active in the Okinawan community, and he works as a Professor and Chair of the Asian American Studies Department at San Francisco State University and the Co-Director of the Edison Uno Initiative for Nikkei and Uchinānchu Studies. Several years ago he did a Fulbright fellowship in Okinawa, where he taught at Meio University and did research on the song \"Tinsagu nu Hana.\" His love for Okinawan music is nurtured by the stories his parents told him.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003e________\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"\u003eSoftcover with french flaps  |  384 pages  |  7\" x 10\"  |  full color\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Bess Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43864679874595,"sku":"9781573067041","price":29.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0270\/3556\/6115\/files\/160e367b-e1a9-4409-8ced-b690418125f7.png?v=1788485985","url":"https:\/\/besspress.com\/products\/uchinaamerican-anthology-of-okinawan-american-art-literature","provider":"Bess Press","version":"1.0","type":"link"}