The California chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CA) joined more than 2,000 students, teachers, community members, and former incarcerees and their families at the Manzanar National Historic Site in Owens Valley, California, on Saturday, April 25, for the Manzanar Committee’s 57th Annual Pilgrimage.
SEE: Manzanar National Historic Site To Host 57th Annual Pilgrimage April 24-26
Manzanar was the first of 10 American concentration camps in which more than 125,000 Japanese American citizens and their immigrant parents were unjustly incarcerated by the U.S. government during World War II.
Since 1969, activists have traveled to Manzanar every year to learn about the injustice that took place in the camp, honor those who were formerly incarcerated, and reflect on the importance of continuing the fight for civil rights and human dignity amidst growing racism and xenophobia in the U.S.
CAIR-CA staff and community members have participated in the annual Manzanar pilgrimage for over 20 years.
In a statement, CAIR-CA CEO Hussam Ayloush said:
“We come here to remember those who were uprooted from their homes, stripped of dignity and liberty, and imprisoned behind barbed wire not because of anything they had done, but because of who they were.
“Of all the years I have come to Manzanar, there has been no time when the lessons of this place have felt more urgent than they do now. Because Manzanar is not merely a sad memory of the past; it is a warning of what a government can do when fear overcomes principles, what a society can become when propaganda overpowers our shared humanity, and how ordinary people can be taught to accept the unacceptable.
“This is why American Muslims feel so deeply connected to this pilgrimage. We know that when one community is targeted, none is secure. Our safety is bound together. Our liberation is bound together. From Manzanar, we say: ‘Never again.’ And ‘never again’ means never again for anyone.”
WATCH: Muslims at Manzanar: A Civil Rights Journey
The annual pilgrimage to Manzanar serves as a reminder of the dangers of rising anti-immigrant sentiment and bigotry in the U.S., especially as the current administration implements discriminatory immigration policies that threaten the safety and due process rights of immigrant communities.
CAIR-CA’s ongoing participation in the pilgrimage reflects a commitment to standing in solidarity with all communities targeted by hate and discrimination.
CAIR-CA is a chapter of CAIR, America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission is to enhance the understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
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CONTACT: CAIR Greater Los Angeles Area Communications Manager Enjy El-Kadi, (714) 851-4851 or eelkadi@cair.com; CAIR Sacramento Valley/Central California Communications Director Zaid Hisham, (916) 441-6269 or zhisham@cair.com; CAIR San Diego Executive Director Tazheen Nizam, (760) 201-7626 or tnizam@cair.com; CAIR San Francisco Bay Area Communications Manager Lorrie Adam, (408) 498-5779 or ladam@cair.com