The Janice Mirikitani Poetry Machine has come home to Glide Memorial Church and will be on display for our celebration of Janice’s birthday on February 5th.  Artist and collaborator of Janice,  Yayoi Kambara, created the multi-media art installation.  The carnival like attraction shares words from Janice’s words after visitors push a button marked “I must speak.” In addition to hearing Janice’s words the “Ni Do To” machine also shares copies of her poetry.

The art installation was created for an exhibit called “Ni Do To” (Never Again) which was an XR Pilgrimage experience that shared stories of those with Japanese ancestry after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Janice, who served as San Francisco’s poet laureate, was one of many Japanese Americans who were forcefully removed from their home and interned by Executive Order 9066 in 1942.  As a baby Janice lived with at The Rohwer War Relocation Center, in Arkansas.

During its time at GLIDE, the Janice Mirikitani Machine will reside in the Creative Space, where visitors can also view an exhibit that features 60 years of Glide history.  On Sundays, the machine will be in Freedom Hall where Celebration guests can interact with the art installation.