Sunday, January 21, 2018

PAAWWW - Pacific Asian American Women Writers West - Reading and Panel Discussion


Seated l-r: Jude Narita, Joyce Nako, Amy Uyematsu; Standing l-r" Diane Ujiiye, Miya Iwataki, Cecilia Brainard


Timothy Toyama organized a reading and panel discussion of PAAWWW (Pacific Asian American Women Writers West), a group I belonged to back in the late 1980s.



It was a dynamic group of talented Asian American women who were poets, fiction writers, script writers, actresses, producers, and directors, including: Emma Gee, Momoko Iko, Jude Narita, Joyce Nako, Naomi Hirahara, Amy Uyematsu, Akemi Kikumura, Velina Hasu Houston, Miya Iwataki, Diane Ujiiye, June Chim, Chungmi Kim, and others. Many of these women went on to make significant contribution in their communities and the arts.



The group was formed around 1976. It was a support group that conducted writing workshops and had performances.  I believe it was Emma Gee who brought me into the group.  Emma and I were connected with the Asian American Studies Center at UCLA. PAAWWW at that time held fine literary readings. We were not only writers but performers as well.

Here are some pictures taken at the January 20 "Afternoon of PAAWWW" held at the Nisei Veterans Memorial Hall in Gardena.


"Afternoon of PAAWWW" l-r: Jude Narita, Amy Uyematsu, Diane Ujiiye, Joyce Nako, Miya Iwataki, Cecilia Brainard

More pictures are forthcoming so stay tuned.



Pacific Asian American Women Writers-West (PAAWW-West) - 1980s Photo taken after a reading that included Wanda Coleman
Front L-R: Amy Uyematsu, Akemi Kikumura, Joyce Nako, Naomi Hirahara, Emma Gee, Momoko Iko
Middle row L-R: Pam Tom, Velina Houston (behind Joyce), Cecilia Brainard, Ardis Nishikawa
Back Row L-R: Jude Narita, Fe Koons, Wanda Coleman, Chungmi Kim


Photo taken in front of an exhibit about PAAWWW
l-r: Alvin, Cecilia, Joyce, Ginny







Tags: #literature #AsianAmerican #women #Writers #poets #authors #goodreads #JapaneseAmerican

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