Members of the JACL DC Chapter developed a graphic novel to tell the Japanese American story as an educational resource. The novel includes narratives on immigration, incarceration, and anti-Asian hate and is being done in collaboration with Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). MCPS revised their U.S. history for Grade 5 and this novel became part of their curriculum starting in May 2024. As a result, annually there are approximately 12,000 fifth graders who read the novel, But, Where Are You REALLY From?

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The title, But, Where Are You REALLY From?, captures a question that is often asked to Americans of color upon first meeting because of an interpretation that they look like someone from outside the U.S., implying that a person of color is an outsider or does not belong. The creative process for this graphic novel began with interviews of three of our Japanese American community members: a 100-year-old veteran of the all-Japanese-American 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and two 97-year-old women who were in U.S. incarceration camps for those of Japanese-American ancestry during World War II.

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The resulting novel aligns neatly with the district’s revised curriculum in social studies, reading/language arts, and social-emotional learning, to effectively promote the system’s goal of developing critical thinking by responsible citizens. The revised U.S. history curriculum is intended to include formerly marginalized students and their families in our country’s story.