PEF: Building Empathy Showcases their Documentary

The Building Empathy project has collaborated with KLRN to produce a poignant documentary on students learning about the unjust detainment of Japanese Americans during World War II. Building Empathy is a project of PEF and PUSD, with support from the California State Library and California Humanities. This three year project used historical examples as a platform to encourage students to grow their sense of empathy. The students learned about the impact of Executive Order 9066 during class, and had the opportunity to go a step further by visiting the Manzanar internment camp.

Following the students on their overnight experience, the documentary shows them experiencing the harsh living environment of Manzanar. They got to visit the barracks, play on the basketball court, and learn about what life was like for the Japanese Americans who were imprisoned there.

“Although I was a student teacher alongside my classmates in 2024, the experience that had the greatest impact on me was our trip to Manzanar. This is because it was one thing to create lesson plans and do research, but it was a whole new experience being able to step foot into what we initially only saw in black and white images.” ~Valentina M. (Blair, 10) (read more here)

The documentary also highlights Building Empathy’s other educational efforts. Activities such as student led classes, field trips, and visits from community leaders were among the ways Building Empathy encouraged student learning.

“Filming in Manzanar with students from the Building Empathy project was a powerful, memorable experience. I learned so much about the unique history of this place and relished the perspective of capturing it on camera. Truly an inspirational trip I will always remember.” ~ Zack Stroff, Videographer

“Prior to landing in Pasadena a decade ago, I had a general sense about the Japanese American concentration camps and Executive Order 9066, but my knowledge base has been deepened by leading this project. Visiting Manzanar in April 2024 was the height of the three-year project that included organizing professional development sessions for teachers and students, artists and community visits to classrooms, ten field trips to the Japanese American National Museum and so much more. As a result of this project, so many more students and teachers in PUSD now know about an atrocity so close to home that has impacted the lives of so many people that are part of our community.” ~ Sehba Sarwar, Student Engagement Manager

Building Empathy is supported in part by the State of California through the California Civil Liberties program, administered by the California State Library, and by the California Humanities Civics + Humanities Middle Grades Grants through California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Pasadena Educational Foundation

Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF) is a nonprofit organization that advocates for public education, engages the community, and develops resources to support excellence and equity for all Pasadena Unified School District (PUSD) students. Whether it be through the arts, music, health centers, gardens, or STEM programs they support, PEF is dedicated to creating a better future for the public school students of Altadena, Pasadena, and Sierra Madre.

Pasadena Educational Foundation (PEF), 351 South Hudson Ave. RM 153, Pasadena, (626) 396-3625 or visit pasedfoundation.org.