Westridge School 11th Graders Hear From Second Generation Atomic Bomb Survivor Kumi Ishida
On Wednesday, 11th graders in Upper School Teacher Willa Greenstone’s We the People U.S. history class heard from guest speaker Kumi Ishida, a second-generation atomic bomb survivor (also known as Hibakusha) from Nagasaki, Japan. Ishida was invited by Kanon and Manon I. ’26, who head the Teens4Disarmament and Non-Proliferation club on campus. She spoke about her experience and the consequences of nuclear weapons as a second-generation Hibakusha. During her presentation, she showed photos, data, and a video recorded of her parents—who spoke of their first-hand experience of the bombing in 1945 when they were young. Students also had the opportunity to sign notes of encouragement and support to Hibakusha.
“Currently, the average age of Hibakusha is 85 years old, so we will be the last generation to directly hear about the horrifying experiences mass destructive weapons such as nuclear weapons bring,” said Manon and Kanon, whose Global Scholars project topic delves into how the creation, testing, and usage of nuclear weapons impacts the world in various ways. “We hope the testimonies from Ms. Kumi and her parents inspire our peers to advocate for peace and make informed decisions as the upcoming generation.”
The presentation will provide students with valuable context as they study World War II next semester, per Greenstone.
Westridge School, 324 Madeline Drive, Pasadena, (626) 799-1053 ext. 200 or visit www.westridge.org.