Past Forward

Joost Douma studied classical Latin and Greek in high school and history and philosophy at the University of Amsterdam. He is the founder of the Dutch National Science Center, NeMo, in Amsterdam. His extensive research for Betrayal of a Republic was conducted over a nine-year period, at relevant sites including Spain, Italy, and Turkey.

Betrayal of a Republic: Memoirs of a Roman Matrona
Histria Books, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.

Stephanie Nitahara is the Executive Director of Kizuna, a Nikkei youth organization with the mission of building a community for the next generation of leaders through education, empowerment and engagement. She was born and raised in the Chicago suburbs and following her passion for Nikkei community programming moved to Los Angeles in 2012 to work for the Japanese American Citizens League. She worked in the Pacific Southwest regional office for over five years and through her work built deep roots in the Little Tokyo community. Stephanie believes in inclusive community building and currently serves on the Little Tokyo Community Council’s board of directors as well as an organizing committee member of Okaeri: A Nikkei LGBTQ Gathering.

Daniel Yaguchi is the Marketing Assistant for Kizuna. From a young age, the Japanese American community had always been a significant part of his life. Daniel’s first experience with Kizuna had opened up many opportunities for him and gave him a stronger passion for being involved in the community. In 2017 he was a counselor for their summer camp program. It was so meaningful and fulfilling that he has continued to volunteer not only for Kizuna, but for Keiro, JACCC, and any other opportunities that came his way. Prior to working for Kizuna, Daniel worked as the development intern at JACCC. During his free time outside of work and school Daniel enjoys spending time with friends, family, and playing taiko. Daniel has been playing taiko for five years as part of the LA Taiko Ichiza performance group, performing at numerous events throughout the year.

Learn more about Kizuna at gokizuna.org.

Chapters is a multi-part series concerning the history and the lessons of civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices carried out against communities or populations—including civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices that are perpetrated on the basis of an individual’s race, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

This project was made possible with support from Chapman University and The California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, a state-funded grant project of the California State Library.

Guests: Stephanie Nitahara and Daniel Yaguchi
Hosts: Jon-Barrett Ingels and Jonelle Strickland
Produced by: Public Podcasting

Wisa Uemura is the Executive Director with San Jose Taiko. In her 22 years with San Jose Taiko, Wisa has served as Performer, Artistic Staff, General Manager and in July 2011 Wisa succeeded its founder to lead the organization as Executive Director. Recognized as a leader within her field, Wisa has presented on taiko, succession planning, organizational culture and communications, nonprofit fundraising and women’s empowerment at the North American Taiko Conference, World Taiko Gathering, Alliance of Artists Communities National Conference, the National Consortium of Creative Placemaking Pacific Summit, and the inaugural National Endowment for the Arts Folk & Traditional Arts Convening. She has served on peer review grant panels for the Knight Foundation Arts and NEA Folk & Traditional Arts programs. Wisa is a senior fellow of the American Leadership Forum Silicon Valley and has completed executive management trainings with BoardSource, FMA, CompassPoint, the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. 

Franco Imperial is the Artistic Director with San Jose Taiko. In his 22 years with San Jose Taiko, Franco has honed San Jose Taiko's style and created a voice for the current generation while honoring the group's 47-year legacy. He leads SJT in artistic projects that use arts to foster connections between cultural communities, widespread creativity, and a more just and equitable society. Franco has composed over 20 original works for SJT and has co-created and produced collaborations with artists such as Abhinaya Dance Company, 5-time Grammy Award-nominee John Santos, NEA Heritage Fellow Danongan Kalanduyan, artist/teacher Dan Sabanovich, The Bangerz, Epic Immersive, and Aswat Ensemble. He has led workshops at the North American Taiko Conference, European Taiko Conference, Intercollegiate Taiko Invitationals. In 2019 he was selected by the City of San Jose Office Cultural Affairs to be a Creative License Ambassador and presented at the 2019 Pacific Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit. 

Learn more about San Jose Taiko at taiko.org.

Chapters is a multi-part series concerning the history and the lessons of civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices carried out against communities or populations—including civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices that are perpetrated on the basis of an individual’s race, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

This project was made possible with support from Chapman University and The California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, a state-funded grant project of the California State Library.

Guests: Wisa Uemura and Franco Imperial
Hosts: Jon-Barrett Ingels and Jonelle Strickland
Produced by: Public Podcasting

David Read is the Executive Director of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture in Marysville, California. A long-time champion for the arts and well-known community leader, David has brought his experience in marketing, finance and program management to the organization.  He has been actively involved for nine years as a volunteer, board member and President before being hired to serve as Executive Director in 2016.  David is an active member of Rotary, Veridian Symphony Orchestra and Friends of the Yuba County Library. He has successfully written grants and then managed the funded programs for Veterans Arts Projects, the Jump StArts grant in collaboration with the Yuba County Office of Education for at-risk and system engaged youth and many others. Most recently, YSAC received two grants from the California State Library Civil Liberties program in collaboration with the Japanese American Citizens League to help preserve their local history during WWII. 

Abbie Cesena is the Managing Director of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture in Marysville, California and focuses on staff and facility management, fundraising and programming.  She holds a BS in Recreation Administration from California State University, Fresno and has over 35 years of experience in municipal recreation, most of which was with the City of Yuba City, Parks and Recreation Department.  Abbie has played a significant role in many Yuba-Sutter community events, including the California Prune Festival, Yuba City Cultural Celebration, Way, Way, Way Off Broadway, Applause and many, many more. She has served on the Boards of the California Parks and Recreation Society, Yuba Sutter Juvenile Justice Commission, Sutter Performing Arts Association and Friends of Yuba City Parks & Recreation. Abbie is a 20+ year member of Rotary International and is a Past President of South Yuba County Rotary Club.

Learn more about Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture at yubasutterarts.org.

Chapters is a multi-part series concerning the history and the lessons of civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices carried out against communities or populations—including civil rights violations or civil liberties injustices that are perpetrated on the basis of an individual’s race, national origin, immigration status, religion, gender, or sexual orientation.

This project was made possible with support from Chapman University and The California Civil Liberties Public Education Program, a state-funded grant project of the California State Library.

Guests: David Read and Abbie Cesena
Hosts: Jon-Barrett Ingels and Jonelle Strickland
Produced by: Public Podcasting

Thomas Bazar is the author of the novel, An Expectation of Plenty, recently published by Atmosphere Press and the plays Momo & Toto and Maximus O.; recently staged by A Band of Actors (A Band of Actors). His recent poems have been published by Lucky Jefferson.

An Expectation of Plenty
Atmosphere Press, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.

Kristina Moriconi is a poet, essayist, and visual artist whose work has appeared in Brevity, Cobalt Review, Lumina, Literary Mama, and elsewhere. She lives in Pittsburgh with her husband and two dogs. Her book, In the Cloakroom of Proper Musings: A Lyric Narrative, was published in August 2020.

In the Cloakroom of Proper Musings: A Lyric Narrative
Atmosphere Press, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.

Rhiannon Garrard is a criminology and policing student who broke out into literature with a paranormal murder mystery. Her books combine her favourite things in life: martial arts, policing and fantastical horror. Rhiannon is a huge fan of Gothic and sci-fi horror books, with horror classics like Frankenstein and Lovecraft's stories being a large influence on her work. She is currently a student with a side job as a special constable with Essex police.

Vanity: Murder In The Name Of Sin
Atmosphere Press, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.

Christina Chiu is the winner of the James Alan McPherson Award for her novel Beauty. She is also author of Troublemaker and Other Saints, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons.  Troublemaker was a nominee for a BOMC Stephen Crane First Fiction Award, and winner of the Asian American Literary Award. Chiu has published in Tin House, The New Guard, Washington Square, The MacGuffin, Charlie Chan is Dead 2, Not the Only One, Washington Square, and has won literary prizes from Playboy, New Stone Circle, El Dorado Writers’ Guild, World Wide Writers. Chiu hosts the virtual Let’s Talk Books Author Series and curates and co-hosts the Pen Parentis Literary Salon in NYC. She is a founding member of the Asian American Writers’ Workshop. Christina is also a shoe designer. She received her MFA in creative writing from Columbia University.

Beauty
2040 Books/Santa Fe Writers Group, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.

Tucker Lieberman has published three nonfiction books. His essays are in two anthologies recognized by Lambda Literary, and his poetry chapbook based on the Epic of Gilgamesh was a finalist in Grayson Books’ 2020 contest. He is originally from the United States and now lives in Bogotá, Colombia.

Ten Past Noon: Focus and Fate at Forty
Glyph Torrent, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.

Jeremy Kitchen is known as Chicago's Punk Rock Librarian, and he really is a librarian and a writer. His most recent publication is a short story in the upcoming collection "Echoes of a Natural World: Tales of the Strange and Estranged" Edited by Michael Daley. He's also co-host of the Eye 94 Podcast.

Echoes of a Natural World
First to Knock, 2020

A World Without Books was created to help writers connect with readers during the pandemic. This Micro-Podcast provides authors a platform to share stories about writing, discuss current projects, and consider life without books. Listen on Apple, Spotify, or wherever you podcast.

Without Books®, a division of Heritage Future, is an author-centric book initiative. Our resources support authors. We also provide access to millions of books.