Okagesama
Worked with the Okagesama project committee to design the branding and website for the organization's formation and fundraising for the Japanese American interpretive center project.
Branding
The phrase okagesama translates to “thanks to you”, a sentiment of gratitude for the support of others that have helped us become who we are today. The group wanted the branding to reflect this sentiment as well as reference the generations of Japanese Americans in Stockton, many of whom were interned at the Stockton Assembly Center.
To reference this history and to connect the name to the interpretive center, we determined three key elements that many from the Stockton Japanese American community visualize from the incarceration: barracks, guard tower, and barbed wire. The shape of the building is referencing the original hospital building at the Stockton Fairgrounds that was previously a hospital, but later used as an assembly center that Japanese Americans were forced to stay at until they were relocated to various incarceration camps across the United States. This building will be the future interpretive center in Stockton and the primary project the organization will be focused on.
Website
The main needs of the Okagesama website were to:
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Give the history of the project and building in an easy to read format that included historical photographs
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Showcase the photographs, artifacts, and oral history from Stockton's Japanese American community members and their families
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Be the main place where users could find volunteer opportunities, events, and project updates
We centered on a deep navy blue as the main color for it's ties to many traditional Japanese artforms, in contrast with the bright red that references the tragedies the issei (first generation) and their descedents have experienced as a result of the forced incarceration. Historic photographs from the Stockton Assembly Center were also gathered to be used on the website, showing the lives of those were at the assembly center prior to being sent to incarceration camps.
References and Resources
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Photographs by Dorothea Lange