
Kathy Garr, Jiro Tomiyama, Tina Tomiyama, Anna Patton, Ashton Cynthia Clarke, Jill Vanderweit, Miyo Yamauchi (L to R)
So…we decided to host not one but two book launch events, an online and an in-person event. What can we say? We love going over the top! The event committee was co-chaired by Jill Vanderweit and Jon White. Tina Tomiyama, Margaret Mitchell, Ashton Cynthia Clarke, and Miyo Yamauchi joined the team. It was a BASH!
Thanks to “double J’s” leadership and everybody’s participation, our first online book launch party was quite successful. We had dozens of attendees and the Q&A segment carried intriguing conversations. So when it came to the in-person event, everybody got even more excited. The eminent storyteller, Barbara H. Clark, who is a mentor to many of the authors, generously offered the Institute of Musical Arts for the in-person event. Jill, who resides on the east coast, flew to LA. Every day, the excitement built up

Miyo Yamauchi presenting flowers to Barbara H. Clark as a token of appreciation

Double Emcees: Tina Tomiyama and Jon White

Jill Vanderweit
For some of us, it was our first time to see each other in person after the pandemic, so it was like a mini reunion. The Saturday afternoon was truly a special moment. Sharing the same space in-person, we felt that we’d regained something we’d lost.

Pieter Severynen

Kathy, Tina, and Anna (L to R)

Kathy, Jill, and Ashton (L to R)
Complete list of authors: Anna Ziss, Ashton Cynthia Clarke, Bharat Sangekar, Camille Miller, Jill Vanderweit, Jiro Tomiyama, Jon White, Kathy Garr, Lee Amatangelo, Lin Van Gelder, Margaret Mitchell, Pieter Severynen, Tina Tomiyama, Miyo Yamauchi, William Valdez