Celebrating Fred Korematsu Day

Fred Korematsu Day, observed on January 30th, honors civil rights activist Fred Korematsu, who resisted the internment of Japanese Americans during World War II. He defied government orders, leading to a Supreme Court case, and his conviction was later overturned. The day serves as a reminder to protect civil liberties and stand against racial discrimination.

This workshop is free for educators and will take place virtually. It will be facilitated by Jayson Chang.

Jayson Chang is a high school social science educator based in San Jose, California. His academic interests include thematic teaching, culturally relevant pedagogy, food history, and nationalism studies. Jayson has participated in a wide range of leadership capacities within the California Teachers Association (CTA) and National Education Association (NEA). Prior, he served as the Chair and Treasurer of the CTA Pacific Asian American Caucus, and the Northern California Regional Director of the NEA Asian Pacific Islander Caucus. He graduated with a B.A. in Liberal Arts with a concentration in International Studies from Soka University of America, and Master’s of Education from Claremont Graduate University. Currently, he is working towards his second master’s degree in American History through Gettysburg College.

Born in Monterey Park, California, Jayson is of Cantonese-Fukien heritage. He is descended from ethnic Chinese Vietnamese parents, part of the boat people diaspora. His grandparents and great-grandparents were from China. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking and collecting autographed cookbooks.