Remembering Janice Mirikitani

Janice Mirikitani made San Francisco a better place. She inspired us on the page and in the community as a tireless worker for Glide Memorial, poet laureate, and dear friend to Kearny Street Workshop. During our early years she collaborated with KSW Founder Jim Dong on the groundbreaking anthology Time to Greeze, shared her poems at KSW readings, and organized Glide members to show up for the I-Hotel evictions protests. She continued to support KSW through her fight for arts equity as an Arts Commissioner and using her platform to garner support for our organization.

Many of us first learned about Jan through her poems in Asian American anthologies and developed pride in ourselves and our histories that she wrote so eloquently on the page. Others of us discovered her at the beginning of our artistic careers and marveled at her fierce and loving work that emboldened us to maintain our political voice in our art. For others facing abuse or addiction, mental health challenges or housing insecurity, her advocacy saved lives. When we talk about the intersections of art and activism, of being an artist who works in our communities, of using art to inspire a community or to soothe our wounds, Janice Mirikitani showed us how to be transformative in both, equally. And for that we will always be grateful.

Photo 1 (by Nancy Wong): circa 1975, Janice Mirikitani talking to Doug Yamamoto in front of the I-Hotel and KSW’s storefront.

Photo 2 (by Bob Hsiang): Janice Mirikitani and Nancy Hom at Arc Gallery & Studios standing in front of Nancy’s piece “No More Violence Against Asians” to which Janice wrote an ekphrastic poem.

Photo 3 (by Bob Hsiang) Janice Mirikitani and Nancy Hom at Kearny Street Workshop’s 25th Anniversary Gala