Heart Mountain Pilgrimage kicks off Friday

Japanese Americans whose families were incarcerated at the Heart Mountain Relocation Center during World War II will be gathering in Cody tomorrow and Saturday.

Former U.S. Senator Al Simpson, and former Secretary of Transportation Norman Mineta will join the group for panel discussions and documentary film screenings. Shirley Higuchi is one of the organizers, and she says participants will be discussing whether this type of thing could happen again.

“We do have safe-guards in this country, but no safeguard is fool-proof,” Higuchi said. “So in my honest opinion, can something again happen to our nation where certain groups are indiscriminately persecuted and treated unfairly or perhaps unconstitutionally? I would say yes, for sure.”

The event is open to the public and will include an arts festival, live music, group hikes and book signings, in addition to the discussions and films.