vigil in Little Tokyo on the eve of the signing of Trump's immigration ban. Such demonstrations are, for her, an opportunity to witness other Japanese Americans, proud of their origins and actively working to redefine, broaden and fortify the American experience.

Inside Manzanar

Pulling up at Manzanar, she gets out of the car to photograph a watchtower. She's uncertain whether this is the actual watchtower that was here during her grandfather's internment or if it is a reconstitution designed to hint at the experience of the internees.

War Relocation Authority workers, who had promised to return the land to the Los Angeles government when the internment was over, stripped down the barracks and other facilities and sold them off immediately after the camp was closed, Manzanar park rangers tell Al Jazeera.as closely and see this as important?" she asks. She hopes the testimonies she collects will allow the legacy to last "for all eternity".

Masters and Biggs are not Japanese, but as Nakamaru begins to ask them questions about her family, it becomes clear that they treat the site and the descendants of its former inmates with great care. Ancestors' names are pronounced with an appreciation for the cadence of the Japanese language. Nakamaru - the U sits behind the top front teeth, almost nasal.

"You learn a lot when you work here for a long time," Masters says, smiling.

Discovering family history

Nakamaru enquires about her grandfather. There is a database available, with printable records, the rangers say. But beforehand, Biggs hands Nakamaru a form that she can mail to the