15 May In memory of Kyoko Nancy Oda
It is with deep sadness and heavy hearts that we, the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition, share with you the passing of our president and dear friend, Kyoko Nancy Oda, on May 15, 2026.
Kyoko’s name, given to her by her father, represents harmony and cooperation. She exemplified these characteristics as the leader of our Coalition, a pillar in the Japanese American community, and an inspiration and mentor to many. Tuna Canyon was only one of the organizations honored with Kyoko’s unwavering dedication, generosity, and her influence extended beyond the Japanese American community.
Kyoko was both exceptionally strong and resolute as well as a modest person imbued with the traditions, history, and values which emerged from the family and community she had been brought up with. In her role as a teacher and leader, most especially as the President of TCDSC, she always sought to ensure that history would not repeat itself and that the younger generation across all communities would have the tools to work towards a more just society.
Kyoko called us “small but mighty” and was proud of our diverse Coalition. Her calm presence of strength and compassion has left a positive and lasting impact on each of us. We are honored to have worked with her and proud of all the accomplishments we have made together under her leadership and momentum. We will persevere and fight even harder for social justice in her honor.
Please keep Kay, Kyoko’s husband, and the rest of their family in your thoughts during this difficult time.
Below are some reflections by TCDS Coalition Board Members.
Without Kyoko taking me under her wings, a German American, I would never have had the opportunity to speak out. She fostered diversity within the internment communities for which I owe her a huge debt of gratitude. Diversity was her touchstone, the very core of TCDS, and a true representation of that time in history. Her broader vision served to embrace not only me, but everyone.
– Sigrid Toye
“Gambatte!” “Carry On” – Do not give up!
I can still hear Kyoko’s voice, filled with unwavering determination, echoing in my mind.
In honor and remembrance of our leader, Kyoko Nancy Oda (1945-2026), the Board of Directors of Tuna Canyon pledges to never abandon the spirit of “Giri” that Kyoko Nancy Oda embodied. This pledge is made in memory of the Japanese, German, and Italian immigrants unjustly detained under the Presidential Proclamations 2525, 2526, and 2527. We also honor those who were kidnapped from Lima, Peru, and other Central American countries during World War II and forcibly held as American hostages at Tuna Canyon.
As Kyoko would often remind us, we must never forget. It is in our “Giri.”
Today, we honor her memory by reaffirming our commitment to never forget the lives of those who were unjustly interned at Tuna Canyon and Griffith Park.
– June Berk
When I first met Kyoko after discovering letters my grandfather wrote to his family from Tuna Canyon, we had an instant connection. I was drawn to her warmth, her gentle yet strong demeanor, and giving nature and I knew we’d be longtime friends. She embraced me into the Tuna Canyon family and shortly after, invited me to be Secretary of the TCDS Board. Of course, I said yes! Anyone fortunate enough to have known Kyoko, knows that she had something about her that you just couldn’t say no to.
Over our years of friendship and working under her leadership, I knew that in her special “Kyoko way” being the innate teacher she was both in and out of the classroom, she was preparing me for even bigger and better things to come. I wasn’t a student of hers in school, but I was a student of hers in life through the example she led.
Kyoko – You will always be in my heart and your selfless work will continue on through each of us.
– Donna Sugimoto
What has made the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition so effective since its beginnings in 2013 is a leader that was able to foreground and mesh the very diverse personal strengths of its members in order to tackle a wide range of initiatives. Kyoko was able to do this in no small part because of her infectious optimism, sustained dedication, and generous personality. She was a remarkable person with leadership skills, honed as an educator and through decades of public service, that are increasingly rare in today’s world.
– Russell Endo
I was a relative newcomer to TCDSC’s deliberations and regret that I never had the opportunity of meeting Kyoko in person but did at least have the privilege of joining her and Kay during many online meetings which she ran in a warm, gentle but firm manner, giving everyone the opportunity to express their views and above all being both enthusiastic and encouraging of all the initiatives as they unfolded. I could not fail to be aware of the memories she carried, feel her integrity and the strong commitment she had not only to highlight what Tuna Canyon Detention Station represented to new generations but to ensure that we could all endeavor to move towards a world in which social justice could be better served. Kyoko’s vision was a broad, inclusive and generous one and in this regard, I particularly recall her initiative to try to take the TCDSC travelling exhibition to Europe and her delight when this dream started to be realized in the UK last year. I hope we can carry on forward with her vision although her loss is deeply felt.
– Conrad Caspari
Kyoko – We love you and you will be greatly missed. You have been our guiding light and we are forever grateful. The world is a better place because of you.
The Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition Family
