Book Launch of
Tomey: The Unyielding Spirit of Tomekichi Homma
On Saturday, September 20, 2025, The National Coalition of Canadians Against Anti-Asian Racism (NCCAAR) and the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada (APF Canada) will celebrate the launch of Tomey: The Unyielding Spirit of Tomekichi Homma.
This private event will highlight the history of Tomekichi Homma, a Japanese Canadian who fought to end discrimination and for the right to vote for Japanese Canadians and other Canadians of Asian descent in British Columbia, Canada.
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Immediately after the launch, the book will be made available free of charge to school boards across Canada to encourage its use in their K-12 curricula and to other organizations interested in promoting the
story of this Japanese-Canadian who made a significant contribution to
Canadian society.
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The launch coincides with the participation of the book’s author, Jeff Chiba Stearns, and the illustrator, Ally Adachi, at the Gei Art Symposium to be hosted at the JCCC from 19-21 September, 2025.
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Check back after the event for more information on the distribution of Tomey: The Unyielding Spirit of Tomekichi Homma.
Adjacent events:
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Book Launch of Tomey: The Unyielding Spirit of Tomekichi Homma
On September 25, the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada will be hosting a presentation of Tomey: The Unyielding Spirit of Tomekichi Homma, featuring the book’s author, Jeff Chiba Stearns, and illustrator, Ally Adachi, in partnership with the National Coalition of Canadians Against Anti-Asian Racism (NCCAAR) at the Nikkei National Museum in Metro Vancouver.
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Author Talk: Tomey: The Unyielding Spirit of Tomekichi Homma
On September 18, The Kakehashi Project Alumni Network will host a conversation with author Jeff Chiba Stearns and Ally Adachi about the release of their new graphic novel, Tomey: The Unyielding Spirt of Tomekichi Homma, at the Japan Foundation, Toronto Library.
The book both entertains and informs about an under acknowledged Japanese-Canadian hero and social justice change maker, who built Canada's first Japanese school, hospital, and started the first Japanese-language daily newspaper in Canada.
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Jeff Chiba Stearns
Jeff Chiba Stearns is an Emmy® nominated and Webby award winning animation and documentary filmmaker, Illustrator, and producer based in Vancouver, BC. His is the owner of the animation production company, Meditating Bunny Studio Inc.
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Ally Adachi
Ally Adachi is a Japanese Canadian (Yonsei) illustrator based in Vancouver, BC. She focuses on storyboard animation, graphic novel illustration and tattoo design.
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