Traveling with Nobuko Miyamoto
- Derek Nakamoto
- Jul 13
- 2 min read
The Good Fight Continues ...

Since the release of Nobuko Miyamoto's documentary "A Song In Movement," I have been traveling with her to the various Asian American film festivals across the country.
In support of the screenings, we have been doing mini concerts, and occasionally I was invited to participate in the Q&A panels. It has been nothing short of a massive education, my MBA, so to speak!
I have had the opportunity to meet many of the folks I have only heard about from Nobuko, to shake their hands, share a meal, and most importantly, have conversations!

Traveling to NY, Boston, Seattle, Portland, Salem, Houston, Eugene, and San Francisco, I got to spend time especially in the Chinese American communities. Because of my surname, many do not know that I am half Chinese. My mother was full-blooded, my maternal grandmother my best friend and life mentor. It's not that I did not think beyond the West and East Coast communities, it never dawned on me the Chinese communities in the Midwest and the South! One of my classmates growing up in Honolulu was a skinny Chinese American kid, pale as could be, speaking with a deep southern drawl. I remember all of us thinking, "what!?!"
Seeing Nobuko reconnecting with old friends, inspiring a new generation with her stories, and the conversations that followed blew my mind! I also observed how energized and vibrant the Chinese American communities are in NY, Seattle, Portland, and of course, San Francisco.

The big laugh for me was the discovery of Chinese bak in Chinatown SF that made moon cakes fresh every day. Good luck finding a moon cake period here in LA outside of the Lunar New Year. I suspect those are even flown in from Hong Kong lol.
Each bakery had its own personality in the style they presented their cakes. The taste was also slightly different, which made the search even more special.
My takeaway from these trips is what a beautiful, vibrant, and creative group of aspiring talented indie filmmakers are out there. The importance of the amazing organizations and people who mount these festivals. It has never been more important than ever for this synergy to be supported so that it continues.

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