As a culmination of our 8th grade Humanities unit on World War II, our students had the profound privilege of meeting Mr. Tamiyuki Okahara — a hibakusha (被爆者), or survivor of the 1945 atomic bombing of Hiroshima — via Zoom. Mr. Okahara-san generously shared his family’s deeply personal story of survival, and our students responded with thoughtful, heartfelt questions that sparked a rich conversation touching on nuclear deterrence and disarmament.

There are fewer than 100,000 hibakusha still living today. To hear history speak in a living voice — and to bear witness to it together — is a rare and humbling gift. We are so grateful to Mr. Okahara-san for his time, his courage, and his trust in our community.