Livestream of the TCA Launch is archived here: TCA Launch Meeting
The TCA Launch Meeting opened with an official welcome from Geoff Noone, the TCA Launch Meeting Coordinator.
Alan Okada, member of the TCA Advisory Board, then introduced the purpose of the TCA Launch Meeting and outlined the desired outcomes for the weekend. This was presented in the following overview slide:
TCA Board Member Roy Hirabayashi then gave a presentation on the history of the North American Taiko Conference and its origins as a program of the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center (JACCC).
Roy’s presentation can be found here: NATC Historical Perspective. Information and images thanks to the North American Taiko Conference, the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, Roy Hirabayashi, Kevin Higa, Bryan Yamami, Lesley Handa, Darren Endo, Yuta Kato, Linda Uyechi, Peter Spangler, Susan Yuen, and Elise Fujimoto.
North American taiko groups through the years (1965-2013):
Animation by TCA Launch Intern, Sarah Yamamoto.
Finally, TCA Board Member Johnny Mori spoke about the formation of the Taiko Community Alliance in 2012, and the official hand-off of the North American Taiko Conference from the JACCC.
He read the following letter from Leslie Ito, Executive Director of the JACCC:
