USC Hosts “Defining Courage” to Celebrate Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month

LOS ANGELES, CA – Defining Courage will be presented at USC’s Bing Theater on Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 6 PM, as the closing event of the university’s celebration of Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The live, one-night-only show celebrates the heroism of the Nisei soldiers – Americans of Japanese ancestry who served in segregated units during World War II. Narrated by ABC7 Co-Anchor David Ono, the docu-theater experience combines modern and historical footage, eyewitness interviews, and live music tracing the journey of these troops through France, Germany, Italy and Japan. 

“The goal was to create an unforgettable show that combines live music and narration with multimedia storytelling,” said David Ono, the host and co-producer of Defining Courage. “It is the perfect way to keep this important story alive in the most memorable way.” 

The Nisei were the most decorated soldiers of World War II, many of them fighting for the US while their families were incarcerated in American internment camps. And yet, the Nisei’s accomplishments are unknown to most. “I feel like there’s an infinite amount of these wonderful stories to tell, so I’ll always be devoted to the Japanese American story,” said Ono.

Defining Courage has played to packed houses in Honolulu, San Francisco, and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. Playing for the first time at any university, the show is part of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy’s Stroum Arts and Diplomacy Series, which focuses on the intersection of public diplomacy and the arts, featuring thoughtful discussions on urgent global social issues.

“Defining Courage is an unforgettable performance that pays homage to the valor and resilience of the Japanese American soldiers of World War II,” said Cynthia Stroum, USC Annenberg alumna, award-winning theater producer, former U.S. Ambassador and former managing partner for the building housing the Nippon Kan Theatre in Seattle’s historic Japantown. “In illuminating their untold stories on stage, the show truly serves to bridge cultures while fostering greater understanding and unity." 

In 2022, President Folt conferred posthumous honorary degrees upon all USC Nisei students whose educations were disrupted during WWII, and dedicated the USC Nisei Rock Garden on the University Park Campus as a lasting tribute to the resilience, perseverance and hope of these Nisei students.

The show is co-sponsored by USC’s School of Dramatic Arts and Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism with the support of the Asian Pacific Islander Faculty and Staff Association, Asian Pacific Alumni Association, and the Provost’s Office.  Defining Courage is presented by Story Boldly, the Japanese American National Museum, and Outside in Theatre.

Register here to attend.

About David Ono

David Ono is the co-anchor for ABC7 Eyewitness News at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. Since joining ABC7 in 1996, David has witnessed history worldwide, covering Hurricane Katrina, Haiti’s earthquake and Japan’s tsunami. He traveled across Europe and Asia chronicling brave acts of the Nisei soldier from World War II. He has won 10 Edward R. Murrow awards and 26 Emmy Awards.

About Cynthia Stroum

A native of Seattle, Cynthia Stroum earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Public Relations and Journalism from the University of Southern California. After several years working in public relations and in the television industry Cynthia began building a personal investment portfolio as an angel investor in over twenty successful technology, biotechnology and retail start-up companies, Starbucks Coffee Company being one of them.  Cynthia made her producing debut with the highly acclaimed 2004 Broadway production of A Raisin in the Sun (starring Sean Combs). Additional nominated productions have included Come From Away, Network (starring Bryan Cranston), Burn This (starring Adam Driver), Fat Ham and most recently winning a Tony Award for the 2023 Broadway revival of Parade (starring Ben Platt). Cynthia has also served on local and national boards over the last 40 years with a focus on politics, the arts and philanthropy. Her greatest honor, however, was serving as the 20th Ambassador of the United States of America to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg 2009-2011 under President Barack Obama.

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For media inquiries, please email cpd@usc.edu