Velina Hasu Houston facts for kids

Velina Hasu Houston (born May 5, 1957) is an American writer. She is famous for writing plays and librettos (stories for operas). She also writes poems, movie scripts, TV shows, and essays.

Her work often explores what it's like to be multiracial. She also writes about her family's immigrant experiences. Her stories look at how different cultures, races, and genders connect.

Houston is best known for her play Tea. This play tells the stories of Japanese women, often called war brides. These women moved to the United States to live with their American soldier husbands. Tea first opened in New York City in 1987. It is now considered a classic American play and is performed all over the world.

Velina Houston's Early Life

Velina Houston was the youngest of three children. She was born on a military ship while traveling to a U.S. base in Japan. Her mother, Setsuko Takechi, was from Matsuyama, Ehime, a town in Japan. Her father, Lemo Houston, was African Native American and Blackfoot-Pikuni Native American Indian. He was from Linden, Alabama.

Velina's parents met in Kobe, Japan, in 1946. They dated for nine years. Her mother's family did not approve of their relationship. After they married, Velina's parents lost touch with both sides of their families. They later adopted a son, Joji, who was an Amerasian orphan. He was eight years old during the U.S. occupation of Tokyo.

In 1957, Velina's family moved to the United States. Velina was born during this trip and became a U.S. citizen. Life in America was not always easy for them. They faced unfair treatment from others. These experiences made their family stronger. They also helped Velina become the writer she is today.

The family settled in Junction City, Kansas. This small town was next to a military base. Velina's mother wanted them to live a Japanese lifestyle. In 1969, Velina's father passed away. Her mother continued to raise the family in Junction City. Many other Japanese and European immigrant women lived there. They had also married American soldiers after World War II.

How Velina Houston Studied

Velina Houston went to college at Kansas State University. There, she studied journalism and theater. She also studied philosophy.

Later, she went to graduate school. She earned a master's degree (MFA) from the University of California at Los Angeles. She also earned a PhD from the University of Southern California.

Velina Houston's Family Life

Velina Houston married Peter Henry Jones in 2002. They live in Los Angeles, California. She has two children named Kiyoshi and Leilani.

Awards and Special Honors

Velina Houston has received many awards and special honors. These include fellowships from important groups like the Japan Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation. A fellowship is a special award that helps people do research or creative work.

Her writings and papers are kept in a special collection. They are at The Huntington Library in San Marino, California.

Velina Houston's Works

Velina Houston has written many plays and contributed to books.

Books and Collections

• (editor) The Politics of Life: Four Plays by Asian American Women. This book includes plays by Wakako Yamauchi, Genny Lim, and Velina Hasu Houston.
• (editor) But still, like air, I'll rise: new Asian American plays. This book features plays by many writers. Some of them are Philip Kan Gotanda, David Henry Hwang, and Velina Hasu Houston.

Plays for the Stage

• Tea
• Asa Ga Kimashita (Morning Has Broken)
• American Dreams
• Kokoro (True Heart)
• Setting the Table
• Calligraphy
• Oh I Remember the Black Birch
• Little Women (a new version with different cultures)
• Cinnamon Girl (Velina wrote the story and songs)
• The Everywhere of Her (Velina wrote the story and songs)