(Wed) September 30, 2026, 11:00am — 12:30pm
OAB Auditorium
Shin Miyata is a Tokyo-based music producer, cultural historian, and the visionary founder of Barrio Gold Records / Music Camp, Inc. Widely celebrated as Japan’s premier ambassador of Chicano culture, Miyata has spent decades fostering a profound cross-cultural dialogue between East Los Angeles and Tokyo.
Miyata’s journey began in the 1980s when he was captivated by West Coast Chicano aesthetics and music. Driven by a desire to look past surface-level trends, he left Japan at age 21 to live directly within the vibrant communities of Boyle Heights and City Terrace in East L.A. Immersed in the local rhythm, backyard jams, and lowrider scene, he developed a lifelong commitment to preserving and honoring Chicano artistic history.
Miyata established Barrio Gold Records to introduce overlooked West Coast soul, funk, salsa, and Chicano rap to Asian audiences. He has since spearheaded the release and reissue of over 200 albums, complete with meticulously translated Japanese liner notes to provide essential socio-political context. Furthermore, as a longtime journalist, notably penning the “Que Pasa Aztlán” column for Lowrider Japan, and a tireless promoter, he has organized tours for acclaimed acts like Chicano Batman, Joe Bataan, and Quetzal.
Today, Shin Miyata remains a dedicated culture bearer, using music to dismantle stereotypes and build authentic, human connections across the Pacific.
Shin’s appearance will feature a screening of the short documentary “Our Man in Tokyo–The Ballad of Shin Miyata,” and a conversation between Shin and FCC English Instructor Juan Luis Guzman. The event is sponsored by Speakers Forum, Student Activities, and SCCCD International Education.