. >> reporter: russell works for the angel island foundation, he showed nicholas with the detainees carved art and poetry on the walls. nicholas was stunned. >> the idea that creativity is a method of survival, how else do you keep your spirit and soul alive and nourished in horrifying conditions. >> reporter: the barracks had segregated quarters. >> they viewed these people as dehumanized masses of beings invading our shores. these poems on the wall are so beautiful. the care with which they were carved into the walls, it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. >> these will tell people the mistakes of the past to make sure we do not repeat them. >> reporter: we caught up with him at skywalker sound. he told us as a half asian, half greek,man, that recording stranger was a gift. >> as a classical singer i am constantly stepping into other's shoes. that music is often written by white heterosexual men. as a result it is difficult for me to do directly relate . it has been the first time in a 20 year career where i feel like i am telling the stories of my people. >> i will be

. >> reporter: works for the angel island immigration foundation.holas with the detainees carved art and poetry onto the walls, which were painted jade green. >> it has turned into a cage. >> reporter: he was stunned. >> the idea that creativity is a method of survival. how else do you keep your spirit and soul alive and nourished? it is pretty horrifying. >> reporter: segregated quarters. the tour was sobering. >> it is easy to view these people as dehumanized masses of beings that are coming here to invade our shores. these poems on the wall are so beautiful and the care in which they were carved into the walls -- i don't know. it is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. >> preserving those histories and stories and legacy for future generations will tell people the mistakes of the past and make sure our country doesn't repeat them. >> reporter: we caught up with nicholas in marin county as he recorded tracks for the trumpeter. he told us as a half asian half greek man that recording stranger was a gift. >> as a classical singer, and

angel island represents an untold story in united states' history. that's the asian american experience. >> reporter: russell works for angel island immigration foundationolas where detainees carved art and poetry on to the walls which were once jade green. nicholas was stunned. >> the idea that creativity is a method of survival. i mean, how else do you keep your spirit and your soul alive and nourished in these pretty horrifying conditions? >> reporter: the tour was sobering. >> it is so easy to view the people as dehumanized masses of beings that are just coming here to sort of invade our shores, you know. these poems on the wall are so beautiful. the care in which they were carved into the walls, i don't know, it's such a testament to the resilience of the human spirit. >> i think preserving the histories, the stories, legacy for future generations will tell people the mistakes of the past and make sure our country doesn't repeat them in the future. >> we caught up with nicholas at sky walker sound in marin as he recorded some tracks. he told us as a half asian, half greek gay man that recording stranger was a gift. >> i am constantly stepping into