Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser

JACL
 

Weekly Digest
April 13, 2021

 

COVID-19 and JACL operations and resources

JACL's physical offices remain closed. Staff continue to do the work of the organization remotely.  Please direct all phone calls to our Washington, D.C. Office at (202) 223-1240 and we will get back to you as quickly as possible. Otherwise, we will all be available via email. All staff emails can be found HERE. You can also check our website, jacl.org, for updates and COVID-19 resources. You can view our resources page here. 

Stay safe everyone and we hope to see you all in person again soon. 

- JACL National Staff

 

Due in 2 Weeks!

JACL 2021 Legacy Fund Grant

The JACL Legacy Fund Grants Committee is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for 2021 Legacy Fund grants. The LFG Co-Chairs, Roberta Barton, and Toshi Abe encourage JACL chapters in good standing and JACL District Councils to apply. This year, the maximum grant award is $6,000. 

Legacy Fund grants will be awarded for projects and activities that support the mission of JACL and are supportive of the National JACL Strategic Plan. Instructions and application forms may be downloaded from the National JACL’s website at https://jacl.org/legacy-fund-grants-2021 and submissions for grants must be received by May 1, 2021.

The Legacy Fund was established by the JACL National Council at the 1990 JACL National Convention in San Diego. Much of the original funds were donated by JACL members who gave portions of their redress awards to further the legacy of the JACL. Each year, a portion of the earnings from the Legacy Fund Endowment provides the funds to run the LFG program. 

For questions or additional information, please contact the co-chairs, Roberta Barton (rbarton4106@comcast.net) and Toshi Abe (tabe@jacl.org). Completed applications are due by May 1, 2021. Grant award recipients will be announced at the JACL National Convention.

 

Working with eBay to End Sale of Japanese American Incarceration Arifacts

Last week, the JACL and other Japanese American organizations became aware of the sale of several pieces of artwork made by an incarceree at Manzanar Incarceration Camp during World War II on eBay. A letter was sent to eBay signed by 59 national organizations and 29 individuals as well as a change.org petition that received over 1,000 signatures. With only a few hours to spare, several of these coalition members met with eBay representatives who removed the listing and another listing which was found later. 

As a result of this meeting, eBay has asked members of the coalition to work with them on creating guidelines and keywords to be used to search for other items so that eBay can better review items to keep them from being sold in the future. 

You can read a full statement by the Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium (JACSC) here.

You can read a CNN article with interviews from coalition members here.

 

"Our League of Dreams - Documentary of the JACL" Fundraiser

JACL National and film producer Lane Nishikawa have agreed to work together to produce the first educational documentary film about the 90-year history of the JACL. 

OUR LEAGUE OF DREAMS received a $25,000 Japanese American Community Foundation Grant Award through the assistance of the San Diego Chapter JACL. This will cover the costs of shooting in the first five cities. We need your help to meet our production budget goals. Lane has mapped out seventeen cities that he would like to shoot interviews.

Your individual donation or JACL Chapter donation will go a long way towards helping us achieve our goals. We will make sure that your names are prominently highlighted in the end credits of the film.

Once the film is completed, JACL National and Lane will work with any JACL Chapter that wants to hold a public film screening event in their city to fundraise for their chapter, to educate their youth, and network to new audiences for potential new members. 

 

2021 JACL National Convention Announcement

Due to the ongoing safety issues presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, the JACL National Board has decided to postpone a physical convention until at least the Summer of 2022. In the interim, JACL National will be conducting a virtual convention hosted this coming summer, July 15-18, 2021. The virtual convention will include National Council sessions, as well as the usual breakout sessions and workshops that are hosted during convention. More information around the virtual convention and registration will be announced soon!

 

JACL Organizational Sign Ons

 

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

 

JACL Anti-Hate and Hate Crime Resources

For resources, toolkits, articles, and more about anti-hate programs and hate crimes, you can visit our page on JACL.org by clicking the link below.

 

Intergenerational Trauma of Japanese Americans Webinar and Discussion hosted by San Diego JACL

 

JACL Intermountain District Council Congressional Gold Medal Scholarship

For JACL Members looking for scholarship opportunities for the 2021-2022 school year, the Intermountain District Council (IDC) of the JACL is giving out its annual Congressional Gold Medal Scholarship!

The deadline to apply (or to have all materials postmarked if sending by mail) is April 15th.

You can find the detailed program guidelines here. Some important information for the award is:

  • The scholarship is available to any high school graduate, post-secondary education, or graduate school applicant.
  • The scholarship is worth $2000.
  • The primary audience for the scholarship will be descendants of Congressional Gold Medal recipients, though it is not a requirement.
  • Applicants need not be JACL members to apply, but they must meet the scholarship criteria.

The application packet can be found here.

 

Japanese American Veterans Association Scholarship Program

Click the pencil icon above to replace this temporary copy. When you add the content for this text block, make sure it's personal, informational, emotional, and actionable. That's how to ignite change!

The Japanese American Veterans Association announces its annual Memorial Scholarship Program for 2021. The scholarships will benefit a range of graduating high school seniors, undergraduate students, and post-graduate and professional education students. 

Descendants of those who served in the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the Military Intelligence Service, the 1399th Engineer Construction Battalion, or other United States military unit, including the Women’s Army Corps or Army Nurses Corps are eligible and encouraged to apply. 

Current members of JAVA whose membership began prior to April 1, 2019 are eligible and encouraged to apply. Children of current JAVA members are also eligible and encouraged to apply if the applicant’s parent or guardian was a member of JAVA prior to April 1, 2019. 

Past or present members of the Army’s 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry (USAR),  are eligible and encouraged to apply for the Senator Daniel K. Inouye Memorial Scholarship. Applicants should demonstrate their lifelong commitment to public and uniformed service leadership for the nation.

Applicants should first review published rules and forms. Applications and supporting documents must be electronically submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. on Friday, April 30, 2021, to javascholarship222@gmail.com. Applications not received by that date or that fail to meet the submission requirements will NOT be considered. Applicants will be notified of a decision by early June 2021. Awards will be presented at a JAVA scholarship awards ceremony on July 17, 2021. 

 

Seeing LGBTQ Nikkei Conversation Series

Join us for Seeing LGBTQ Nikkei, a collaboration of J-Sei & Okaeri-Los Angeles, a series of programs centered on the perspectives and insights of different generations of queer Japanese Americans.

The experiences of LGBTQ+ Japanese Americans are seldom the focus of community attention. Yet, the wisdom of LGBTQ Nikkei - forged through confrontations with racism, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism – is a vital resource as we create a more inclusive and compassionate society.

Perspectives: Queerness, Ethnicity and Gender in the Arts - April 18, 2021, 4-5:30 pm PT

Artists reflect and interpret cultural anxieties while also creating visions that inspire us to consider alternatives to current reality. How have ethnic identity, gender, and sexual orientation influenced the works of queer Nikkei artists? What other factors have impacted LGBTQ+ Japanese American artists of different generations? Artists working in different media will share their thoughts. In conversation: traci kato kiriyama (moderator), Rey Fukuda, Jill Guillermo Togawa, Nikiko Masumoto, Michael Matsuno

 

"Black + Japanese Reparations" Virtual Event Series and Book Club

 

Help find a Bone Marrow Match for

Paul and Kazumi!

 

Join Us in Support of H.R. 40

JACL Executive Director, David Inoue, discusses JACL’s support of H.R. 40. H.R. 40 would create a commission to examine the institution of slavery, its legacy, and make recommendations to Congress for reparations, beginning a process of repairing and restoring after centuries of enslavement. Click the image above to watch the full video statement. 

 
 
 
 

Follow JACL on:

 

JACL Headquarters
1765 Sutter Street
San Francisco, California 94115
(415) 921-5225 | mbr@jacl.org

JACL DC Office
1629 K Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20006
(202) 223-1240 | policy@jacl.org

Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser

Unsubscribe or change email preferences with the link below

Unsubscribe or Manage Your Preferences