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Weekly Digest
February 15, 2022 |
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JACL's physical offices remain officially closed. Staff continue to do the work of the organization remotely with some visits to the physical office. 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. Stay safe everyone and we hope to see you all in person again soon. - JACL National Staff |
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JACL Applauds Passage of Bill to Add Amache National Historic Site to National Park System |
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Late last night, the Senate unanimously passed legislation to establish the Amache National Historic Site, located outside of Granada, Colorado, as a part of the National Park System. The legislation was led by Colorado Senators Michael Bennet (D) and John Hickenlooper (D) and Colorado U.S. Representatives Joe Neguse (D) and Ken Buck (R)... JACL Executive Director David Inoue stated upon passage of the legislation, “This is an important action by our nation in acknowledging the injustice that was inflicted upon the Japanese American community by our government. This will be an opportunity to share not only the injustice of what happened to those incarcerated at Amache, but also puts their story in the context of Colorado’s history and the bravery of Governor Ralph Carr, who was the rare politician who stood up for the rights of Japanese Americans and opposed the incarceration. His steadfast values cost him his political career.” |
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JACL Welcomes new Membership Coordinator, Ashley Bucher! |
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JACL National is excited to welcome our new membership coordinator, Ashley Bucher! Here's a little bit about Ahsley so you can all get to know her better. "Ashley Bucher is thrilled to join JACL as your new Membership Coordinator! After completing her Master's in Health and Strategic Communication, Ashley gained valuable and relevant experience at marketing agencies for healthcare and non-profit clients. In addition to being a knowledgeable marketer, project manager, and writer, Ashley has a strong connection to our mission – she is a 4th and 5th generation Japanese American whose grandparents and relatives were incarcerated during World War II, and deeply believes that sharing these stories is important. She was also the Executive Director of Jodaiko Japanese Drumming Ensemble at UC Irvine, where she coordinated and performed at events, including for JACL. Ashley is excited and honored to apply her skills to the Membership Coordinator role and looks forward to getting to know everyone!" |
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Campaign For Justice: Redress for Japanese Latin Americans |
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JLA DAY OF ACTION – Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 from 8am-12pm PT Phase 2 of the Japanese American redress campaign is underway. The signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 gave redress to Japanese Americans who were citizens or Legal Permanent Residents when they were interned during World War II, but Japanese Latin Americans were excluded. Now, after a major victory with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), Japanese Latin Americans call upon everyone who supported Phase 1 of the redress campaign to call the White House or write letters to the Biden Administration urging them to honor the rule of international law and give appropriate redress to Japanese Latin Americans. Visit https://jlacampaignforjustice.org/ for more information. |
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Portland JACL Welcomes New Board! |
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In February, the Portland JACL board was sworn in by PNW Governor, Sheldon Arakaki. Left to Right are Sheldon Arakaki, Connie Masuoka, Amanda Shannahan, Spencer Uemura, Jenny Yamada, Chris Lee, Jillian Toda-Currie, Setsy Sadamoto Larouche, Sachi Kaneko, Heidi Tolentino, and Marleen Ikeda Wallingford. Other board members not able to attend the ceremony were Maki Doolittle, Weston Koyama, and Jeff Matsumoto. All of these board members will serve two-year terms and continue the stellar work of the Chapter advocating for civil rights, cultural preservation, and membership growth. Congratulations to the new Portland Chapter board and we're excited to see chapters starting to meet in person! Courtesy of Chip Larouche. |
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Day of Remembrance Events this Week! Still Accepting Events! |
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Events Happening this week (2/15-2/22): If you have an even that isn't listed or updates to any programs, please send information to mweisbly@jacl.org |
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JACL NY/SC Day of Remembrance Program |
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2022 Scholarship Programs! Due in March! |
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JACL Freshman Scholarships due March 4th! All other scholarships are due April 1st! |
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Minoru Yasui Legacy Scholarships due March 1! |
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Atsuhiko Tateuchi Memorial Scholarship due March 1! |
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2022 JACL NEH "Civil Liberties in Times of Crisis: The Japanese American Experience" Applications due March 1! |
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Check out NEH Programs from our partners below! |
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Announcing Applications for the 2022 JACL/OCA Leadership Summit! |
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Applications for the 2022 JACL/OCA Leadership Summit are now open! Since 1984, JACL has been hosting the summit for our members and began partnering with OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates in 1994! We will be hosting the summit in person in Washington, D.C. from May 21 - 24 with health guidelines to keep participants safe. |
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JACL Chicago Announces the 2022 Kansha Project! |
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For 2022 we will run TWO cohorts of the Kansha Project! We will also try to accommodate anyone aged out in the years we were unable to run the program, thus this year we welcome applicants from 18-28 to apply. Applications are due on February 28, 2022, at 11:59 pm. The Kansha Project is a JACL Chicago program founded in 2011 that connects self-identified Japanese Americans, ages 18-25, from the Midwest to their identity, history, and community. This year, the maximum age has been extended to 28 and there will be two trips going in June due to the suspension of the Kansha Program in 2020 and 2021. Participants engage in an in-depth examination of the WWII confinement site experience through an immersive educational trip to Los Angeles’ historic Little Tokyo neighborhood and Manzanar National Historic Site. Through workshops with local experts and community activists, historical tours, and group reflections, participants work to interpret and promote the stories, lessons, and the legacy of the Japanese American confinement site experience. |
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At Start of Black History Month, Over 350 Groups Urge US House Leadership To Back H.R. 40 |
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Last Friday, February 4th, Human Rights Watch sent a letter on behalf of over 360 groups, including over 60 AANHPI organizations, to US House leadership to make H.R. 40 a priority and support bringing it to the floor for a final vote. |
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2022 WHIAANHPI Summer Internship |
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WHIAANHPI offers full-time student volunteer internships year-round (spring, summer, and fall). Part-time applicants who can commit to at least 20 hours a week will be considered, although the Initiative prioritizes full-time applicants (32-40 hours a week). Internships will be based in Washington, DC, with the option to work remotely. Applicants for intern positions must be undergraduate or graduate students who are enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a diploma, certificate, or degree-seeking student. Ideally, the candidate will already be familiar with AA and NHPI issues and have outstanding writing, research, communications, and computer skills. |
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San Diego JACL and National Conflict Resolution Center Bystander Challenge |
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2022 JACL Legacy Fund Grant Applications Now Open! |
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