COVID-19 and JACL operations and resources |
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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 |
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TOMORROW! House Judiciary Subcommittee Hearing on HR 40 |
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The Japanese American community will be represented at tomorrow's hearing by Kathy Masaoka from Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR) and Nikkei Progressives. The Japanese American community has currently submitted nearly 300 pieces of testimony in support of HR 40 that will be submitted for tomorrow's hearing. If you would still like to submit testimony in support, you may do so for 5-days following the hearing. You can send testimonies to: tsuruforsolidarity@gmail.com The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties hearing will be held on Wednesday, February 17th, 2021 at 10am EST/7am PST. |
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JACL Special Screening of Minari Thursday, February 25 |
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We've teamed up with Gold House for a special members-only screening of Minari! Synopsis: A tender and sweeping story about what roots us, Minari follows a Korean-American family that moves to an Arkansas farm in search of their own American Dream. The family home changes completely with the arrival of their sly, foul-mouthed, but incredibly loving grandmother. Amidst the instability and challenges of this new life in the rugged Ozarks, Minari shows the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home.
This screening will be limited to 100 attendees, and will take place ONLY on Thursday, February 25th from 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT to 11:30pm ET/8:30pm PT! The tickets will be prioritized for members, on a first-come, first-serve basis, so RSVP below! Please be sure to read all the details on the RSVP because you will be receiving a secondary email from Gold House on how to sign up and watch the film! RSVPS CLOSE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22 at 9am PST/12pm EST |
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This Week! 2021 JACL National Day of Remembrance Event and DOR Event Listings |
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FACEism: A panel discussion of history and accountability. The event will be streamed online, Friday, February 19th at 6pm EST/3pm PST. JACL National will once again be co-sponsoring a Day of Remembrance event with the Smithsonian Institute's Museum of American History. The event will be hosted by Modupe Labode, Curator and Public Historian, Smithsonian, National Museum of American History. Panelists will include JACL National Fellows, Matthew Weisbly and Cheyenne Cheng, ABC7 Anchor and FACEism host, David Ono, and President and CEO of JANM, Ann Burroughs. |
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The JACL National Youth/Student Council will also be hosting a Day of Remembrance live stream on Instagram with Dr. Lily Tamai from UCLA on Friday, February 19th at 5pm PST/8pm EST! You can catch the live stream on Instagram by following @jaclnysc! |
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To view a full list of DOR events happening nationwide, click below! |
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2021 JACL National Convention Announcement |
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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! |
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JACL 2021 Legacy Fund Grant Announcement |
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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/ 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. |
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Book Talk with Professor David M. Forman |
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Join Honolulu JACL Member and Professor at the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, David Forman, for the launch of his new book: Legal Actions for Future Generations. The event will be free, with no RSVP necessary! You can join using the login information here! Join Zoom Meeting: https://hawaii.zoom.us/j/94957164628 Passcode: DavidF |
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JACL National 2021 Scholarship Program - 2 Weeks left for Freshman Apps! |
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REMINDER: 1 MONTH LEFT FOR FRESHMAN APPLICATIONS WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) announced that the 2021 National Scholarship and Awards Program is now underway. The JACL annually offers approximately 30 college scholarships for students who are incoming college freshmen, undergraduates and graduates, and those specializing in law and the creative/performing arts. There are also financial aid scholarships for those demonstrating a need for financial assistance. Scholarship Program guidelines, instructions, and applications have been posted on the JACL website, www.jacl.org, and can be accessed by clicking the “Youth” tab on the menu bar. You may also click the button below “To Learn More or Apply Click Here.” Starting this year, the application forms for the scholarship program will be completely online. Freshman applications must be submitted directly by the applicant to National JACL through the online form no later than March 1, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (HST). Applications for the non-freshman scholarship categories (undergraduate, graduate, law, creative/performing arts, and financial aid) are also to be sent directly by the applicant to National JACL through the online form no later than April 1, 2021, 11:59 p.m. Hawaiian Standard Time (HST). For more information on the National JACL Scholarship Program, contact Scholarship Program Manager Matthew Weisbly at scholarships@jacl.org. |
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JACL is now hiring for a Membership Coordinator. Phillip says, “It’s a great time to work in the movement for social justice and in the Japanese American community. Plus, you get to work with our awesome volunteers (and youth) while developing highly sought fundraising skills.” Please feel free to forward the position widely.
View the full Membership Coordinator job posting at here or the PDF here. |
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"Black + Japanese Reparations" Virtual Event Series and Book Club |
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Help find a Bone Marrow Match for Paul and Kazumi! |
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2021 Minoru Yasui Student Contest |
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“If there is suffering or pain that is unfairly imposed upon anyone, it’s my duty, it’s your duty to try to alleviate it because that’s the way in which we gain a better life for all of us.” — Minoru Yasui The Minoru Yasui Student Contest is proud to announce its 2021 essay competition on Refugee and Immigrant Experiences. We celebrate the ideas and opinions of students in grades 6 through 12 and challenge them to write an original and thoughtful essay exploring refugee or immigrant experiences. Their essay should also demonstrate an understanding of the life and legacy of Minoru Yasui, who spent over 40 years as a dedicated leader serving diverse and often marginalized communities. Students are encouraged to research and share meaningful stories about the conditions, challenges, and support experienced by immigrants and refugees coming to the United States. At the same time, we hope to inspire the next generation of leaders who can embrace complex issues as Min Yasui did - with courage, agility, and thoughtfulness. For more information on contest details, please go to the Minoru Yasui Legacy Project website: minoruyasuilegacy.org/student-contest. Here’s what you need to know: Other resources include: -
For curriculum, logistics, and educational resources related to the life and legacy of Minoru Yasui and primary sources about Oregon’s Nikkei community, please contact Jennifer Fang at jennifer@oregonnikkei.org -
For student experience and research guidance, please contact Alan Zhou at alanzhou2018@gmail.com or Kyler Wang at kyler.y.wang@gmail.com |
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Join Us in Support of H.R. 40 |
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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. |
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We've updated our Hate Crimes Page to include more information and reporting options for members of the community as hate crimes increase as a result of COVID-19. You can visit the updated page here. |
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