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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1 Week Left for Freshman Applicants! JACL National 2021 Scholarship Program |
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REMINDER: 1 WEEK 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 Applauds House Hearing on H.R.40 – Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act |
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Wednesday, February 17, 2021 [Last week] the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties held a hearing on the re-introduction of H.R. 40 – Commission to Study and Develop Reparation Proposals for African Americans Act. H.R. 40 has been introduced in Congress every year since 1989, the year after Japanese American redress passed in the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. It is long past time that this legislation passed Congress and be implemented to begin the path towards restorative racial justice... [Last] week over 300 testimonies from the Japanese American community are being submitted to the Congressional Record in support of H.R. 40. JACL and several other Japanese American organizations have signed on to the “Why We Can’t Wait” letter in support of H.R. 40. Japanese Americans fully understand the power of redress and reparations in our community and cannot silently stand by as our government denies the same overdue apology and reparations to the Black community. |
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JACL Statement on Day of Remembrance |
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Friday, February 19, 2021 [February 19th] marks the 79th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066 which paved the way for the mass incarceration of nearly 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry in the United States. Based on then flimsy, and now fully disproved, claims of national security, the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans is now fully recognized for the racism that served as the foundation for the policy and has been repudiated by our government in the passage of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988. While we remember February 19 as the point in time when EO9066 was signed, we acknowledge that this was one point in a stream of policies intended to oppress and exploit minority communities. The policies against Japanese Americans followed the forced removal of Native Americans from their lands, the enslavement of Africans, and Chinese and Irish worker exploitation in the construction of the railroads followed by the exclusion of Chinese immigration. In the past year, we have seen an escalation of hate incidents targeting Asian American communities not dissimilar to the hate that preceded incarceration. |
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UC Santa Cruz LASER talk with Faculty on Japanese American Incarceration |
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March 11, 2021 at 5pm PST/8pm EST Dr. Jasmine Alinder, “Representing Japanese American Incarceration”
Katharyne Mitchell, “Sanctuary Space and Insurgent Memory” Leonardo Art & Science Evening Rendezvous (LASER) is an international program bringing together artists, scientists, and scholars for presentations and conversations. Join us at 5 p.m. for presentations by Dean of the Humanities and Professor of History, Dr. Jasmine Alinder and Katharyne Mitchell, Dean of the Social Sciences and professor of Sociology at UC Santa Cruz. |
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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 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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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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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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"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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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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