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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Biden issues Presidential Memorandum on Combating Anti-Asian Sentiment due to COVID-19 |
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From the White House Memorandum: Advancing inclusion and belonging for people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities is critical to guaranteeing the safety and security of the American people. During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, inflammatory and xenophobic rhetoric has put Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) persons, families, communities, and businesses at risk. The Federal Government must recognize that it has played a role in furthering these xenophobic sentiments through the actions of political leaders, including references to the COVID-19 pandemic by the geographic location of its origin. Such statements have stoked unfounded fears and perpetuated stigma about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and have contributed to increasing rates of bullying, harassment, and hate crimes against AAPI persons. These actions defied the best practices and guidelines of public health officials and have caused significant harm to AAPI families and communities that must be addressed. |
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The National Council of Asian Pacific Americans released a statement in response to the memorandum: "NCAPA applauds President Biden’s memorandum addressing the anti-Asian discrimination that increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the start of the pandemic, Asian Americans have been blamed and scapegoated for the cause of the pandemic and have since experienced a rise of xenophobic harassment and violence. The usage of Asian Americans in photos for COVID-19 news articles and the popularization of racist terms, such as “Chinese virus” or “kung flu” by the previous administration to deflect blame have only served to exacerbate attacks on Asian American communities." From Executive Director, David Inoue: “We welcome this first step towards addressing the specific challenges Asian Pacific American communities have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Beyond repudiating the use of racist language to describe COVID-19, we welcome a renewed focus on addressing the anti-Asian hate incidents and crimes that have become all to prevalent, but also remain symptomatic of increasing xenophobia and white supremacist segments within our country and broadly impact all marginalized communities. The creation of a task force to address the inequities of how COVID-19 has impacted APA communities is overdue and will move us towards ensuring all Americans have full access to the medical and economic stimulus programs in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner.” |
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Sakura Gardens Intermediate Care Facility Media Event and JACL Statement |
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Image courtesy of Vini Taguchi, Twin Cities JACL The Press Event will be available to view online at a later date. You can follow Progressive Asian Network for Action for updates as well: www.facebook.com/progressiveasians/ From our statement for today's media event: We call upon Pacifica Companies to pause and take stock of the dangers of proceeding with the closure to its residents, to whom they remain obligated as caregivers. Pacifica must work with greater transparency with the community that has supported Sakura Gardens for its 50 years of existence to ensure the community’s needs are served. Sakura Gardens was founded on the mission to honor our community elders. Pacifica should honor that original mission to serve its residents and ensure their safety throughout the ongoing pandemic. We hope that all interested parties recognize the importance of Sakura Gardens to the immediate Boyle Heights neighborhood and the local Japanese American community and find a way to continue to serve our seniors through the established Sakura Gardens model of care. |
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25th Anniversary of Portland JACL's Mochitsuki Live Program |
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Sunday, January 31st, 2021 at 1:00-2:30pm Pacific Time Join us for the final day of Mochitsuki 2021. This live event will be the culmination of our month-long virtual New Year’s festival. Celebrate 25 years of Mochitsuki in Portland with a Grand Finale program broadcast on YouTube. Alton Takiyama-Chung will MC the program which will include: - Welcome from Consul General Shiga,
- 25-year history of Mochitsuki,
- Tribute to Valerie Otani, core member of Mochitsuki Planning Committee,
- Performances from Elena Moon Park, and
- Live Q&A panel of Asian American artists.
Panelists will include performer, Elena Moon Park; spoken word artist, Sachi Kaneko; violinist, Joe Kye; and visual artist/activist, Ameya Okamoto. This virtual event is partially funded by the JACL Legacy Fund Grants Program and our other sponsors. See below for more information on our live Grand Finale program. This virtual event is partially funded by the JACL Legacy Fund Grants Program. |
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2021 Day of Remembrance Events |
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JACL is looking to compile a list of all of the Day of Remembrance Events coming up around the country for members and their communities to be able to search for events near them. If you have any DOR events in your city or know of any, please email our Policy Fellow, Matthew Weisbly, at mweisbly@jacl.org with details for the event! We'll start posting a list of dates, times, and locations online and here in the digest starting next week! |
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JACL Organizational Sign Ons |
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2021 Presidential Pearl Gala |
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Since 2009, the Pearl Gala has always served as the inaugural ball for the Asian American and Pacific Islander community for Democratic administrations. The 2021 Presidential Pearl Gala is scheduled as a virtual celebration on Thursday, January 28, 2021, at 7:00 PM ET with a virtual mixer at 8:00 PM ET. This event is being produced by the same team from 2009 and 2013 — Francey Youngberg, Gloria Caoile, and Irene Bueno in conjunction with our beneficiary APIAVote. Please support the Presidential Pearl Inaugural Gala—it is not just a celebration but a day to reflect on the results of the election and engage participants in the future direction of the country. In 2009 and 2013, the Presidential Pearl Inaugural Gala played host to 1500 attendees. This year it will be produced as a virtual event highlighting remarks from Congressional members, from the administration, and recent AAPI nominees for appointment. There will be opportunities to engage with one another. |
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"Black + Japanese Reparations" Virtual Event Series and Book Club |
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From the USC Shinso Ito Center for Japanese Religion and Culture: Please join us and our partners at JANM, Densho, and Tsuru for Solidarity for “Black + Japanese American Reparations,” a special virtual events series and book club. Many Black reparations advocates have pointed directly to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988 granting reparations to Japanese Americans interned during World War II as a precedent that can inform the case for restorative justice for African Americans. As Ta-Nehisi Coates has argued, reparations are more than a recompense of past injustices, but a national reckoning “that would lead to spiritual renewal.” The USC Ito Center series and book club is thus predicated on a serious examination of the deeper meaning of “reparations." The #BJAReparations event series is accompanied by a reparations-themed book club that meets every third Tuesday from January to July at 4pm PST. We look forward to connecting with anyone concerned with racial justice and repairing America’s racial karma. The series kicks off with an Introduction Session on January 19. RSVP at dornsife.usc.edu/cjrc. All are welcome and meeting participation is not contingent on having attended previous meetings. |
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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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JACL National Announces the 2021 Scholarship Program |
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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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APAICS & NCAPA Resume Bank for Presidential Appointments |
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For more information about the appointment process, types of appointments, and what to expect, please visit the Partnership for Public Service’s “Ready to Serve” website: https://presidentialtransition.org/readytoserve/ Please review the previous Plum Books to research listings of former appointee positions, departments, agencies, and desired bureaus to inform your application. Access the resume bank submission form here: bit.ly/AAPIResBank |
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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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