Weekly Digest
June 20, 2023

- 2023 JACL National Convention -

Register Now to join us in July!

Convention Hotel Reservation Rates End June 30th!

Join us for a sunny, lively, and invigorating 53rd JACL Convention, "Rooted in Community", in the heart of L.A.'s Little Tokyo!

Our 2023 theme of “Rooted in Community” perfectly encompasses your cultural immersion into Little Tokyo's community organizations, museums, history, and, of course, food and shopping! We want to continue the momentum from last year's theme, "Strengthening our Community Through Action."

You can also scan the QR Code below to register! 

CONVENTION HOTEL REGISTRATION CLOSES JUNE 30! BOOK NOW!

DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Downtown is now accepting hotel reservations. Click below to book, modify, or cancel your hotel reservations.

DoubleTree Los Angeles Downtown -120 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Convention Rate: $199/night

Juneteenth 2023: A Day for Reflection, A Call for Reparations

Amicus Brief on Florida Alien Land Laws

JACL has joined several racial justice centers, legal groups, and other civil rights organizations in sending an amicus brief in support of preliminary injunctions looking at the legality of the recently passed alien land laws in Florida. As the case and other legal actions against these laws continue in the coming months, we will continue to update the membership on outcomes and other information as it happens. 

We're hiring for a new Daniel K. Inouye Fellow!

The fellowships provide the opportunity to work on advocacy at a national level through the National JACL office based in Washington, D.C. As a fellow, you will become a key component of the D.C. team. In this position you will be working with JACL staff, other fellows, and the executive director, collectively working to mobilize and inform local chapters. As part of this D.C. branch of National JACL, fellows are integral in establishing a voice for JACL and its members within D.C and the various networks. This voice is critical when it comes to policy issues that affect our communities and collaborating with other organizations in order to establish a stronger collective voice.

Nisei Veterans Committee and Foundation 78th Annual Memorial Day Service

Some 150 family and community supporters, veterans, and special guests gathered in very cool and under overcast skies for the 78th Annual Nisei Veterans Committee Memorial Day Service honoring Japanese Americans in duty to our country.  The remembrance ceremony was held next to a 22-foot tall granite obelisk inscribed with the sites of major campaigns of WW II in Europe and the Pacific as well as the names of those Killed In Action from the Spanish-American War, WW I, WW II, the Korean Conflict, Vietnam and Grenada, featured guest speaker Deputy Assistant to the President Erika Moritsugu, and Congressman and House Armed Services committee member Adam Smith who provided introductory remarks. 

The Seattle JACL was among a dozen community and veterans organizations that presented memorial wreaths to honor the Japanese Americans who fought for this country and to remember the 18 Nisei veterans who passed away since the previous Memorial Day service.

Photo Caption: Seattle JACLers Erin Shigaki, Kyle Kinoshita, Erika Moritsugu, Sheldon Arakaki

Photo By: Eugene Tagawa

JACL Chicago Kansha Culmination

Saturday, June 23, 2023; 2 – 5 PM

Church of Christ Presbyterian | 5846 N. Spaulding Avenue Chicago, IL 60659

We invite you to join us at Culmination to celebrate this year’s Kansha Project with the Kansha Alumni Leadership Board (ALB) and the 2023 program participants! Participants will share reflections of their experience of their trip to Little Tokyo, LA and Manzanar Historic Site and present their unique projects summarizing their experience to the community. 

A Kansha Project Alumni event will follow the Culmination event from 5:30-7:30 at Alarmist Brewing! 

RSVP: Eventbrite – https://kanshaculmination2023.eventbrite.com

In Wisconsin, there have been increasing incidents reported of local school districts, school board members, school administrators as well as self-declared “parent” and “concerned citizens” groups advocating for and enacting policies which have encouraged increased Anti-Asian sentiment towards Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) students, families, and communities.  Have your JACL chapter members experienced similar circumstances in your local communities?

Please share information about circumstances or incidents of Anti-Asian Sentiment encouraged through your local school districts, school boards, school administrators or parents/community groups - particularly:

• What were the circumstances or incidents involved?;
• How were APIDA students, families or communities affected?;     and
• What could/should JACL chapters and members do to effectively address these situations?      

Please send your responses to Ron Kuramoto, President, JACL-Wisconsin Chapter at rcmkuramoto@att.net by July 5th.  Your responses will be compiled and discussed as part of a workshop co-facilitated by Ron and Mieko Kuramoto on Friday, July 21st at the JACL National Convention in Little Tokyo-Los Angeles.

Thank you and hope to see you in L.A.!

President’s Advisory Commission on Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders Meeting in July

• Purpose: The meeting is the sixth in a series of federal advisory committee meetings regarding the development of recommendations to promote equity, justice, and opportunity for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA and NHPI) communities.

• Date: The Commission will meet on July 6, 2023, from 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) to 11:30 p.m. ET. The confirmed time and agenda will be posted here. 

• Public Participation: The meeting is open to the public and will be live streamed. Registration is required here.

• Comments: The Commission seeks responses to several questions contained within this Federal Register Notice. Written comments are welcomed throughout the development of the Commission’s recommendations and may be emailed to AANHPICommission@hhs.gov at any time. Individuals may also submit a request to provide oral public comments responding to those questions. For details and directions, please click here.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Support Typhoon Mawar Relief Efforts

The Micronesia Climate Change Alliance, in partnership with other island-based and national organizations, has compiled a list of donation options in response to the devastation caused by Typhoon Mawar on the island of Guam on May 24th. What started as a category 4 typhoon soon turned into a category 5, damaging entire homes and destroying the island's critical infrastructure. In the days since the storm, families and individuals have begun working toward rebuilding the island; unfortunately, reliable access to water and power continues to remain precarious. Additionally, cyber attacks on banking institutions and delayed deliveries of aid due to the federally enforced Jones Act have only compounded the challenges facing Guam and its neighboring islands.

To learn more, please consider supporting the following set of community-led initiatives: 

1. Micronesia Climate Change Alliance: Direct Donation
2. Onsite Volunteer Form: For those based in Guam and looking to assist in clearing debris or assembling and distributing kits. Lead by Micronesian Climate Change Alliance
3. Island Girl Power (Guam): Direct Donation
4. Restoring & Repairing Sagan Kotturan CHamoru (Community and Cultural Center): Direct Donation
5. Guam Animals In Need (GAIN) by Boonie Flight Project: Direct Donation
6. St. Dominic’s Senior Care Home: Direct Donation
7. The House of Chamorros: Direct Donation
8. Guåhan Sustainable Culture: Food sovereignty and food security in Guåhan
9. Hammoudeh Family: Direct Aid to Family
10. Local Resident Reena Quintanilla: Direct Aid to Family
11. Habibi Catering: Food donation 
12. FEMA: Federal resources (state, local, and national)

* To see the same list, in its Linktreeform, please click the button above.

For questions or concerns, please reach out to:

Bridget Keaveney, JACL Policy Fellow,  at: bkeaveney@jacl.org

JACL Chicago's Camp Daikon!

Saturday, July 29 & Sunday, July 30th, 2023 | 10am – 4pm both days

Location : Japanese American Service Committee | 4427 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60640

Free with advance registration! | Registration closes at 11:59pm on Friday, June 30th 

Participants will be notified in early July.

Light breakfast and lunch will be provided to participants. 

Registration Link: https://bit.ly/campdaikon2023 

Camp Daikon was created in collaboration by JACL Chicago’s Next Gen Nikkei and Nikkei Uprising. 

Calling all Japanese American & Nikkei Identifying young people (16-29) in the Chicagoland area interested in social justice! Join us for Camp Daikon, a 2 day retreat with workshops on activism and identity. 

For questions, contact Rebecca Ozaki, JACL Chicago Program Director at rebecca@jaclchicago.org or call 773-728-7171. 

2023 60th Anniversary March on Washington 

National Action Network has announced their Not a Commemoration, a Continuation March on Washington, scheduled for August 26th, 2023. The march looks back on the 60 years since the original march back in 1963 and all the achievements and failures that have occurred in the time in between. For more information and to register click the link below to visit the sign-up form from NAN. JACL looks forward to participating in this upcoming march just as we did 60 years ago. 

Help Find a Match for Mama Grannis!

From Kina Grannis: 

Hi! Kina, Emi, and Misa Grannis here. Thanks for coming to help save our mom’s life. Here’s the deal: If you know our family, you know that our mom is an incredibly magical human. If you don’t know our family, trust us when we tell you that she brings light to everything and everyone she touches. Right now, she needs your help.

The short version:

1. Mama G has a bone marrow cancer called myelofibrosis.

2. She needs a blood stem cell donor* as soon as possible to save her life.

3. To see if you are her match, all you have to do is swab your cheeks with DKMS provided swabs.

*Due to our mom’s specific condition, she needs a blood stem cell donor, not a bone marrow donor. It’s a different (and much simpler) donation process. Either way, all that’s required up front are cheek swabs.

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