JACL Weekly Digest

June 4, 2024

JACL National News

Register Now for the 2024 JACL National Convention! 2 Weeks left!

Registration closes on June 18th, 2024!

Sponsorship information, committee forms, and volunteer registration are all available online now! Click the button to take you to the convention page below!

The tentative convention schedule is also now available to view!

New Trailer for "League of Dreams"!

A new trailer is available for our documentary film being made in conjunction with filmmaker, Lane Nishikawa! "The League of Dreams", examining the 95-year history of the JACL. The film is currently in its final stages of production and will be screened at the 2024 JACL National Convention this summer! Be sure to join us in Philadelphia to get your first look. 

JACL Organizational Sign-Ons

• LCCHR - The Leadership Conference’s Comments to DOJ on AI in Criminal Justice

JACL Chapters News

If any JACL Chapters would like to submit stories or events to the Weekly Digest, please send inquiries to Education Programs Manager, Matthew Weisbly at mweisbly@jacl.org

Kansha Project Culmination 2024

Over the past eleven years, the Kansha Project has grown from a mere idea into a flagship program of JACL Chicago, sending over 100 alumni across ten cohorts to Little Tokyo, Los Angeles and Manzanar National Historic Site.

The Kansha Project is a transformative program that provides young Japanese Americans the opportunity to learn about our community’s history, develop unique insights about our community’s legacy, and allows participants to explore their identity with other Japanese American young adults. In addition, the Kansha Project provides an entry point for community engagement and a pathway for youth leadership that is vital to the future of the Japanese American community at large.

After a brief pause due to the pandemic, the Kansha Project took two cohorts of ten participants in 2022 and restarted the ALB with nine members. This year, the trip will take place from June 6-9 and celebrate the 2024 Kansha Project cohort with Culmination in Chicago on Saturday, June 29.

• Conal Abatangelo
• Emiko Akiyama Tahara
• Sai Clayton
• Mia Combs
• Amy Do
• Mariko Dowling
• Yukiko Nakano
• Sophia Saito
• Gabriela Senno
• Kei Smith
• Haruka Yukioka

We invite you to join us at Culmination to celebrate this year’s Kansha Project with the Kansha Alumni Leadership Board (ALB) and the 2024 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.

We hope you'll join us for this celebration of community, youth leadership, and legacy.

Questions? Contact JACL Program Director, Rebecca Ozaki at kansha@jaclchicago.org.

Learn more at https://jaclchicago.org/programs/kansha-project/

San Diego JACL Monthly Dialogues

JACL DC Chapter Picnic

Santa Cruz Japanese Cultural Fair Sponsored by Watsonville Santa Cruz JACL

The purpose of the Japanese Cultural Fair is to provide an opportunity for the community to increase its awareness and understanding of Japanese culture. We believe that through increased education and exposure to the culture of Japan, we can help to improve mutual understanding among neighbors of the Pacific Rim and enrich the community of Santa Cruz.

The 2024 Japanese Cultural Fair will be held on Saturday, June 8, 2024 from 11:00 am-6:00 pm at the Mission Plaza Park in Santa Cruz.  Our Watsonville-Santa Cruz JACL Chapter is one of the sponsors of the Japanese Cultural Fair and will have a booth.  Please come visit us!

Shuttle: FREE JCF Shuttle Bus courtesy of Santa Cruz Toyota.  Every year, shuttle service to and from the  Santa Cruz Government Center to the Fair is provided free of charge!

Service Dogs only on a lease in the Park on the day of the Fair. Handicapped parking spaces will be available on Emmett Street.

For more details, see the Japanese Cultural Fair website at https://www.jcfsantacruz.org

From Our Partners

Student Pathways - Archaeology Intern at Honouliuli National Historic Site!

Deadline to apply is June 8, 2024!

Honouliuli National Historic Site is excited to announce a new position posting that is open for applications. The position is a Student Pathways GS-07 Archeologist that will convert to a Career-Seasonal GS-09 upon completion of their degree requirements. This is a great opportunity for students to find an entry into employment with the NPS. We hope to find candidates with a strong interest in WWII history, Japanese American confinement, historical archeology, GIS, and building more field experience. This is an opportunity to work collaboratively with descendant communities at the beginning stages of park development.

Internship Opportunity: Bainbridge Island, WA Community Engagement – Equity and Inclusion Intern

Photo – Northwest Youth Corp member with NPS park ranger

Deadline to apply is June 10, 2024!

Northwest Youth Corps is recruiting one Community Engagement – Equity and Inclusion Intern June/July through October/November 2024 for 20 weeks (800-hrs) to welcome and engage visitors to the Bainbridge Island Japanese American Exclusion Memorial. This position is actively seeking out members of the Japanese American community, appreciating their unique perspectives and skills. Embracing diversity enriches our team, fosters innovation, and strengthens our commitment to creating a welcoming National Park environment where everyone can thrive.

Upcoming Events from the Japanese American Resource Center of Colorado

Saturday, June 8, 2024 / Legacy of the Plains Museum / Japanese Hall Grand Opening

                 9:00 am - 5:00 pm / 2930 Old Oregon Trail / Gering, Nebraska

                 Celebration & Banquet from 5:30 pm / RSVP Required

                 Gering Civic Center / 1050 M Street, Gering, Nebraska

                 see attachments for more information (Japanese Hall News, General Opening)

Monday-Friday, April 15 - June 17 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

                The University of Denver Museum of Anthropology Presents:

                 Artistic and Archaeological Explorations of Internment Gardens

                 Featuring art of Amache survivor, Lily Havey and Archaeological research led

                 by DU's Dr. Bonnie Clark / 2000 E. Asbury / Sturm 102 / Denver, CO

                 see attachment to register (artistic and archaeological) 

Saturday - Sunday, June 22-23 / Sakura Foundation and The Tri-State Buddhist Temple

                 The 50^th Annual Cherry Blossom Festival 

                 Sakura Square: Between 19^th & 20^th Street and Lawrence & Larimer 

Saturday - Sunday, June 22-23 

                 Japanese American Resource Center of Colorado (JARCC)

                 In conjunction with the Cherry Blossom Festival at Sakura Square

                 JARCC's "All Things Japanese Sale" + JARCC's "International Room"

                 THANK YOU! to all of our Generous Donors and Tireless Volunteers!

Saturday, July 6, 2024 / Colorado Okinawa Association 

                  50^th Anniversary Celebration / 11:00 am - 3:30 pm / Free Admission

                  Douglas County Event Center / 500 Fairgrounds Rd. / Castle Rock, CO 

                  see attachment for more information (thumbnail) 

Japanese American Support for Black Reparations: How to Talk About It

Voices in Solidarity - Virtual Fundraiser and Evening in Community

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