JACL Weekly Digest

November 19, 2024

JACL National News

Give the Gift of a JACL Membership Today with our Otoshidama Campaign!

New Year's Day holds a special place in Japanese culture. During this season, families come together to celebrate the dawning of a new year by engaging in traditional activities, such as Otoshidama. Otoshidama is the tradition of presenting children with a monetary gift in the form of a special envelope that bears the new year's zodiac sign (next year is the Snake). We hope you join us in celebrating and honoring the long-standing Japanese tradition of Otoshidama by gifting or renewing a membership for someone you cherish dearly today.

While Otoshidama is typically reserved for youth, our campaign is open to any family or friend who would enjoy the gift of JACL membership! That could be your friend, sibling, parent, co-worker, or any special person in your life. Whether you think your giftee could benefit from our scholarship opportunities or become a future leader for the organization,  JACL has something to offer for every member.

Otoshidama ends 12/23/2024, so we hope you gift a membership today!

ACTION ALERT: Ask Your Representative to Support Non-Profit Organizations by Voting NO on H.R. 9495

Last week, the House of Representatives voted to support a bill that has an inclusion that would give future administrations unprecedented power to target nonprofits and strip them of their tax-exempt status. This bill would allow the Treasury Secretary to label organizations as “terrorist-affiliated” without due process—a direct threat to the charities, advocacy groups, and nonprofits that fight for justice, defend civil rights and support marginalized communities. The measure could target humanitarian aid groups, news outlets, schools, and countless civil society organizations.

Furthermore, the legislation runs counter to constitutional due process protections by placing the burden of proof on the accused organization and providing only 90 days for organizations to demonstrate their innocence before revoking their tax-exempt status. Even if the Secretary’s decision were successfully reversed, these organizations would risk irreparable damage to their operations and reputation.

Applications for the 2025 Norman Y. Mineta Fellowship are Available Now!

The Norman Y. Mineta Fellowship is named for the late Secretary and Congressman from San Jose, CA. The fellow will monitor key legislative initiatives of importance to the JACL mission, and design and implement JACL-sponsored programs among other tasks and duties.

This fellowship provides the opportunity to work on advocacy issues and educational programs at a national level through the JACL Washington, D.C. Office. As a fellow, you will become a key component of the national staff; representing JACL and its members within D.C. and various community networks. Fellows can expect to play a large role in policy initiatives and execute programs such as JACL / OCA Leadership Summit, the Kakehashi Program, and JACL National Convention.

Final Deadline: Sunday, December 1, 2024 at 11:59 PM HST. 

Program Dates: Start January 2025. This fellowship term lasts 1 year, with the possibility of being extended for an additional year.

JACL is Hiring! Looking for a Director of Fundraising and Membership Development

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

Care & Consumption J-Talks: Godzilla Edition Part 3 hosted by JACL MDC

Thank you to many of our community members who joined us last week for Part 2 with academic, Dr. Yuki Miyamoto, Ph.D and/or for Part 1 with artist, Derrick Fields! We invite you to complete our trilogy (of course new attendees are welcome too!) with our third and final installment of the J-Talks: Godzilla Edition - Care & Consumption Webinar series this Wednesday, November 20th at 7:00pm with aficionado, Gabriel Coronado (he/him) - Lifelong Godzilla Fan & President, Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program Alumni Association - Chicago. Gabriel brings the aficionado perspective to our webinar series as his love for Godzilla is grounded in family connection and cultural understanding. More information & RSVP Required via Guestlist: https://www.jetaachicago.com/post/part-3-of-j-talks-godzilla-edition-with-aficionado-gabriel-coronado-on-november-20th.

The J-Talks: Godzilla Edition Trilogy is supported in partnership of Japan Exchange & Teaching (JET) Program Alumni Association - Chicago and The Japanese American Citizen League (JACL) - Midwest District Council (MDC), Young Professionals Caucus (YPC). J-Talks: Strengthening Ties Through Dialogue, which centers around themes of identity, social issues, cultural understanding, and leadership as experienced by people with meaningful connections to Japan. In honor of Godzilla’s 70th anniversary, this year’s J-Talk Webinars are a series of interviews that center around the themes of Care & Consumption in relation to the King of the Monsters origins, history and cultural impact. Join us as we connect with JET alumni and members of the US-Japan community about how we interact with Japanese culture and how our perception evolves over time.

JACL DC Chapter Annual Mochitsuki

San Diego JACL Monthly Virtual Dialogue December 2024

From Our Partners

Okaeri Connects: Supporting Our LGBTQ+ Family Members

Go For Broke Stamps Still Available!

From Past Prejudice to Present Policy:
The Impact of Land Ownership Exclusion Laws on Diverse Communities

Join Committee of 100, APA Justice and experts from the worlds of legal and public policy for this eye-opening discussion on the troubling resurgence of alien land laws and the future of property rights and civil liberties. These historically discriminatory policies reemerging in state legislatures across the U.S. were originally designed to prevent non-citizens, particularly those from AAPI communities, from owning property. These laws are now being reframed as safeguards to national resources. We will discuss whether land ownership exclusion laws properly address national security concerns or whether they are merely a pretext that infringes upon civil rights and liberties under the guise of protection.

DOJ Community Relations Service is Hiring

DOJ Conciliation Specialist with the Community Relations Service

This is a Conciliation Specialist position in the Department of Justice, Community Relations Service (CRS). CRS' mission is to provide tension reduction and conflict resolution services to diverse stakeholders to both resolve and prevent community-level disputes. CRS provides facilitated dialogue, mediation, training, and consultation to assist these communities to come together, develop solutions to the conflict, and enhance their capacity to independently prevent and resolve future conflict.

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