Headline News

JACL Mourns the Passing of Gordon Hirabayashi

January 5, 2012

San Francisco, CA.  - Civil rights legend Gordon Hirabayashi passed away this week. Hirabayashi is known best for his crucial role in fighting the curfew laws imposed upon Japanese Americans during World War II. The JACL is saddened by this news and extends its most sincerest condolences to the Hirabayashi family.

Click here to read the JACL's official statement on Gordon Hirabayashi's passing.

JACL Response to The New York Times' "The How of an Internment, but Not All the Whys"

December 20, 2011

Washington, D.C.  - On December 10 The New York Times' published Edward Rothstein's review of the new Heart Mountain Interpretive Learning Center, called "The How of an Internment, but Not All the Whys."  After describing the internment camp site, Rothstein suggests that the United States had reason to suspect that interned Japanese Americans were connected to Japanese enemy forces.  The JACL is alarmed that these insinuations have been published in a major news outlet after decades of research have proved just the opposite.  The JACL has written letter to the Executive Editor of The New York Times calling for responsible, fact-based reporting on the history of the Japanese American internment.

Click here to read the JACL's letter to The New York Times' Executive Editor.

JACL Now Accepting Applications for Congressional Internships

December 19, 2011

Washington, D.C.  - JACL is seeking young leaders for the John Moy & Southwest Airlines Congressional Internship program.  Interns will be placed in congressional members' offices on Capitol Hill for eight weeks during winter and spring 2012. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis.

Click here to find more information and the application.

Action Alert:  National Defense Authorization Act

December 16, 2011

Washington, D.C.  - Last week , the House and Senate passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).  This bill will gives the president the authority to order the military to detain American citizens suspected of ties to terrorist organizations without charge or trial.  President Obama has announced that he no longer plans to veto NDAA.  The JACL encourages members and supporters of civil liberties to send an email to President Obama asking him to reconsider a veto and reaffirm his commitment to the American people.

Click here to send a message.

JACL Condemns Advertisers' Reactions to All American Muslim

December 14, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- The JACL condemns the Islamaphobic fervor that has surrounded the TLC television program All American Muslim.  In particular, the JACL deplores the craven decisions of several companies to pull their advertising from the program due to pressure from anti-Muslim groups.

Click here to read more.

JACL Announces 2012 Scholarship Program

November 16, 2011

San Francisco, CA -- The National JACL has kicked off its Scholarship Program for the
2012 academic year. The JACL offers over 30 awards, with an annual total of over $70,000
in scholarships. Awards are available in the following categories: Freshman, Undergraduate, Graduate, Law, Creative & Performing Arts, and Financial Aid.

Click here for more information.

Click here to visit our Scholarship Page.

NY/SC Hosts Third Youth Leadership Summit

November 10, 2011

Chicago, IL -- The JACL National Youth/Student Council (NY/SC) held its third Youth Leadership Summit in Chicago, sponsored by State Farm ® and Southwest Airlines, the official airline of the JACL. The Youth Leadership Summit program aims to build a network of JACL youth leaders who understand local, regional and national Asian Pacific American issues, and have the skills necessary to become effective advocates for their community. More than 30 local and regional participants attended the program.

Click here to read more.

Poston as a National Historic Site

November 9, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- The National Park System Advisory Board Landmarks Committee met this afternoon in Washington, D.C. to consider the Poston Elementary School, Unit 1, as a National Historic Landmark.  Poston was one of the ten main concentration camps in which Japanese Americans and their families were incarcerated during World War II.  The Committee voted unanimously to recommend the site for National Historic Landmark designation. 

Click here to read more.

A Salute to Veterans - National Director Report

November 4, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- Japanese American Army veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, the 100th Infantry Battalion, and the Military Intelligence Service (MIS) of the United States Army, who served valiantly during World War II, were honored on November 2 in Washington, D.C. as they were collectively presented with the Congressional Gold Medal.  Over 300 veterans were in attendance to accept their replicas of the medal.  The veterans, widows, next of kin of deceased veterans, family members, and friends attending the festivities numbered more than 2,500. 

Click here to read more.

Click here for JACL National Executive Director's, reflections on the ceremony.

"Passing the Legacy Down" Sneak Preview Available!

October 26, 2011

Passing the Legacy Down Trailer from Marissa Kitazawa on Vimeo.

San Francisco, CA -- The JACL announced that a new video, "Bridging Communities, Passing the Legacy Down" will be released this December.  The video documents the Bridging Communities Program conducted in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, and which brought Asian American and American Muslim high school students together to learn with and from one another.
The video, which was directed and produced by Marissa Kitazawa and Alex Margolin, takes viewers to Manzanar, Tule Lake and Minidoka and captures some of the highlights and lessons experienced by the students as they walked the grounds where former incarcerees were once confined.

Click here to read more.

National JACL Extends Best Wishes to
Helen Kawagoe and Hopes for a Speedy Recovery

October 21, 2011

San Francisco, CA -- The JACL just recently learned that Helen Kawagoe, past National JACL President, suffered a stroke on September 18, 2011.  The JACL extends its best wishes to Helen for a speedy recovery and hopes that she will soon be back to full health and vitality.

Click here to read more.

JACL Applauds Passage of Senate Resolution Addressing Chinese Exclusion Laws

October 11, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- The JACL  applauds the passage of Senate Resolution 201, which addresses the discriminatory laws against the Chinese in America, including the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882. The prime sponsor was Senator Scott Brown (R-MA).  Co-sponsor was Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who has been a champion of civil rights and a friend of the Asian American community.  The Senators worked together to show the truth of a sad historical record and to make things right.

Click here to read more.

JACL Holds Fifth DC Gala

October 3, 2011

Washington, D.C. -- The JACL held its fifth annual Gala event in Washington, D.C. on September 29, 2011.  The Honorable Norman Y. Mineta served as Honorary Chairman of the Gala.  Secretary Mineta welcomed Gala attendees as did David Kawamoto, National JACL President, and the Honorable Ichiro Fujisaki (Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan to the United States of America).  The emcee was Denise Nakano, a news anchor for NBC in Philadelphia.

Click here to read more.

 

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Important Dates

February 11, 2012
National Board Meeting
San Francisco, CA

July 5-8, 2012
43rd Annual JACL National Convention
Hyatt Regency
Bellevue, WA

 

 

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JACL Programs and Resources

The JACL Anti-Hate Program responds to incidents of defamation and hate crimes and promotes the values and practice of tolerance and diversity in our schools, businesses and communities.

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The JACL seeks to educate and train members of the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community so they may become effective leaders and contribute to the well-being of their respective communities and the public at-large.

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The NY/SC is comprised of representatives from JACL's seven districts across the country. The NY/SC organizes programs to actively engage students in campus, community and civil rights issues.

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The JACL provides educational materials to promote a better understanding about the history and contributions made by Japanese Americans, which reflect on the American value of creating an acceptance of diversity in our society.

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