415 345-1075 pwada@jacl.org

Events

Promote cultural, educational and social values & preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.

Video Available for Nisei Veterans Virtual Memorial Day Service Event on May 25 2020

May 26, 2020

For those of you who missed the Virtual Memorial Day Event remembering the service and sacrifices of our Nisei veterans, a video is available. Click the post title to view links.

Link to Full Playlist

1. Opening Segment: https://youtu.be/J5lZ3xNQzv0
2. Message from Mayor Yves Bonjean: https://youtu.be/F0XSrhsiVBA
3. Keynote Speaker Marielle Tsukamoto: https://youtu.be/prf8n34MByk
4. Message from Shinye Gima: https://youtu.be/V5jTbjLyeHg
5. Closing of First Half: https://youtu.be/T6fG62QQ-nY
6. Back to Bruyeres & Pamela Young: https://youtu.be/IKPC_Dm2SeA
7. 100th Battalion Reenactment Group: https://youtu.be/_eV5cPgUVIE
8. Go For Broke National Education Committee: https://youtu.be/rUn6BdMZeag
9. Dream Big! & Keith Horikawa: https://youtu.be/sK4h0cf8bfY
10. Go For Broke Music Video & Kaze Jones: https://youtu.be/om1Lgt5rIzM
11. Yosh Nakamura & Closing Acknowledgements: https://youtu.be/XKTZogQk128

The memorial ceremony was presented by Master of Ceremonies, Steve Okamoto (San Mateo JACL). Rev. Henry Adams of San Mateo Buddhist Church provided the beautiful invocation that he explained as being something that embraces all religious backgrounds. The keynote speaker was Marielle Tsukamoto (Sacramento, CA), who reflected on her visit to Bruyeres. Dr. Shinye Gima (MIS vet – Honolulu) who gave a touching reflection on Memorial Day in the time of Covid-19. Todd Mizuriha (Portland, OR) performed both the National Anthem and Taps.

The memorial ceremony was followed by an educational program.

Topics:

  • Topics:
  • BCo/100Btn/442RCT Re-enactment Group from Japan Video and Message with Hidenori Koda (Maizuru, JP)
  • Video and Message from Go For Broke National Education Center
  • Excerpts from JN Production’s “Dream Big! – A Post War Success Story: The Nisei Soldiers of WWII”
  • A message from Col. Keith Horikawa, Former Commander of the 100th Battalion, 442nd Infantry Regiment, US Army Reserve (Honolulu, HI)
  • Music Video and Interview with LA-based musician DC Kaze Jones (Los Angeles, CA)
  • Closing Reflections by Yoshio (Yosh) Nakamura, Regimental Combat Team Veteran, (Los Angeles, CA)

A big thank you to Susan Yuen for splitting up the recordings into consumable and clear sections and for making all of the above possible.

Virtual Book Talk with John Tateishi

May 14, 2020

Virtual Book Talk with John Tateishi
Hosted by Berkeley JACL
May 23 / 1-2:30PM PDT
Email berkeleyjacl@gmail.com for Zoom info.
Buy book at Heyday Books with a 30% discount before 5/31.
Use code jaclberkeley at checkout

John Tateishi will be discussing his new book “REDRESS The Inside Story of the Successful Campaign of Japanese American Reparations”.

Tsuru for Solidarity

Nov 1, 2019

Information and “Mini-Fold-in” November 23, 2019. (view in browser)

Next year’s pilgrimage will be historic for people of Japanese ancestry to heal our own intergenerational wounds by standing in solidarity with immigrants and all people of color being targeted by policies of hatred and fear so reminiscent of our past. Representing wings of hope, we will bring 125,000 paper cranes to hang on the White House fence, one for each Japanese American and Japanese Latin American incarcerated in American concentration camps during WWII.

We will bring tsuru from across the country, beat our taiko drums, and raise our voices to demand that this administration STOP REPEATING HISTORY!

Please join us to learn more about Tsuru Fold-Ins, Caravan for Justice, Petition to Close the Camps, Healing Circles for Change, JA Memorial Gathering, and local and regional protest actions.

Event Co-Sponsors so far: Parkview Presbyterian Church, Florin JACL-Sacrament Valley, Placer JACL, CAIR-Sacramento Valley/Central California, Campaign for Immigrant Detention Reform (CIDR), Jewish Action NorCal, National Lawyers Guild Sacramento, NorCal RESIST, Sacramento Buddhist Church

Please RSVP by Nov. 20th: Josh Kaizuka at jkaizuka@sbcglobal.net

For folding and stringing instructions for the Tsuru (paper cranes) click HERE

We look forward to seeing you there!
Satsuki Ina, Kathy Kojimoto, Christine Umeda, Marielle Tsukamoto,
Jesse Okutsu, Josh Kaizuka

Website
Facebook
Twitter

Sebastopol World Friends

Nov 1, 2019

Sister City Friendship Dinner – Where Sushi Meets Borsch

Date: Saturday, November 2
Time: 5:30pm
Location: Enmanji Buddhist Temple Memorial Hall 1200 Gravenstein Hwy South, Sebastopol

Join us for this special evening celebrating Sebastopol’s sister city relationships with Takeo, Japan and Chyhyryn, Ukraine.  Delicious food from Ukraine and Japan.  Cultural entertainment by the Burevisnyky Ukrainian Dance Ensemble and Sonoma County Taiko!

Proceeds from this year’s silent auction will be donated to Takeo World Friends for their rebuilding effort after the recent flooding disaster, which severely damaged the houses and businesses of many of our friends in Takeo.

Open to the public. Suggested donations: $20 for adults and $10 for children.

Information and questions:
Sebastopol World Friends Website

Email Sebastopol World Friends

Facebook Event

707-347-9339

National Pilgrimage to Close the Camps

Nov 1, 2019

Community members are invited to an informational gathering with the Bay Area team of the Tsuru for Solidarity Project to learn about a ‘National Pilgrimage to Close the Camps’ scheduled for June 5-7, 2020..  Tsuru for Solidarity is a nonviolent, direct action project of Japanese American social justice advocates working to end detention sites and support front-line immigrant and refugee communities that are experiencing injustice and oppression.
Event information
October 26, 2019
San Francisco Buddhist Church
1881 Pine St
10 am – 12 noon
Please come to meet members of the Bay Area Tsuru for Solidarity Team to learn more about who we are and how you can join our effort in preparation for the“National Pilgrimage to Close the Camps” in Washington, D.C. on June 5-7, 2020.
This event will be a historic pilgrimage for people of Japanese ancestry to heal our own intergenerational wounds by standing in solidarity with immigrants and all people of color being targeted by policies of hatred and fear so reminiscent of our past. Representing wings of hope, we will bring 125,000 paper cranes to hang on the White House fence, one for each Japanese American and Japanese Latin American incarcerated in American concentration camps during WWII.
We will bring tsuru from across the country,  beat our taiko drums, and raise our voices to demand that this administration STOP REPEATING HISTORY!
Please join us to learn more about Tsuru Fold-Ins, Caravan for Justice, Petition to Close the Camps, Healing Circles for Change, JA Memorial Gathering, and local and regional protest actions.
Please RSVP by Oct. 23rd to attend this informational meeting by contacting Satsuki Ina at satsukina44@gmail.com
We look forward to seeing you there!
Satsuki Ina, Kathy Kojimoto, Kim Miyoshi,
Chizu Omori, Emiko Omori, Nancy Ukai

NCWNP District Gala 2019

Nov 30, 2018

It is with great anticipation that the NCWNP District JACL sponsors the upcoming NCWNP District Gala Awards Recognition Luncheon to be held on April 6, 2019 at the Crow Canyon Country Club in Danville, CA.  This is a rare opportunity to honor those chapter members of the NCWNP District for their stalwart dedication to the mission of JACL.  Join us in celebrating our district’s 90 years of unwavering commitment to civil rights and civic engagement.

Silent auction proceeds from this event will be dedicated to fundraising efforts for the Wakamatsu Tea Colony 150th Anniversary celebration – WakaFest150.  A historic landmark farm in Placerville, California, it is the original site of the Wakamatsu Tea and Silk Farm Colony established June 8, 1869.  As the site of the first Japanese colony in the USA, it marks the birthplace of the first Japanese American and grave site of the first Japanese immigrant woman buried in the USA.

We hope you will join us in this endeavor by contributing to our event in one of the following ways; place an ad in our program booklet, contribute with a silent auction item, make a monetary donation or attend our gala by sponsoring a table.

Please download all NCWNP District Gala 2019 Forms and Letters here.

63th Annual CAAMFest May 10 – 24

May 15, 2018

During the heart of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we are thrilled to showcase so many stories from our communities and to amplify the vital voices of our filmmakers and artists. Our 15-day festival — now four days longer — encompasses more than 100 film screenings and events in over 15 venues throughout San Francisco and Oakland. In addition to our in-theater experiences, we are expanding our music, live performance, and food offerings. Our tagline is CULTURE, IN EVERY SENSE, and that’s what we will be delivering.

Gene Sogioka’s Poston

Mar 21, 2018

Berkeley JACL is proud to present
“An Afternoon of Artist Gene Sogioka’s Poston” – former Disney artist’s watercolors unveiled.
Saturday, March 24 – 1 pm – 3 p.m. – J-Sei, 1285 66th Street, Emeryville, CA

Jean Sogioka La Spina will shows slides of her father’s work and talk about her book, “An American Family Album: Poston Camp II 1942-1943”
RSVP email: Berkeleyjacl@gmail.com
Learn more about Gene Sogioka
Download Flyer