On May 19, 2024 the annual JACL-AZ Golden Week 2024 Celebration was held to commemorate a week-long celebration of several holidays in Japan that occur each Spring. During the celebration the community gathered to recognize and honor youth scholarship awardees, the winner of the annual JACL AZ essay contest, Gold Saguaro Tribute awardees, and to reconnect with members of the community. Bill Staples, President of the AZ-JACL Board, skillfully steered the event, punctuated by a delightful musical interlude from classical jazz musician Pam Morita, who graced us with her original compositions ..read more

IN THIS ISSUE 2024 Kakahashi Memories: Discovering My Ikigai, by Matthew Marumoto, JACL-AZ Secretary Board Meeting Highlights Rakugo Story Tellers Visit Arizona 2024 Summer Bowling League, Deadline to Sign Up, May 7 JACL-AZ Golden Week Celebration, Sunday, May 19, 2024 Choju-Kai Spring Luncheon Recap Protecting Yourself from Scams: The Role of R.O.S.E. Resources Common Scams: What You Need to Know Ladies Activity Day, Tuesday, April 30 Chapter Calendar Celebrating New & Returning Members The post April 2024 Newsletter appeared first on Japanese American Citizens League - Arizona Chapter ..read more

IN THIS ISSUE From the President: The Memories of Our Lifetime Filmmaker Lane Nishikawa Presents “Our Lost Years” Board Meeting Highlights: February & March 2024 Baseball Behind Barbed Wire Wins Award for Best Documentary Japan Times: Hiroshima grapples with ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscars success “Never to Avert One’s Eyes” – Japanese Films About the Atomic Bomb A Special Thanks to JACL Booth Volunteers at the Arizona Matsuri Statement on Arizona Senate Bill 1576: Asian American History, Instruction Requirements Pam Morita: My Asian Heart, Jazz Concert at The Nash, Sunday, March 24, 2024 Ladies Acti ..read more

IN THIS ISSUE Timeless Rhymes: Revisiting the 1924 Immigration Act Board Meeting Highlights: January 2024 JACL-AZ Board Member Profile: Michele Chenowith Artist Talk: Brushstrokes of Animation by Willie Ito, Sat. January 27 @ 1:30 pm Day of Remembrance JACL-AZ Community Film Viewing, “Our Lost Years” Documentary, Sunday, Feb. 18 @ 1:00 pm Celebration of Life for James Kubota: Honoring a Legacy of Resilience and Service, March 23 JACL National & AZ Chapter Scholarship Applications due March 1, 2024 REMINDER: JACL AZ Essay Challenge Underway, Deadline Feb. 28, 2024 Call for Volunteers to Sup ..read more

IN THIS ISSUE JACL Arizona’s Dr. Dick Matsuishi Featured in Ch. 12 News Story Board Meeting Highlights: Dec 2023 Chandler International Film Festival to Showcase“Baseball Behind Barbed Wire” on January 23, 2024, Complimentary Tickets Available REMINDER: JACL-AZ Essay Challenge Underway, Deadline Feb. 28, 2024 Call for Volunteers to Support the JACL Booth at Matsuri Festival, February 24-25, 2024 Attention Poets – Submit Your Entry for the Arizona Matsuri Haiku Expo, Deadline Feb. 16, 2024 Fundraiser to Build a Museum for Nisei Veterans in Bruyeres, France Chapter Calendar Celebrating New & ..read more

New Essay Prompt Encourages Intergenerational Interviews & Personal Storytelling The JACL AZ Essay Challenge 2024 invites Arizona students to explore their heritage and the impact of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). The Essay Challenge is open until February 28, 2024, and encourages students residing in Arizona to participate. Students from grades 4-12 can enter, with separate categories for high school (grades 9-12) and elementary/middle school (grades 4-8). To qualify, participants should have membership ties to the JACL-AZ Chapter, Arizona Buddhist Temple, or Phoenix Life C ..read more

Dick Matsuishi’s childhood was disrupted when, at 4 years old, he was sent to the Poston War Relocation Center in Arizona in 1943, following President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 9066. He spent three formative years there as a Japanese American citizen confined due to wartime fears and prejudice after the bombing of Pearl Harbor. Matsuishi reflects on the experience, acknowledging the lack of political leadership that led to the unjust incarceration of thousands. Despite the circumstances, his childhood in the camp was surprisingly joyful; as a child, he played with other kids regardless of t ..read more

There were 18 teams (72 bowlers) who had 12 weeks of fun bowling this summer. A dinner was held on August 13 to award prize money and give highlights from the bowling season. The dinner was catered by Ohana BBQ and desserts were provided by volunteers. Mike Hashimoto was the emcee and made it a fun evening. JACL bowling gift bags and Patty Hashimoto’s Pat on the Back neck coolers were raffle prize giveaways. There was a fight for the first-place team, but Turkey Hunters prevailed. Team members were: Turkey Hunters: Phil Quan, Steven Quan, Kaitlin Quan and Zach Abel. There was also a fight fo ..read more

The story of Japanese American farmers in California paints a complex picture of generational resilience in the face of adversity and economic change. Alan Hayashi, a 62-year-old farmer, represents the last remaining Japanese American farming families in an area that once thrived with them. His 120-hectare farm in Arroyo Grande, California, has been in his family for four generations. Before World War II, two-thirds of Japanese Americans on the West Coast worked in agriculture, playing a vital role in cultivating fruits and vegetables that included strawberries, tomatoes, celery, and peppers ..read more

In a recent Pew Research Center survey conducted from July 2022 to January 2023, it was found that one in five Asian American adults has hidden a part of their heritage, which includes cultural customs, food, clothing, or religious practices, from non-Asians at some point in their lives. This phenomenon is often driven by a fear of ridicule and a desire to fit in. The study also reveals that the likelihood of concealing one’s heritage is influenced by factors like birthplace and immigrant roots. U.S.-born Asian adults are more likely (32%) to hide their heritage compared to immigrants (15%). A ..read more