Weekly Digest
January 21, 2020
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Introducing our New Norman Y. Mineta Fellow: Cheyenne Cheng!
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"Hello!
My name is Cheyenne Cheng and I’m from Jacksonville, Florida. I recently graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor’s in Psychology. During my time in uni, I helped found the Asian American Oral History Project within my school’s oral history department in hopes of collecting more narratives of Asians and Asian Americans in the South. I’m excited to apply my experiences with oral history to my fellowship with JACL and to work on other initiatives with you all! Most of my advocacy experiences have been AAPI student-centered and I hope to learn more as we work together on national issues!"
Cheyenne joins our Executive Director, David Inoue, and Daniel K. Inouye Fellow, Matthew Weisbly, in the Washington, D.C. Office!
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Advocacy Opportunity: JACL Stands with the National Iranian American Council
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With the recent increase in hostilities between the United States and Iran, Iranian Americans and Iranian immigrants have come under scrutiny in the eye of the American public and the current administration. The National Iranian American Council (NIAC) has come under threat by several United States senators accusing the group of dual loyalties, and ordering an investigation by the Department of Justice. These same irrational fears were what led to many Japanese American organizations such as schools, churches, and community groups to come under scrutiny during World War II. The JACL has joined dozens of other organizations and individuals in standing against these calls by these senators to investigate the NIAC.
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Travel Ban to be Expanded, New Countries Added
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President Trump confirmed earlier today that the already existing Travel Ban will be expanded upon to include new countries.
"Trump told The Wall Street Journal in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that he is looking to add more countries, though he would not say which ones."
As before, any update or renewal to the ban will draw immediate legal ramifications. The JACL continues to stand against the discriminatory policies this Executive Order puts in place, seeing all to well the similarities it holds to other policies which barred Chinese and Japanese immigrants and many other immigrant groups from entering the country in the late 19th and early 20th century. If you would like to read more about the new update to the travel ban,
click here.
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JACL/OCA Leadership Summit - Coming Soon!
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Day of Remembrance Events
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JACL is looking to compile a list of all of the Day of Remembrance Events coming up around the country for members and their communities to be able to search for events near them. If you have any DOR events in your city or know of any, please email our Policy Fellow, Matthew Weisbly, at
mweisbly@jacl.org
with details for the event! We'll start posting a list of dates, times, and locations online and here in the digest!
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2019 Annual Campaign
It's not too late to support JACL
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Your investments in JACL impact history in two meaningful ways. First, we share our history. Our education guides on the JA Experience, legacy grants, youth summits, and the Pacific Citizen are one-of-a-kind programs to share our story.
Second, we change the course of history. From immigration laws, to Redress, to the Congressional Gold Medal, we have changed history again and again.
I rejoined as JACL staff because sharing our history is more urgent now than ever. I believe that through JACL’s work, we will change history again...
In 10 years, we will celebrate JACL’s 100th anniversary. At that time, I’m confident that justice will be served to immigrant communities and that the next generation will be empowered with our programs.
Investing in JACL’s work today will create our shared vision of freedom, education, and justice for tomorrow. Join me to keep making history with a 90th anniversary gift to JACL!
Sincerely,
Phillip Ozaki
Membership Coordinator
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Gift a JACL Membership to Your Family!
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Upgrade Your Membership and Receive a Special Edition Signed and Numbered Art Print!
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Follow us on social media to receive updates about JACL's advocacy work and the activities of JACL chapters!
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2020 JACL Legacy Fund Grant Applications Now Open
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JACL Chapters and Districts are eligible to apply for a grant to support a project or activity that is supportive of the National JACL Strategic Plan. Grants of up to $5,000 each will be awarded by the Legacy Fund Grants Committee to selected applicants. Funding for the program grants are provided by Legacy Fund revenues.
Eligibility:
- Only JACL Chapters and Districts are eligible to apply. They may apply individually or jointly.
- Eligible applicants may submit more than one application.
- JACL Chapters or Districts MUST be the driving force in any proposed project. Third-party, non-JACL organizations/individuals that involve a chapter or district only on the periphery and only as the project sponsor are NOT eligible to apply.
- Chapters and Districts shall provide proof on their 990-N tax filing.
- The maximum amount that can be requested for each grant, including those awarded to joint applicants, is $5,000. Partial grants may be awarded.
- Activities supported by grants must be new projects that are carried out and completed no later than June 1, 2021, and which must support the National JACL Strategic Plan. Repeat projects are not eligible. However, funding will be considered if the proposal is for a new element or new phase (variation) of an ongoing project.
Questions? Contact Legacy Fund Grant Co-chairs Roberta Barton (rbarton4106@comcast.net) and Toshi Abe (tabe@jacl.org).
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Advocacy Opportunity - Petition to Indiana University
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Call upon Indiana University to rectify for its past ban on Japanese American students
On May 9, 1942, the IU Board of Trustees ruled that “no Jap. be admitted to Indiana University.” At that meeting, Trustees President Ora L. Wildermuth explicitly laid out the rationale behind the decision. “As I see it, there is a difference in Japanese and Germans or Italians—they are Aryans and can be assimilated but the Japanese can’t—they are different racially. I can’t believe that any Japanese, no matter where he was born, is anything but a Japanese.” Over the course of the war, this logic guided the decision-making of President Herman B. Wells and other university officials. They denied about a dozen prospective Japanese American students.
-Courtesy of Eric Langowski, EDC Vice Governor
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National JACL Announces 2020 Scholarship Program
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SAN FRANCISCO -- The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) is kicking off its National Scholarship and Awards Program for the 2020 academic year. The JACL annually offers approximately 30 college scholarships for students who are incoming college freshmen, undergraduates and graduates, and those specializing in law and the creative/performing arts. There are also student aid scholarships for those in need of financial assistance in this era of rising tuition costs.
Scholarship Program guidelines, instructions and applications can be found on the JACL website,
www.jacl.org
, by clicking “Youth” on the menu bar.
Freshman applications must be submitted directly by the applicant to his/her local JACL chapter, with a postmark no later than March 2, 2020. Freshman applicants may obtain the mailing address of his/her chapter by contacting Membership Assistant Tomiko Ismail at
tismail@jacl.org
or by calling the Membership Department at (415) 921-5225, extension 26.
Chapters will then have one month to evaluate their freshman applications and forward only the most outstanding ones to the National JACL Freshman Scholarship Committee, c/o Seattle JACL, P.O. Box 18558, Seattle, WA 98118, no later than April 1, 2020.
Applications for the “other” scholarship categories (undergraduate, graduate, law, creative/performing arts, and student aid) are to be sent directly by the applicant to the National JACL Scholarship Committee, c/o JACL Midwest District Council, 10604 Killarney Drive, Union, Kentucky 41091, with a postmark no later than April 1, 2020.
All those applying to the National JACL Scholarship Program must be a youth/student or individual member of the JACL; a couple/family membership does not meet this requirement. Applicants must be enrolled in school in Fall 2020 in order to be eligible for a scholarship.
For more information on the National JACL Scholarship Program, contact Regional Director Patty Wada at
pwada@jacl.org
or National JACL Vice President for Planning & Development Matthew Farrells at
mfarrells@jacl.org.
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The 2020 Census is Coming Soon!
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Tsuru for Solidarity's
"National Pilgrimage to Close the Camps"
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Advocacy Opportunity: Join the JACL in Supporting the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act!
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More than one million immigrants arrive at U.S. borders every year, many escaping violent or threatening situations in their home countries.
Under Trump, immigrants arrive to U.S. detention centers that are just as damaging as the violence-prone countries many are fleeing. One investigator even found conditions at the nation’s largest Customs and Border Protection detention center “could be compared to torture facilities.”
U.S. Congress members, Rep. Adam Smith (D-WA), Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) have sponsored a bill called the Dignity for Detained Immigrants Act, proposing changes to how the U.S. treats immigrants and ensuring transparent and responsible conduct around immigrants awaiting a court decision.
This legislation would implement a shift from detention to alternative housing arrangements for immigrants awaiting court decisions. Community-based supervision programs allow immigrants to live independently, and outside of detention centers.
This legislation will also address transparency in how the U.S. runs its detention centers, calling for regular inspections at detention facilities to ensure that the facility workers are respecting all rights of immigrants.
Migrant families lawfully seeking asylum cannot continue to be abused! Congress must enact legislation to prevent further detainment in for-profit concentration camps. Join the JACL along with other sponsors, Daily Kos, Franciscan Action Network, Blue Future, and more by signing the petition!
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Advocacy Opportunity:
Reuniting Families Act
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If they have not, call their office TODAY and ask them to do so. Mention that you are their constituent.
The bill promotes family unity by clearing backlogs for family-based immigration and providing for the more timely reunification of spouses and children, as well as providing protection for LGBTQ families. It eliminates per-country visa limits and recaptures lost visas.
Find the text here.
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Advocacy Opportunity: Petition of Japanese Americans to Close the Camps!
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JACL has joined as a supporting organization for this petition.
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Click
HERE
for the latest issue of Nikkei-mashou, the newsletter of the National Youth/Student Council.
The mission of the National Youth/Student Council is to build a national network that engages the next generation through community organizing to create positive change for the API community.
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Apply to be a census worker
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The U.S. Census Bureau is hiring temporary workers for the 2020 census count, including census takers and office staff. It is important to have representatives from all communities working as census workers to work towards a full and accurate count.
Click
here
to find the application and pay rates in your local area.
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