This month, as we celebrate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander month, we recognize the diverse cultures, histories, and contributions of AANHPI communities that have shaped our nation's history. May was chosen to commemorate two historical keystones: the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants in May of 1843 and the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in May 1869, which relied on the labor of many Chinese immigrants. 

At Go For Broke National Education Center, we continue to evolve and expand our programming to share the contributions of the Japanese American World War II veterans. Through our engaging work, we bring the meaning and relevance of their service to those who are unaware, or know very little, about this important chapter in our history.

In this issue, we highlight the impactful 2026 National Torchbearer Spring Convening, the fourth annual gathering of our young adults from across the nation. Please read below to learn more about this interactive four-day event.  

Each year, we reach out to supporters to help us mark an important anniversary for the Go For Broke Monument. The striking Monument reminds us of the demonstrated courage of young Japanese Americans and their unwavering belief in equality, civil liberties, and democracy for all Americans. We ask for your support in honoring their legacy.

In 1989, our founding Japanese American World War II veterans began their commitment to honor their fellow veterans with a monument, the first of its kind on the continental United States. Over the next ten years, a grassroots campaign focused on locating an appropriate site and raising funds for the monument's construction and maintenance. On June 5, 1999, the Go For Broke Monument was presented to the City of Los Angeles at a dedication ceremony attended by nearly 1,500 guests. The formidable 40-foot-wide, nine-foot tall granite Monument is a forever reminder of the selfless courage of the more than 33,000 Japanese American men and women who bravely served during WWII.

Later this year, our founding Nisei veterans’ vision of an education center adjacent to the Monument will come to fruition with the Go For Broke Plaza, which will include a permanent home for Go For Broke National Education Center, as well as legacy businesses and 248 affordable housing units. Due to the Plaza construction, and for the safety of our visitors, the Monument Anniversary Tribute will be held virtually on Sunday, June 7.

Join us for the virtual 27th Go For Broke Monument Anniversary tribute program on Sunday, June 7 at 2:00 p.m. on our YouTube channel.

We invite you to celebrate as a sponsor or make a veteran floral tribute and/or an Honor a Veteran digital tribute gift. Help us continue our vital educational programming and outreach. Thank you for your support participation!

2026 National Torchbearer Spring Convening

Story of Self, Us, and Now

Torchbearers listening to panelists (photo by Tracy Kumono)

Twenty-eight civically engaged young adults from Boise, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Oahu, and Vermont convened in the heart of historic Little Tokyo April 16-19 for our fourth annual National Torchbearer Spring Convening. Alongside our Torchbearer partner organizations, we engaged in four days of storytelling, civic dialogue, and community building rooted in the legacy of the Japanese American WWII veterans.

This year’s Convening centered on the framework of “Story of Self, Us, and Now,” grounded in the belief that learning to tell one’s own story is a foundational step in civic engagement. That thread wove through the weekend, from Dr. Mitch Maki’s presentation, "Restoring America's Promise: The Fight for Justice," on the unjust Japanese American WWII incarceration, valor of our Nisei veterans, and fight for redress, to an intergenerational panel with Mike Tanimura (Japanese American Service Committee), Jessica Westhoff (Wassmuth Center for Human Rights), National Vice Chair Kendall Kunitake, and Torchbearer Claudia Lopez.

Torchbearers on a walking tour led by Little Tokyo Historical Society (photo by Tracy Kumono)

Little Tokyo Historical Society led a walking tour of the neighborhood, and local business owners Don Tahara (Far Bar), Mychaela Hardy (Monkey Pants), and James Choi (Cafe Dulce) shared insights on stewarding community amid constant change. Brian De Los Santos, a 2016 Pulitzer Prize recipient and host of LAist's "How to LA" podcast, led a dialogue on what home truly means, moderated by LA Regional Chair Melanie Ramirez.

After laying flowers at the Go For Broke Monument, the group convened for a final dinner alongside GFBNEC board members, supporters, and an extraordinary guest: Ed Nakamura, a WWII Nisei veteran who served in the Military Intelligence Service. 

LA Torchbearer Nick Calkins (photo by Tracy Kumono)

“I learned so much and it really shook me out of my civic and interpersonal autopilots. I never really saw myself as a steward of the living history of the Japanese Americans during WWII; now, I cannot see myself any other way. The future is bright!”

— LA Torchbearer Nick Calkins

Thank you to the K/T Foundation for their generous support of the 2026 National Torchbearer Program and to MUFG for their continued generosity. We are also grateful to our regional partners for their participation: the Japanese American Service Committee, Sakura Foundation, Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, the Boise Valley JACL, Middlebury College, and the 442nd Veterans Legacy Club. Their commitment to this work makes it possible.

“Courage and Compassion” Traveling Exhibition

On View at the Morikami Museum in Florida

From May 9 through August 30, 2026, our “Courage and Compassion: Our Shared Story of the Japanese American World War II Experience" traveling exhibition will be on display at the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens in Delray Beach, Florida. 

Through first-person oral histories, community stories, archival images, and artifacts, visitors will discover the legacy of the Japanese American soldiers of WWII, the origins of Florida's Japanese American communities, and the story of Camp Blanding, a major WWII infantry training center where many Japanese American soldiers trained before their deployment to Europe. 

In conjunction with the exhibition, GFBNEC President and CEO Dr. Mitch Maki will be at the Morikami Museum on Saturday, May 30, for a special public program, and on May 29, he will be speaking at the Broward County and Palm Beach County libraries. For more information, visit morikami.org.

Join the GFBNEC Team

Guest Services Associate Positions Now Open

We are hiring for guest services associates! This is a part-time position (Friday through Sunday). The primary responsibilities include greeting visitors to the "Defining Courage” exhibition and handling admissions, Go For Broke Store purchases, membership, general donation transactions, and other customer service duties. Submit a cover letter and resume to jobs@goforbroke.org. Visit goforbroke.org/careers for details.