Downtown L.A. Japanese American Citizens League President Kitty Sankey receives award from Mayor Villaraigosa's office and from City of Gardena. From Left, former Monterey Park Mayor and Ms. Sankey. Gardena Mayor Paul Tanaka and Ms. Sankey.

Downtown L.A. Japanese American Citizens League Vice-President Marilynn Nakata speaks at rally in Pasadena, California supporting Kamehameha Schools admission policy. Marilynn was born and raised in Hawaii and graduated from the University of Hawaii. At the rally, Ms. Nakata read a letter of support from the Honolulu Hawaii JACL Chapter.

Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Ctizens League members participate in the Kamehameha Schools rally.

Downtown Los Angeles JACL members participate in Kamehameha Schools Rally marching to the
9th Circuit Cout of Appeals in Pasadena, California.

JACL Pacific Southwest District to honor Downtown JACL's Kitty Sankey on October 9, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. at The Grand

The PSW JACL is honoring Kitty Sankey and thirteen others at the 14th Annual Awards Dinner. The Community Honorees are Iku Kiriyama, Debbie Nakatomi and Tad Nakamura. The Chapter Honorees include Jean Shigematsu, West LA, Doris Asano, Arizona, Aiko King Ventura County, Betty Oka, Orange County, Louis Sakamoto Greater LA Singles, Sam Simoguchi Venice-Culver, Nancy Gohata, San Fernando Valley. The event will be held on Saturday October 9, 2010 at the Grand Hotel 4101 E. Willow Street, Long Beach, CA 90815. Contact the PSW Office for tickets at (213) 626-4471.

Downtown JACL Chapter & L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry help organize Dodgers Game for senior citizens at Little Tokyo Towers for July 21, 2010

The Downtown Los Angeles JACL and City Councilwoman Jan Perry's Office are helping organize an outing for senior citizens at the Little Tokyo Towers that will feature the Los Angeles Dodgers on July 21, 2010 at Dodger Stadium.

The Downtown JACL are purchasing and donatng the tickets while Councilwoman Perry's Office is helping provide a charter bus as transportation. The Dodgers play the San Francisco Giants at 7:10 p.m. at Dodger Stadium. It is also Japanese Night, meaning the Dodgers will also feature Taiko and other Japanese theme entertainment prior to the game.

"For many of the seniors, it provides a rare opportunity to get out into the community. It is an event that the seniors look forward to each year. We know it contributes to their quality of life," stated Kitty Sankey, a Downtown JACL Board member and volunteer chaperone for that evening.

"Both the Downtown JACL and LTT thank Jan Perry's Office for providing the transportation, " stated Downtown JACL Board member Rodney Nakada who is also serving as a volunteer Chaperone that evening.

The Downtown JACL volunteers who will be present at the game include Kitty Sankey, Amy Tambara, Rodney Nakada and Casey China.

Nisei Week in Little Tokyo August 14 -22.

The Downtown JACL reminds everyone to visit Little Tokyo for Nisei Week August 14 - 22. There are all kinds of interesting events thru out the week. While you are in Little Tokyo please patronize the various restaurants and stores in the area. The merchants appreciate your support.

For a listing of events please visit www.Niseiweek.org The Nisei Week parade is scheduled for Sunday August 15, 2010 at 5:30 p.m. The Grand Parade will feature the Nebuta Festival featuring Madame Fujima Kansuma, the 2010 Grand Parade Japanese Dance Choreographer with Dances Choreographed to the music of Arigato by SMAP and Wani Natte Odori by V6.

Los Angeles Elementary School: Swimmy, Kodomo no Nebuta  

Los Angeles Elementary School’s entry in the 2010 Nebuta Parade, August 15, will be hand-held fish representing the famous story by Leo Lionni, Swimmy. When Swimmy, a small black fish, encounters a school of small red fish that is frightened by a large tuna, he encourages them to form an outline of an even larger fish to frighten away the tuna. Approximately thirty students in drill team formation will represent Swimmy and his friends. At periodic points during the parade, the drill team will form a vertical outline of a large fish with Swimmy as its “eye.” The tuna will indeed swim away in fear of the much larger fish!

The themes expressed in the story include friendship, diversity, cooperation, and teamwork – all-important themes in keeping Little Tokyo a vibrant and exciting community. Nebuta, a lantern float, is very much Japanese, but Los Angeles Elementary School’s entry makes the Nebuta concept an American idea. Swimmy is a popular book used in many American schools and the entry is a drill team composed of students of non-Japanese descent. All of the themes in the book are familiar and important to Los Angeles – friendship, diversity, cooperation and teamwork!

Los Angeles Elementary School, located in Mid-Wilshire/Koreatown, is a K-5 school with approximately 95% of its 800+ students classified as Hispanic. This inner-city school is proud to have many services and programs offered to it, through the following: L.A.’s Best, an after-school program (homework assistance, enrichment opportunities, including drill team), Reading to Kids (volunteers read to students at 8 mid-Wilshire schools once/month), adoption by the Japanese American Optimist Club (offering programs over a 17-year span including Career Day, holiday parties, pen pals, Internet Safety Workshop for Parents, etc.), visits by the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California (Ashinaga Student Program), a Parent Center, and the Zero to Five Program (classes for parents of infants and toddlers). Groups that have helped with the Swimmy Nebuta also include members of the Paper Craft Arts Class at the Culver City Senior Center and the Downtown Los Angeles Chapter, JACL.

Edward Milton Chen nominated to U.S. District Court, Northern District

Magistrate Judge Edward Milton Chen has been nominated by President Barack Obama to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District. Chen is one of the attorneys who worked to overturn the wrongful conviction of Fred Korematsu who was sent to jail in 1942 for refusing to obey the World War II internment order. The conviction was overturned in 1982 before Marilyn Hall Patel's Federal Courtroom in San Francisco.

The Downtown JACL supports President Obama's nomination of Edward Milton Chen to the U.S. District Court, Northern District.

Kyoto Grand Hotel and Weller Court in foreclosure

The Kyoto Grand Hotel and Garden and Weller Court are currently in default of a loan in the amount of $33.8 million reported the Rafu Shimpo. 3D Investments purchased the New Otani Hotel and the adjacent shopping center for $54 million from East West Development corporation in 2007. The Kyoto Grand Hotel is the focal point of Little Tokyo hosting many local community events including the annual Downtown JACL Woman of the Year event.

The Downtown JACL will need to evaluate whether the 2011 Woman of the Year event will return to the Kyoto Grand Hotel in light of the economic woes of the Hotel.

West LA JACL Offering 2010 Scholarhip and Internship

The West LA JACL high school scholarship. Applicants must have a 3.6 GPA or above. Last years recipient received $1,000.00.The West LA JACL is also offering a $2,500.00 Chiyo M. Hattori Memorial Scholarship to a student pursuing a career in medicine. Application deadline is April 15, 2010. Please contact westlajacl@yahoo.com for further details.

In addition to the scholarship monies, the West LA JACL is also offering a $1,500.00 stipend for a internship. The application deadline is May 14, 2010.The intership period is flexible, though is designed to be full time for two months. Interns should be 18 or older, preferably a college student or a recent college graduate.

Natalie Nakatani 8 Year old girl seeks Bone Marrow Donor

Urgent Action Needed!

Natalie Nakatani seeks a bone marrow donor. "Our little girl needs an Asian donor match urgently, so please do whatever you can to make to a priority to get tested at a bone marrow drive," said Tammy Nakatani. "We hope that you will be special miracle that will saver her life."

Natalie's doctors says a newly registered Asian donor is most likely to save her life.

"Please spread the word to all your friends and family, this is an urgent call to action for all our JACL members, friends and family members,"stated Kitty Sankey, Downtown JACL boardmember.

For information please visit www.hopefornatalie.com Please forward this information to all.

2010 DOWNTOWN JACL AND THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WOMENS

SOCIETY WOMEN OF THE YEAR LUNCHEON

SUNDAY, MAY 16, 2010 AT THE KYOTO GRAND HOTEL

The Downtown Los Angeles JACL and the Southern California Japanese Womens Society are honoring four women to be honored as "Women of the Year". These Honorees are Grace Shiba, Marilyn Nobori, Nancy Kyoko Oda, and Katsuko Teruya Arakawa.

"We certainly are very pleased to honoree these pioneers who have helped improved the quality of our community," stated Kitty Sankey, JACL Boardmember. The event starts at 12:30 a.m.and will conclude at 2:00 p.m.

Ticket prices are $40.00 per ticket. It will take place on Sunday May 16, 2010 at the Kyoto Grand Hotel Grand Ballroom located at 120 S. Los Angeles Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

For more information about the 2010 Woman of the Year, you may contact Amy Tambara by calling her at (323) 722-3897 English speaking.

You may also contact Vice President Rodney Nakada (English & Japanese Speaking) by calling (213) 628-1800.

Seating arrangement are made in tables of 10. Please list the names of the attendees at each table. Deadline for tickets is May 1, 2010.

Make checks payable to "Downtown JACL" and mail to Amy Tambara, 526 1/2 W. Riggin Street, Monterey Park, CA 91754.

California Nisei College Diploma Project

The California Nisei College Diploma Project, a program established by the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California provides community outreach and education for a new law, Assembly Bill 37. The purpose is to confer upon the over 2,500 students of Japanese Ancestry who were in school at the time of Executive Order 9066 when Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated to concentration camps. AB 37 allows a representative to accept an honorary degree on behalf of the individuals who are deceased. For assistance please contact Ms. Aya Ino (415) 567-5505 or at aino@jcccnc.org, Ms. Courtney Okuhara (415) 567-5505 cokuhara@jcccnc.org. You may also contacts the schools directly as follows:

For University of California inquiries email honorarydegree@ucop.edu or call (510) 987-0239

For California State University inquries email Nisei@calstate.edu or call (562) 951-4723

For California Community College inquiries email lmichalo@cccco.edu or call (916) 327-5361

Stand up for Justice

The film "Stand up for Justice" will be released on Sunday February 14, 2010 at 2:00 p.m. at the National Center for the Presevation of Democracy in Little Tokyo. Tickets for the DVD release are $10.00 for members of the NCRR and the Visual Communications and $15.00 for general admission. To purchase tickets visit www.vconline.org. You may call (213) 680-4462 for more info.

"We encourage all JACL and community members to support NCRR and Visual Communications for their noble efforts in releasing this very historical the release of the DVD video. The story is about Ralph Lazo a teen hispanic from LA who volunatrily went to Manzanar concentration camp to be with his Japanese American friends, " stated JACL boardmember Kitty Sankey.

Downtown JACL asks everyone to support Rafu Shimpo

The Downtown Los Angeles Chapter is asking all community members to support the Rafu Shimpo, one of the oldest Japanese Daily Newspapers founded in 1903. The Rafu Shimpo has accumulated more than $350,000.00 in debt.

"The Rafu Shimpo plays a vital role in providing news important to the Japanese American Community," stated Kitty Sankey of the Downtown JACL. "We encourage all community members to purchase subscriptions and all business owners to consider placing advertising in the newspapers," stated Sankey.

Iku Kiriyama recently spearheaded a townhall meeting at the Veterans Hall at the Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute recently to address the matter. According to Sankey, many families will order one subsription but pass on the newspaper to other families.

Downtown JACL offers 2009 Scholarship to 9th Street alumni applying to college

The Downtown JACL is offering a scholarship to graduating high school students who previously attended 9th Street Elementary School in Los Angeles, California. Students must have a 2.0 GPA, must have done community service, and is applying to an accredited vocational school or college.

Downtown JACL opposes proposition 8

The Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League joins Governor Arnold Schwarzenneger, the ACLU of Southern California and the California Teachers Association in opposing proposition 8.

The California Constitution now guarantees marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples.

Prop 8 would change the Constituion so that: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." The effect would be legal discrimination against same sex couples.

Same sex marriage is important because (1) it allows important medical decisions to be made by partners, (2) It allows extended leave to care of sick families, (3) It allows one to sue for wrongful death, (4) It allows familes to have health care coverage and other insurance and (5) it allows one to be burried next to a partner, according to API Equality-LA. "Because Proposition 8 eliminates marriage for same sex couples, we urge all Californians to oppose proposition 8,"stated Kitty Sankey President of the Downtown L.A. Japanese American Citizens League.

Downtown JACL supports push for Postal Honor for

Japanese Americans who served in WWII.

The Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League supports the push for a Nisei WWII Commemorative Stamp. More than 30,000 Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) volunteered during WWII. What resulted was a mostly Japanese American unit called the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and 100th Infantry Battalion which became one of the most highly decorated units in U.S. Military History. The U.S. Postal Service Commemorative stamp review committee meets in January 2008.

The U.S. Postal Service has issued commemorative stamps honoring minority veterans in the past including honoring Latin Veterans in 1984 and the African American Buffalo Soldiers about ten years later. Among the success of the 442nd was the rescue of a Texas batallion trapped in the Vosges mountains of France. Its reported that the 442nd Regimental Combat lost four men for every Texan rescued.

In January 2008, the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committe (CSAC) which is composed of 15 volunteers, rejected the Nisei Vets Stamps proposal and said that there are no plans to reconsider it. According to David Failor, executive director of Stamp Services for the U.S. Postal Service said the Nisei veterans stamp was not approved because of an internal guideline that states, "Stamps will not be issued to honor individual sub branches, units or divisions of the military." Letters of support should be sent to Chairperson Jean Picker Firstenberg, Citizens' Stamp Advisory Commkittee c/o Stamp Development, U.S. Postal Service 1735 North Lynn Street, Suite 5013, Arlington, CA 22209-6432.

Instead of approving the Nisei Stamps, the Citizens' Stamp Advisory Committee approved The Fox TV cartoon "The Simpsons," stamps on Alaska Statehood, Edgar Allan Poe, civil rights pioneers and the Lunar New Year. Congressman Mike Honda will be circulating a Congressional letter of support asking for reconsideration. CSAC will be planning to meet again in July 2009. CSAC is also meeting on April 23 and 24, 2009 to read all the letters of support for the Nisei veterans stamp.

To sign the online petition, please click on the following link.
Online Petition for a Nisei WWII Commemorative Stamp Also check out another informative website NiseiStamp.org

Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League

Celebrating 81 years of Advocacy in 2010

The Downtown Los Angeles Chapter is the first official Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League and will be celebrating 81 years of existance in 2010. The Group is ably led by President Kitty Sankey, a school teacher with the Los Angeles Unified School District. The Dedicated Board members include Amy Tambara, a local school principal, Rodney Nakada, an insurance Broker, Nancy Nix a librarian, along with Marilyn Nakata, Glen Furumura, Lillian Inatomi, Mary Tsuboi, Patty Sookdet and others.

The Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League has been a spark plug in the Little Tokyo Community by hosting the annual Woman of the Year Event held at the New Otani Hotel, the Holiday Cheer Program, a L.A. Dodger outing for the Senior Citizens at the Little Tokyo Towers and for given out an annual scholarship for Ninth Street Elementary School alumnus applying to college.

In recent years, the Downtown L.A. Japanese American Citizens League has supported the Kamehameha Schools program in Hawaii and has advocated for diversity in the judiciary. The Downtown JACL has been a force in helping to improve the quality of life for others. The Downtown Chapter is like no other and we welcome new members to our meetings. If you would like to join our chapter, please contact Kitty Sankey at (310) 838-8553 or email her at kitty_sankey@hotmail.com. Make a difference in the Little Tokyo Community and join our chapter today!

How we began in 1929

The year was 1929 when a group of Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) banded together in Los Angeles calling themselves the Japanese Citizens Association. The Association's first president, Masao Igasaki, was a Hawaiian Nisei who had just passed the bar and was beginning his legal practice in Los Angeles. Serving with Igasaki were James Suyenaga as vice-president, Elmer Yamamoto as secretary, Dr. Edward Tanaka as sergeant-at-arms, and Thomas Takayama as treasurer.

Soon, as a result of conferencing in Seattle, Washington, the newly formed Japanese American Citizen League (JACL) declared the first official JACL chapter noting its representation of the major population center for Americans of Japanese ancestry. Thus, the “Association” became the JACL-Downtown Los Angeles Chapter (DLA). The 79 years since has seen many distinguished leaders preside over its meetings, beginning with pre-war presidents: Kay Shugahara, John Maeno, Herbert Wada, Ken Matsumoto, Fred Tayama, Shigemi Aratani, and Dr. Masaru Horii.

The Downtown Chapter, forced to curtail its civic work by wartime hysteria and Executive order 9066, reactivated in July 31, 1946 with Frank Chuman (author of the acclaimed The Bamboo People) at the helm. Frank was followed in subsequent years by John Aiso (WWII Military Intelligence Service language School head and the first Japanese Supreme Court Justice), Dr. John Watanabe, Dr. George Kambara, Harry Honda (longstanding editor of the JACL newspaper, Pacific Citizen). Harry M. Fugita, David Yokozeki, Kei Uchima, Duke S. Ogata, Frank Suzukida, and Katsuma Mukaeda.

Past presidents of the Downtown L.A. Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League have served the community in various capacities in both local and national JACL and also as leaders in their respective fields including business, law, medicine, journalism, banking and politics. Such include Frank Omatsu, Father Clement, Frank M. Tsuchiya, Ed Matsuda, Alfred Hatate (also JACO District Governor), Kiyoshi Kawai, and Ted Kojima. Those who served additionally as Japanese Chamber of Commerce president or vice president are Eiji Tanabe (known for his work as a Nisei Week founder), Soichi Fukui, Takito Yamaguma (1972, 4th Imperial Order of Japan recipient), Toshi Yamamoto(1997, Order of the Secret Treasure, Gold and Silver), Mitsuhiko Shimizu and Joe Hazama.

The chapter has benefited from the leadership skills of Sansei (third generation Japanese Americans), presidents – George Fujita, Patrick Ogawa, Mary H. Nishimoto, George Kita, Gary Itano, Greg Tanaka, and Rodney Nakada. This leadership tradition, fostered by JACL, found Paul Igasaki, grandson of the first Downtown Los Angeles Chapter president Masao Igasaki, serving as the JACL Washington, D.C. representative. In fact, current president Kitty Sankey is the granddaughter of Gongoro Nakamura, a 1959 DLA president and a former president of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

The Downtown Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League has mounted Issei (first generation Japanese in America) Recognition programs; presided over ensuring the franchise of the Issei obtained through the McCarren Act during the early fifties; participated in Nisei Week events and planning; and for 53 years, co-sponsored the Women of the Year annual luncheons in recognition of the individual achievements of Japanese American women.

The Downtown L.A. Japanese American Citizens League has supported Little Tokyo health Fairs for the elderly and the Shogun Santa Parades for the local youth and their parents; actively contributed toward achieving redress and reparations for the WWII injustices; and supported programs in local schools.

In addition to supporting the efforts of many organizations concerned with the artistic, cultural, historic, and social development of Americans having Japanese or Asian/Pacific heritage, the Downtown Los Angeles Chapter has often come to the defense of groups and individuals who have had their civil and constitutional rights threatened. The chapter supports a scholarship for graduates of Ninth Street Elementary School, sponsors an annual Dodger Night for residents of Little Tokyo Towers, and administers the annual Holiday Cheer program that provides monetary supplements to the needy.