A Legacy and Call for Action

I recently had the honor and privilege to chair the Congressional Gold Medal Tribute Luncheon that was held on February 26, 2012 to recognize the amazing Nisei veterans of WWII and the honorees of the 100th Infantry Battalion, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service.

Day of Remembrance 2012

Portland JACL Newsletter: March 2012 Issue (click here for the latest issue) Board Member Message by: Setsy Sadamoto Larouche Day of Remembrance 2012 The Day of Remembrance for 2012 was held at the Hoffmann Hall, Portland State University exactly on the 70th Anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066 by President ... Read More

2012 Day of Remembrance

February 19 is the 70th anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066 ordering the incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans living on the West Coast.

This year we will hear the remembrances of those who were relocated behind barbed wire and forced to live in cramped quarters for the duration of the war.

Happy New Year to our Portland JACL Family

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone enjoyed a very happy holiday season which I consider started in October with Halloween (cute costumes and candy!) then on to Thanksgiving (turkey and pie!) and culminating in Christmas (gifts and celebration!). For me, the theme that ties all these events and activities is family.

Congressional Gold Medal Celebration, Washington, DC October 31st – November 3rd 2011

On May 13, 2009, Congressman Adam Schiff from California introduced the Congressional Gold Medal Bill HR 347 to award the CGM to the 100th Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team (RCT). Senator Barbara Boxer also from California introduced SB 1055 in the Senate.

Make a Difference in Your Community:

This is no time for apathy. From the Tea Party to the Arab Spring, to the worldwide Occupy movement, citizens are taking to the streets to demand that their voices be heard. No matter your political leanings, you are a member of Portland JACL, one of the oldest, most respected civil rights groups in America.

It’s Scholarship Time Again!

For those of you who get the Pacific Citizen, the official newspaper of JACL, the recent special youth issue included announcements of the National JACL Scholarship winners.

How Can We Create a Nuclear-Free World

August 6th marked the 66th anniversary of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and a few days later, Nagasaki. These horrific events which killed over 220,000 people was the first time that nuclear weapons were used in war.

The Spirit of Nadeshiko

Millions of viewers watched last month, as Nadeshiko Japan, the Japanese women’s soccer team, won its first World Cup ever, in a stunning defeat over the highly favored U.S. team. Their triumph lifted the spirits of a stricken country and one couldn’t help but feel, even if cheering for a U.S. victory, great joy for the country of Japan.

Keep Portland Safe!

Our unofficial motto of “Keep Portland Weird!” is in jeopardy. Portland’s quirky image of naked bike parades, middle-aged business people playing organized kickball games, and friendly food carts on every corner is being tarnished by a rash of disturbing violence.