By: Remy Hidaka
June 2010

For the past four weeks, I have been working at the JACL as an intern. When you read the upcoming issue of the Network Update, you’ll be able to see what I’ve been working on during my time here. Once I finish my internship on May 14, I will be back at New Trier High School giving a presentation of my experience.  Interning at the JACL was made possible by New Trier’s Senior Project program.

Senior Project is a four week program during which seniors gain work experience outside of school.  We choose where we work and what we do, as long as the Senior Project committee approves of the idea. We then set up three goals for ourselves to complete by the end of the four weeks.  Almost everyone’s project and goals are different. For my project, I chose to work at the JACL to help write the Network Update.  My three goals were to research hate crime incidents, write summaries of the hate crime incidents, and to publish the spring 2010 edition of the JACL Network Update.

Like I said, there are many different types of projects.  I define my project as a “service” project because I’d like to think that I’m helping the Japanese American community. My friend, who is an avid dancer, had a creative project where she produced a show with her dance troupe. Another friend of mine is worked with an anesthesiologist at a hospital.
My main task was to write the Network Update with my supervisor, Christine Munteanu, the JACL Ford Program Fellow.  I wrote the summaries of the hate crime incidents that have been occurring since fall of 2009.  I was also given the opportunity to write the feature article.  The main article is about how I think Asian American high school and college students should respond to racial prejudice.  The hardest part of this project was reading the hate crime incidents.  It was horrifying to read about people committing hate crimes. That was a wake up call for me. I realized that there’s more to the “real world” than work and bills to pay. There was also discrimination and racial prejudice to be concerned about.  I guess that just shows how naïve and isolated I was.  Well, after being at the JACL I can’t say that I am anymore.

Working at the JACL as my senior project was a one of a kind experience.  It was very educational for me.  It not only taught me of the horrible discrimination that takes place in the U.S., but it also taught me the importance of community.  As individuals, we are weak, but as a community we are fearless and powerful.  If the Asian Pacific American community were to all work together to attack anti-Asian sentiment, I truly believe that prejudice against Asian Pacific Americans will be gone.  From what I’ve seen from the  JACL office I believe that we’re on our way towards our freedom from prejudice but there’s still a long way to go.

Remy Hidaka is a senior at New Trier High School and will be attending Case
Western Reserve University in the fall.

Nine high school students from throughout the Chicago area gathered at the JACL Chicago office for their first Project: Community! session on February 24.  The night’s topic was “Identity,” and students spent the evening participating in interactive dialogues and activities at highlighting the various factors that have defined and shaped their identity as Japanese Americans.

The session began with an examination of the multiple aspects of identity, by having students list the different factors that were in how they define themselves.  Answers ranged from concrete roles like “basketball player” or “daughter” to more general concepts like “yonsei” or “Japanese.”  Students then had the chance to challenge a stereotype associated with one of those factors, leading to statements like “I am an Asian American woman, but I am not a bad driver,” “I am Asian American, but I don’t know kung fu” and “I am mixed, but I am not confused.” 

One of the most effective activities of the night had students relating to each other on the basis of shared experiences as Japanese Americans.  After forming a circle, students moved into the center of a circle to “find common ground” if they heard a statement that applied to them.  The statements included things like “You participate in Japanese cultural festivals,” “You have ever felt singled out because of your race,” and “You have been asked where you are really from.”  The students expressed a strong sense of solidarity after this activity, especially after realizing that many of them moved to the center of the circle for most of the statements.  Anna Takada, a senior at Walter Peyton High School, expressed an appreciation for finally feeling like she was part of a group where she was no longer a minority.

The next session of Project: Community! will take place on Saturday, March 13th. 

December 2, 2009

Chicago, IL - The National Park Service (NPS) hosted a meeting at the Chicago JACL office on December 1 to solicit comments on the Confinement Sites Grants that will be available in 2010.  The Confinement Sites Grants Program administered by NPS funded 19 projects in 2009 totaling $970,000.  In 2010, NPS will allocate $3 million in grants.   

NPS representative, Rachel Franklin-Weekley, reviewed the grants that were approved in 2009, which included one that was awarded to the Japanese American Service Committee of Chicago to create a multi-media exhibit to tell the story of Japanese Americans who served in the Military Intelligence Service during World War II.  In addition, three JACL chapters received NPS funding, including the Twin Cities chapter that will compile oral histories of Minnesota Japanese American elders who were interned.  Their histories will be video recorded and made available to educational institutions and the public. 

The law authorizes up to $38 million for the entire life of the grant program.  According to NPS, their goal is to “identify, research, evaluate, interpret, protect, restore, repair, and acquire historic confinement sites in order that present and future generations may learn and gain inspiration from these sites and that these sites will demonstrate the nation’s commitment to equal justice under the law.”  So far, $3 million has been appropriated by Congress.  The 2010 NPS applications will be announced in early 2010.  Information on the grants program is available at http://www.nps.gov/history/hsp/hpg/JACS/index.html. 

By: Christine Munteanu, Ford Fellow 2009-2010
(From the Sept. 4-17 2009 issue of the Pacific Citizen)

Setpember 9, 2009

In mid-August, the JACL launched a successful campaign against a racist scene depicting a hate crime against an Asian American in “The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard,” a new comedy from Paramount Pictures.  The campaign and the response it generated calls attention to the unsettling tendency for the label of “satire” or “comedy” to exculpate its creators from accusations of racism or bigotry.  This illusion of innocence is apparent in the half-hearted apologies that are often issued these cases: “I am sorry if I offended anyone.  Can’t you guys take a joke?”

In the case of “The Goods,” Paramount initially defended the scene, calling it an attempt at humor in an “outrageous satirical comedy.”  Admittedly, satire and transgressive humor could not succeed without an awareness of the morals they transgress; their effect stems from the thrill of engaging in behaviors that are socially prohibited, of breaking a taboo.

If the scene in “The Goods” was meant as satire, it was supposedly satirizing the racists; the racists and their absurd anti-Asian sentiment are supposed to make us laugh – for their anger, for their violence, for their irrationality.  The problem is that this type of “outrageous” comedy only works when the acts depicted are truly outrageous and unthinkable.  Unfortunately, the anti-Asian sentiment portrayed as extreme and silly in this scene is still a reality, and that is when the humor fails to be funny and instead becomes an offensive and hurtful reminder of the racism still present in American society. 

Somehow APAs are one of the last minorities against whom overt racism and bigotry are still accepted as viable forms of humor. While the history of the racism against African Americans is well known among Americans, the myth of the “model minority” masks the discrimination APAs still face to this day.  Racism does not occur in a historical vacuum.  Admitting that you were unaware of the historical implications of the slur “Jap” does not make it less offensive; claiming ignorance is never a legitimate excuse.

What is most insidious about this type of “comedy” is that the guise of humor strips its victims’ ability to protest against it.  So often, objections against this type of humor are met with disdain and scorn: “It’s just a joke – lighten up and don’t take yourself so seriously!”  For Asian Americans, these reactions only perpetuate stereotypes of Asian Americans as serious, stoic, and without a sense of humor. 

Satire is ultimately an attack against human failings and social absurdities; through ridicule and shame, the satirist aims to bring about reform.  In “The Goods,” the only one getting attacked is the APA.  When humor becomes an excuse for anti-Asian sentiment, the joke is clearly on us. 

By: Bill Yoshino

April 29, 2009

The Hate Crimes Prosecution Council of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office met for their semi-annual meeting on April 29 at the Standard Club. 

Council member, JACL Midwest Director Bill Yoshino attended the meeting and reported that the primary speakers, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis and State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez gave updates on the work of their departments.  Weis focused his remarks on the department’s efforts to fight gang crime.   He pointed out that much of the department’s effort is to use heightened intelligence to monitor the ever-changing pattern of crime and to centralize some units such as gang crimes investigation to allow greater flexibility in responding to incidents.

Alvarez reported that hate crimes remain a focus of her office and that she values the work of the Hate Crimes Prosecution Council.  She indicated the office is working on updates to their highly acclaimed hate crime prosecution manual published several years ago.  Alvarez also reported that she will re-establish the community prosecutions office on the Northside, which had been closed due to cost-cutting measures in recent years.  The purpose of the community prosecutions office is to be nearer the public to aid law enforcement efforts.

The Hate Crimes Prosecution is comprised of representatives from all levels of law enforcement in Cook County including the Chicago Police Department, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the FBI, the Chicago Commission on Human Relations and representatives of various organizations interested in hate crimes such as the Anti-Defamation League, the Jewish Fund and the JACL.

By: Jacqueline Mac, Ford Fellow

The JACL sent fifteen participants from across the nation to this year’s DC Leadership Conference held from Friday, March 6 to Tuesday, March 10 at the Doubletree Hotel in Washington, DC.  These JACL participants met and bonded with fifteen other participants representing the Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA) who also came from across the country to become inspired by issues affecting Asian Americans, to learn about how to navigate the legislative process, and to build a national network of community leaders fighting for similar causes.  

The Conference was originally a JACL initiative that began in 1983 but evolved into a joint effort between JACL and OCA in 1991.  The Conference was not offered annually until recently.  State Farm is the official sponsor of the Conference. 

Participants met with leaders from non-profit organizations to learn about legislative issues affecting Asian Americans and staff from members of Congress to learn about how to build a relationship with representatives. Other informative workshop sessions include do’s and don’ts of 501(c)(3) and ways to get your story into the paper.

Notable speakers joined participants during mealtime to talk about their experiences in their line of work.  Speakers included current Acting Chair of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Stuart Ishimaru, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Harry Harris, U.S. Marines Captain Bruce Yamashita, and Congressman Mike Honda (D-CA).

Participants enjoyed the few opportunities to leave the hotel premise including a trip to National Museum of American History and an experiential tour of the National Japanese American Memorial to Patriotism, led by DC JACL Chapter member Warren Minami.

Before arriving in Washington, DC, participants were encouraged to make appointments with their Senators or Representatives.  Participants met with their members of Congress and others on the last day of Conference during an outing to the Capitol.  Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI), Congressman David Wu (D-OR), Congressman Ahn “Joseph” Cao (R-LA), Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo (D-Guam), and Congressman Gregorio Sablan (I-Northern Mariana Islands) were among the few who took time out of their busy schedules to meet with the participants.

The DC Leadership Conference was not just all work and no play.  The schedule typically started bright and early at 9am but wrapped up with dinner around 7pm so that participants were able to get out and about DC. 

Three Chicago JACL Chapter members were in attendance, including yours truly, Midwest District Council Youth Representative Stephanie Nitahara, and Midwest District Council Membership Chairman Matthew Teshima.  A complete list of JACL participants is available on the national JACL website.

By Bill Yoshino (From the Pacific Citizen Holiday Issue 2008)

In this 20th anniversary year of the signing of the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, much credit has already been accorded to those who were involved in the Redress Campaign during the 1980s.  It was a singular achievement that required resolve and persistence by many individuals to finally convince the members of Congress and the Administration about the necessity for this legislation. 

Recently, I re-read the testimonies of former internees who appeared at the Commission on Wartime Relocation and Internment of Civilians (CWRIC) hearing in Chicago in 1981 to tell their experiences during a trying and difficult time in their lives.  As much as we praise those who participated in the redress campaign, I admire and credit those who testified for helping create the official record of what happened in 1942.  The testimonies provided a stark, compelling argument for the necessity for Redress.  Their stories, linked one to the other, formed a unified account of indignity and injustice, courage and endurance. 

These stories should be told and retold for the lessons they teach about America.  As we commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Civil Liberties Act, let me share with you excerpts from some of the testimonies that illuminated that experience.

The prejudice and bigotry that led to the internment intruded on the lives of Japanese Americans in their daily routines.  Shig Murao, remembered, “While playing basketball, opponents called me ‘slant eyes,’ ‘yellow belly,’ ‘jap’ or other obscenities.  I fought sometimes, walked away sometimes, went to the locker room and shouted obscenities sometimes or at times sat down and cried…”  This led to self conscious anxieties when Shig remembered the first day in a new class when he would have to recite his name, “Shigesato Murao…I despised it because invariably the teacher and some students couldn’t understand.  Then I would have to repeat myself.  What an ordeal.”

Shizu Sue Lofton described herself as a simple, non-political Nisei woman dreaming American dreams on
December 7, 1941.  “My first thoughts in those terrible days following the attack on Pearl Harbor were for my daughter – not quite two years old – and of what I could do to keep her from being harmed.”  Sue described how her daughter viewed the journey to Manzanar as an adventure that was soon hardened by reality.  “Even the long bus ride over strange and dusty roads to the camp was fun, but she was very tired by the time we arrived, it was dark and the mountains looked eerie and threatening even to me; so when she turned to me in that desolate barracks, with canvas cots and empty mattress ticking and piles of straw in the corners, and said, ‘Let’s go home now, Mommy,’ I could have killed every soldier standing there!”

Shig Wakamatsu testified about the uncertainty faced by the Issei farm families in the Puyallup Valley and whether they should proceed with plantings for the coming year.  “I cannot overlook to state before the Commission the conduct of our immigrant parents, the Issei, during that terrible spring of 1942.  That they responded to an inner sense of duty to their adopted country, a country that tried so hard to exclude them, is a feat that deserves a place in your record…Not much is known how the crops fared in the harvest nor what prices were obtained, but the Issei farmers went into camp with their heads held high, knowing that they had done everything that was possible to help our nation face its first summer of World War II.”

Toaru Ishiyama, a psychologist, likened the internment to abandonment, where the country was saying “you are unworthy and cannot be trusted.”  The effects, he said, were devastating.  “When a child feels abandoned, he cries.  Only later does anger come.  But we did not cry in 1942.  I think this is why when Japanese Americans go on pilgrimages to the camps, the tears that were not shed then now come, and come, and come.  We cry because of what we lost.  And the loss goes beyond property issues, beyond physical hardships.  I had finally learned that behind my anger, there was a tear.”

Maryann Mahaffey testified as the president pro-tem of the Detroit City Council. She was also a member of the Detroit JACL board of directors.  As a 20-year-old college senior, she volunteered as a recreation worker at Poston.  “I think I did some good.  I think I helped.  But I will be forever haunted by what could not be done, by the irreparable damage inflicted on an innocent, helpless and defenseless population…In the more than thirty-five years since that agonizing summer, I have thought often and poignantly about my role, about my country, and about justice.  As a mother, as a social worker, as an elected public official, I feel so inadequate, so humble, so full of shame about what our government has done.”

Finally, Studs Terkel, who won a Pulitzer Prize for The Good War, testified on the role of the media and the manner in which they inflamed public attitudes.  “But what was most shameful of that period was the media.  The hysteria and I’m referring to all sorts of newspapers, even those called “liberal.”  We expected hysteria and obscenity from someone as strident as Walter Winchell or as bilious as Westbrooke Pegler, and of course, Broadway’s darling, Damon Runyan.  The most influential and the most devastating of columns against the Issei and Nisei were written by Walter Lippman.  It was Lippman’s columns,… [that] were most influential, I think, in impressing other political figures who were easily impressed when it came to the denial of constitutional rights…I am delighted, of course, to know that many of the young, the Sansei, affected as they were by the civil rights movement of the 60s said to their parents, many of whom were understandably insecure and quiet because of the agony they suffered, “Speak up, why have you been silent?”  But I ask, “Why has all of America been silent?”  And I think these hearings have been a long time coming.”

By Katherine Bundra, Guest Columnist

This past year, we have been through a wave of excitement with the 2008 presidential campaign.  For the first time in our nation’s history, we have witnessed a black man, two females, and a 70 year-old male all compete to be elected to the White House.  Our nation is breaking down barriers of race, gender and age at an alarming rate.

Yet while the United States seemingly makes progress, we should not ignore the underlying racial tension which exists towards Arabs and Muslim communities.  A study released by Colombia University cited that soon after the events of 9/11, Muslims faced a range of problems such as job losses and violent hate crimes.  Women reported having their head scarves torn from their heads, and children endured verbal and physical assaults by their non-Muslim peers.   Most recently, the racial tension was reflected loudly and clearly by a McCain supporter during a rally in Minnesota who cried, “I don’t trust Obama.  I have read about him and he is an Arab.”   

Within the conflict of our progression, there exists one common theme, which is “discrimination.”  It is also one of the main reasons I am proud to be a part of the JACL community - an organisation which was founded upon the values of non-discrimination, tolerance, and respect for diversity.  As the JACL Vision states, “…[JACL] strives to promote a world that honours diversity by respecting values of fairness, equality and social justice.” 

It is important to take a moment to again reaffirm these simple values of respect and non-discrimination; particularly at a time when we are being divided in a heavily charged political climate, or during time of war, as the Japanese American community knows all too well.  The values we hold personally, as well as our actions, have reverberations upon those around us and our communities. 

As it states in the United Nations “The International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination,” adopted in 1965 : 

      …discrimination between human beings on the grounds of race, colour or ethnic origin is an obstacle to friendly and peaceful relations among nations and is capable of disturbing peace and security among peoples and the harmony of persons living side by side even within one and the same State.

We cannot live in peace without respecting one another, regardless of their gender, age, religion, ethnic origin or skin colour.  While the United States makes significant progress on one hand, we must not move back two steps on the other. 

Restating the obvious by discussing values of non-discrimination, respect for diversity and human dignity, may seem all too simplistic.  But these values are indeed the basis of our humanity, and the reason why we have united among the Japanese American citizens in our country to be a part of JACL.  We must continue to live and champion these values in our everyday lives, and strongly persist in the face of dangerous and divisive ideologies which feed the roots racial discrimination. 

By Jacqueline Mac, Ford Fellow

For the past several months, I, along with Midwest Regional Director Bill Yoshino, have been involved in an aggressive grassroots group made up of community organizers, professionals, and educators called the Education Advocacy Working Group. The name can be quite a mouthful and somewhat mundane but neither of those descriptors reflect the important work done by this group.

By definition, the overarching goal of the Working Group is to advance the empowerment and educational opportunities of Asian American youth in Chicago Public Schools (K-12).  The Working Group has identified two main issues on which to focus their efforts and is broken up into to two subcommittees to work on their respective issue: attaining support for parent-school partnerships and including Asian American studies in the K-12 curriculum in Illinois.

The need for parent-school partnerships support was identified from concerns raised by the Working Group, including the difficulty encountered by parents to navigate the school system or communicate with appropriate school administrators, the little Asian American representation on local school councils, and the broken communication between parents and schools. 

This subcommittee is looking to organize with parents, youth, teachers, and schools to create a report card for identified schools as a form of needs assessment.  The ultimate goal is to create and maintain successful partnerships between Asian American families and public schools through funding and programming support.

The need to include Asian American studies rose from the fact that while Illinois Learning Standards currently include teaching the history, contributions, and challenges of some ethnic groups, the Standards do not mention Asian Americans nor mandates Asian American studies be taught in current curriculum.  Without this representation, Asian American students may feel marginalized that they are not reflected in the curriculum, and other students are less likely to understand the histories, struggles, and contributions of Asian Americans. 

This subcommittee is currently drafting recommendations to integrate Asian American studies elements into the Illinois Learning Standard, outlining a list of talking points regarding the need for Asian American Studies curriculum to present to key education officials, and looking for future opportunities for teacher training workshops.

By Katherine Bundra, Guest Columnist

The world has been waiting in anticipation of the 2008 presidential elections.  As one French man recently described to me, the campaign has taken motion like a well plotted television series. 

Alongside the United States, the international community has witnessed a black man, two females, and a 70 year-old male all compete to be elected to the White House.  Our nation is breaking down barriers of race, gender and age at an alarming rate, and the impact reverberates worldwide. 

Just last month, a 5 year-old Parisian girl asked me politely, “If you are American, then why are you not black?”  I smiled, and before I thoughtfully responded, her Mom explained to me that her association with black Americans is linked to Obama.

As a native of Chicago living in London and Geneva for the past four years, intertwined in extremely dense international communities, it is clear to me from the other side of the looking glass that a large part of the world is hoping for Obama to be elected to office.  

Some may state that my personal opinion biases my perspective. I would beg to differ.  I have not yet met an American living abroad who is voting for McCain. Nor have I met a foreigner who supports McCain over Obama.  

Throughout the past several months, I have had discussions about the elections with people of Swiss nationality, Ugandan, French, Brazilian, Italian, Turkish, German and Spanish.  There is constant amazement and a sense of admiration to the fact that Obama is black, and potentially the next president of the United States. 

I have often asked my friends and colleagues why they have a favoured opinion of Obama.  Many do not discuss the economic policies of either candidate, or what their plans are for health care in the United States.  What is clear however, is that their opinion is based on the same hunger for change which many Americans long for inside our country. 

To many, Obama is seen as a fresh, young face, which is not overly conservative.  He has sent clear messages about his openness to dialogue and unity, healing divisions and a unilateral approach to foreign policy as Bush has taken during his term as President.

In the end, regardless of who wins the presidential elections, we can leave the 2008 campaign era knowing that not only were racial, ethnic, age and gender barriers strongly challenged on the world stage, but the United States does not stand alone.  The world is watching closely.

By Ron Yoshino, Chicago Chapter Treasurer

As we have reported earlier, the 2010 JACL National Convention is going to be held in Chicago. The convention will be held at the Swissotel from Wednesday, June 30, 2010 to Sunday, July 4, 2010.

In order to help in the planning process for the 2010 Convention, a number of representatives from Chicago recently traveled to Salt Lake City to attend and observe the 2008 Convention.  The Chicago delegation included Bill Yoshino, Carol Yoshino, Megan Nakano, May Nakano, David Igasaki, Rich Amano, Elaine Low, Laura Yamasaki, Ron Yoshino, Joyce Yoshino, Julia Shimada, Stephanie Nitahara, and Amy Munemoto.

My observations at the Salt Lake City Convention reconfirmed my belief that the planning of a JACL National Convention is a huge undertaking.  There were business meetings and mixers and luncheons and dinners and plays and workshops and elections and booster activities all seeming to happen one after another and sometimes at the same time.

It is interesting to note that there were about 50-60 youth attending the convention in Salt Lake City.  Separate workshops and mixers and tours and other activities were planned for these young people.  We expect that there may be even more young people coming to Chicago in 2010.  Planning youth activities for 2010 will add even more complexity to the planning process.

It was reported that 520 people attended the Sayonara Banquet in Salt Lake City.  Most of these people were visitors to Salt Lake City.  We expect a comparable number of people to travel to Chicago in 2010.  It will give us an opportunity to show our out of town guests the many wonders of Chicago including Michigan Avenue shopping, Millennium Park, Navy Pier, the Art Institute, Wrigley Field, the Shedd Aquarium, and all of our other fine attracyions.  During the convention planning process, we will be planning tours to these areas.  We will also be planning workshops and luncheons and banquets and exhibits and receptions and other activities for our guests.

JACL is a volunteer organization.  We are looking for volunteers to help plan a successful convention.  The 2010 convention is an opportunity for our membership to get involved and work together and make new friends and revitalize the Chicago Chapter.  If you are interested in participating in this process, please contact Ron Yoshino via e-mail at yosh44@aol.com or at (708) 784-0893.  

By Julia Shimada, Chicago Chapter Member

As a youth member of the Chicago Chapter, the chance to attend the spring JACL Midwest District Council Meeting in Omaha was incredible.  Representatives from Cincinnati, Dayton, Hoosier, Omaha, and Chicago all came.  Also, in attendance were Midwest District Regional Director, Bill Yoshino; MDC Governor, Ron Katsuyama; and the JACL National President, Larry Oda.  I had a great time getting to know all of these dedicated individuals and witnessing their contributions to our community.

Items on this meeting's agenda: the MDC's education programs, the district's proposal for the national Legacy Grant, and discussion of upcoming votes on bylaw amendments to the JACL constitution for the National Conference in July.  Bill Yoshino made a report on the Midwest District's current initiatives in education.  The office staff recently conducted hate crime and leadership workshops at the Midwest Asian American Student Union conference at the University of Kansas, as well as at the East Coast Asian American Student conference.  Another ongoing MDC project in the arenas of leadership and education is the Ford Fellowship program.  This scholarship is awarded annually so that a youth member of the community can work in the MDC office gaining valuable work experience, while helping out a non-profit organization.  Elaine Low was the 2007-2008 Ford Fellow.  The fellow for the 2008-2009 year was recently selected. 

At this meeting the council decided to submit a proposal for the Legacy Grant.  The project is an oral history of how individual MDC chapters were formed as well as the stories of JA's who came to the Midwest either post-internment or by bypassing internment all together.  Another notable portion of the meeting was the discussion of how the district would vote at the National Conference.  One heated issue was whether the determination of the location of the National Director should reside with the National Council or be changed to the National Board.** 
Like every good meeting our hard work paid off in the end so that we had some time to play.  Saturday evening, a couple other youth members of the JACL and I took the chance to explore the city.  Although a native and proud Chicagoan, I must admit how exciting the Old Market area is.  I was impressed with the local music store (Homer's Music and Gifts), homemade ice cream joint (Ted & Wally's Ice Cream), and most strikingly gigantic concrete slides set right in the middle of the city.  Let’s just say I hope Omaha will be hosting a JACL conference soon.  I cannot express my gratitude as to how happy I am to have been given the opportunity to see the inner-workings of our organization--all while taking a trip 700+ miles away from home. 

*At the National JACL Convention in Salt Lake City, the Legacy Grant winners were announced and MDC was awarded a grant for their project.
**Also at the National Convention, the National Council passed an amended bylaw amendment to the JACL constitution that would place more responsibility in the National Council's jurisdiction in this respect.  The resolution regarding this same matter was withdrawn.  

Julia Shimada recently graduated from Northside College Prep and will be attending college in the fall.