JANM’s Chair of the Board of Trustees, William T Fujioka, dives into the story of JANM’s Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops and the Museum’s vow to #ScrubNothing in reference to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Since 1985 JANM has been promoting understanding and appreciation of America’s ethnic and cultural diversity by sharing the Japanese American experience. In April, JANM received a stark message from the National Endowment for the Humanities: “Due to a change in the Administration’s funding priorities, DOGE has made the decision to terminate NEH awards.”
Gone was $170,000 for JANM’s Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops. Gone was the opportunity to bring educators from throughout the United States to JANM, Little Tokyo, and the Manzanar concentration camp so they in turn could bring the lessons of Japanese American history into their classrooms. When JANM sounded the call for aid to save this program, you answered. When JANM lit the beacons to help educators carry these essential stories back to their students, you rode out into your communities to raise the funds.
Thanks to you, JANM raised $275,000 that not only support this summer’s Landmarks program and educator stipends but also support next summer’s workshops. An anonymous donor pledged $85,000 for the Landmarks workshops, which will cover the Museum’s costs to bring seventy-two teachers from twenty-eight states to Los Angeles to experience the program. Many generous donors pledged $5 to $50,000 to support teacher travel stipends and provide continuous support for the program.
The weeklong workshops will bring teachers from across the United States to JANM, Little Tokyo, and Manzanar National Historic Site to experience Japanese American history, hear from former incarcerees, and most importantly, bring those stories and lessons back to their classrooms. Over the past two years, JANM’s Landmarks workshops included more than one hundred teachers in thirty-one states, who in turn reached approximately 21,000 students.
But, there’s still more work that needs to be done.
Despite some of the most significant federal cuts to arts and humanities funding in contemporary history, we are unwavering in our mission—to tell the full story of the Japanese American community, both its struggles and triumphs. While many organizations have scrubbed their websites of references to diversity, equity, and inclusion, JANM vows to scrub nothing.
JANM is proud to be among the first institutions standing firmly and unapologetically in defense of truth and justice. In doing so, we proudly stand true to our mission and honor the legacy of generations who came before us.
Now, we’re asking you to stand up with us as we take a strong and vocal stance against these efforts to erase history, dismantle diversity, and criminalize vulnerable communities.
So skip that spring cleaning and #ScrubNothing with us! Read the latest JANM news, give a gift today to help us tell the full story of our community and check out the exciting Scrub Nothing merch from the JANM Store.
On March 14, 2025, JANM’s Democracy Center welcomed the Smithsonian’s Lonnie G. Bunch III and Lisa Sasaki as special guest speakers for its inaugural Irene Hirano Inouye Distinguished Lecture Series. Bunch is the fourteenth secretary of the Smithsonian and is devoted to enhancing diversity in the museum field. Sasaki is the deputy under secretary for Special Projects at the Smithsonian. She elevates the stories of women and Asian American communities and their impact around the world. Their life work and careers embody the essence of leadership, collaboration, inclusivity, and diversity that Inouye represented. She was JANM’s inaugural executive director and its president and CEO.
“Irene understood the importance of the lessons of history and how relevant and urgent they are in contemporary America.”
— Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO
“It was that spring in her step that propelled the museum forward. She understood, before it was widely recognized, that memory and history are not static artifacts of the past but powerful contemporary lessons, acts of resilience, and acts of resistance which are now more important than ever before. Irene understood the importance of the lessons of history and how relevant and urgent they are in contemporary America,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.
As Inouye steered JANM from a dream without funding or a site to an official affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, she led with the vision to empower communities, uplift women, and build bridges between the US and Japan. Bunch and Sasaki, both dear friends and colleagues of Inouye, reflected on Inouye’s leadership and insights into the museum field.
“Museums force people to engage with each other and encounter real learning and real barriers being broken.”
— Lonnie G. Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
“Irene made all of us believe that museums could be more than things that looked towards yesterday. They could be places that are central to today and tomorrow. In essence, what good museums are are really tools or weapons to fight for democracy, weapons to make a country better, weapons to make people understand that it’s important to give people not just what they want but what they need to know. Museums force people to engage with each other and encounter real learning and real barriers being broken. They remind us that America at its best is aspirational and that we must fight the good fight to make sure that those stories aren’t erased,” said Bunch.
Featured photograph: The Smithsonian’s Lonnie G. Bunch III speaks at the Democracy Center’s inaugural Irene Hirano Inouye Distinguished Lecture Series. Photo by Mike Palma.
Nikkei Progressives Community Press Conference
On March 18, 2025, JANM participated in a press conference organized by Nikkei Progressives condemning the use of the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to enforce mass deportations of Venezuelan men accused of being Tren de Aragua gang members. The press conference was held in front of the Historic Building, the Museum’s oldest and largest artifact. Built in 1925, the former Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple was a site of grave injustice for the bustling Little Tokyo neighborhood.
“On the corner of First and Central behind me is where Japanese Americans boarded buses to be taken to camps. This place serves as a reminder that this dark chapter remains one of the most egregious violations of civil liberties in American history, later condemned by Congress and acknowledged as a grave mistake. We must not repeat it,” said Kenyon Mayeda of JANM.
Today, the Historic Building is hallowed ground—a site of conscience and a gathering place for civic engagement and social justice. The press conference also included speakers from the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice, Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, the Manzanar Committee, National Japanese American Citizens League, Nikkei Progressives, and Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition.
“This place serves as a reminder that this dark chapter remains one of the most egregious violations of civil liberties in American history, later condemned by Congress and acknowledged as a grave mistake. We must not repeat it.”
— Kenyon Mayeda, JANM Chief Impact Officer
“Immigrants helped build this nation and contribute daily, not only to our economy, but to society at large. They are our friends, our co-workers, our neighbors, and our family members. Nikkei Progressives will continue to stand in support of immigrants, refugees, asylum seekers, and all people whose rights are being violated and who are under attack by the Trump administration,” said Hope Nakamura of Nikkei Progressives.
“The Tuna Canyon Coalition’s mission is to preserve the stories so it doesn’t happen again. We are here to uncover unknown diaries, letters, or like June Berk, interviewing the children and great grandchildren of the detained. Clearly the separation of the family was horrible then, and still [is] today,” said Kyoko Nancy Oda of the Tuna Canyon Detention Station Coalition.
“The Manzanar Committee will continue to challenge the lies being told about immigrants and refugees. We will not stand by and watch while other communities are attacked like we were. We will remind America of what can happen when our Constitution is tossed aside or where the rule of law no longer matters. Our story tells us our country is stronger, our democracy more vibrant, when the Constitutional rights of all people—immigrants and citizens alike—are protected and that the rule of law prevails,” said Bruce Embrey of the Manzanar Committee.
Alex M. Johnson moderated a panel with Mario Fedelin, Cielo Castro, and James E. Herr at the Democracy Center. Photo by Doug Mukai.
On March 28, 2025, JANM and the Democracy Center once again hosted the Smithsonian’s National Conversation on Race. During the inaugural Conversation in December 2023, panelists and guests alike established a strong foundation around the intersection of race with issues of wealth, health, and the arts.
“Our work for the reckoning with our Racial Past initiative is to support and amplify the work of organizations like JANM, like the Chinese American Museum, like LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes. These were the first institutions we reached out to to launch our national work, because they’re such exemplary models—not only in what they do and how they do it, but in collaborating with each other,” said Deborah Mack, associate director for strategic partnerships at the National African American Museum of History and Culture.
“How do we support young people? We listen. We trust, we act with urgency and not caution, and we get out of the way and make room and space for those coming behind.”
— Alex M. Johnson, California Wellness Foundation Vice President of Public Affairs
When the Los Angeles wildfires devastated the cities of Altadena and Pacific Palisades, this year’s Conversation examined the urgent contemporary forces shaping the issues. With a focus on youth empowerment and the role of creative practice in equitable natural disaster recovery, this year’s panels illuminated pathways toward systemic change.
“When people ask me the question, how do we support young people? Right now, my answer is clear. We listen. We trust, we act with urgency and not caution, and we get out of the way and make room and space for those coming behind,” said Alex M. Johnson, the vice president of Public Affairs for the California Wellness Foundation.
Johnson moderated a panel with Mario Fedelin, CEO of Changeist; Cielo Castro, chief officer of policy and programs at California Community Foundation; and James E. Herr, director of the Democracy Center. Together they explored ways to give young people opportunities to make the positive changes that they envision for the nation’s future.
“Hope is so important, especially for our young people right now. If we’re going to hold space, it’s one of the spaces we need to hold for them, because we need to find moments of joy in this world today.”
— James E. Herr, Democracy Center Director
“I’m glad that you talked about hope, because I think hope is so important, especially for our young people right now. If we’re going to hold space, it’s one of the spaces we need to hold for them, because we need to find moments of joy in this world today,” said Herr.
“It really is grounding myself in the long arc of moral history. The long arc of justice, remembering that we’ve been as a country through so much worse, how we have grit ourselves up, right, to make sure that we brace ourselves for the impact and protect young people from having to bear so much of it themselves,” said Castro.
“What I found to be some of the best strategies during this time is just holding space without prescription, holding space without some sort of mastery or some sort of intervention,” said Fedelin. “Give them the room to say whatever the hell they want. And then as the adult in the room, do the thing that I think my parents struggled to do for me, which was tell me it’s going to be okay and allow them to believe me. And then act in a way that shows them this is going to be okay because I got you.”
“Arts recovery projects can address the impacts of disasters on democracy by promoting empathy, connection, and agency in affected communities.”
— Anna Kennedy-Borissow, Keynote Speaker
The Democracy Center also welcomed Anna Kennedy-Borissow from the University of Melbourne as the keynote speaker. A leading voice on the intersection of creative practice and disaster recovery, Kennedy-Borissow talked about her extensive research on wildfires that have devastated Australia over the past two decades and how her research is transferable to the LA wildfires.
During her presentation, she discussed how arts recovery projects can contribute to a culture of democracy. Creative projects can be cathartic for disaster-affected individuals and communities. They promote partnerships, build trust, and strengthen connections. Most importantly, they can foster a sense of hope for the future and be calming places where individuals and communities can fully express themselves.
“Ultimately, arts recovery projects can address the impacts of disasters on democracy by promoting empathy, connection, and agency in affected communities. But for this to occur, it is essential that both the arts, emergency management, public and private sectors recognize the value of these initiatives and resource arts-based recovery projects, artists, community and cultural organizations accordingly,” said Kennedy-Borissow.
“I really see the fires as a metaphor for this opportunity that we have to move forward, to build the world that we want to live in.”
— Karen Mack, LA Commons Executive Director
She was then joined by a panel of local experts to explore how Los Angeles could adapt and implement these models to enhance its own recovery initiatives. The panel was moderated by Leticia Rhi Buckley, CEO of LA Plaza de Cultura y Artes, and also included Karen Mack, executive director of LA Commons, and Alvaro D. Marquez, program officer for Arts and Culture at the California Community Foundation.
“I really see the fires as a metaphor for this opportunity that we have to move forward, to build the world that we want to live in. One of the things that we were focused on is giving artists the resources to do what they do best, which is to imagine, dream, world build. And that’s the moment that we’re in. As painful as it is, we are building a new world for ourselves,” said Mack.
“The arts is every single funding area that we do. It is economic development. It is youth development, it is health, it is housing. It is all of those things,” said Marquez. “One of the things I want to invite us to think about is to get outside of Eurocentric conceptions of art, which involve a gallery and a white cube, and to think about cultural expression writ large and in an expansive sense. We need to learn from our indigenous neighbors and cousins that land stewardship is a form of cultural practice that can teach us how to respond to these crises and hopefully prevent the next one.”
Clockwise from top: Alvaro D. Marquez, Leticia Rhi Buckley, Anna Kennedy-Borissow and Karen Mack. Photos by Doug Mukai.
The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) was founded by the Japanese American community as a beacon for civil rights and democracy, ensuring that the injustices faced by Japanese Americans during World War II are never repeated against any other group. Our Museum stands as a place of memory, truth, and justice, where history is not only preserved but actively used to confront contemporary threats to democracy and human dignity. We are deeply troubled by the erosion of civil rights as evidenced in the attacks on birthright citizenship, the rescission of workplace protections for marginalized communities, the rollbacks on protections for immigrants including mass incarceration and deportations, the resurgence of actions under the Alien Enemies Act, and the systematic dismantling of diversity and other initiatives. We cannot remain silent while these policies attempt to strip people of their humanity and dignity and reverse course on our nation’s journey towards a more just and equitable future.
Honoring Our History, Families, and Mission
JANM was built to honor our families, our ancestors, and the hard-fought lessons of history—lessons that are now being dangerously ignored. The very forces that led to the mass incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II—racism, xenophobia, and authoritarianism—are resurfacing under the guise of national security, immigration enforcement, and the rejection of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are deeply committed to our mission of preserving this history, building bridges across communities and divides, and ensuring that America remains a nation where all people can thrive.
As an institution that tells the stories of untold histories, we celebrate diverse voices and perspectives because they matter. Despite the Administration’s attempt at erasure, we will continue to celebrate Day of Remembrance, Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Holocaust Remembrance Day, Pride Month, and other critical commemorations that recognize the contributions and struggles of communities across America and the hard-won protections for women, historically marginalized communities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and people with disabilities.
We also recognize that the Japanese American community is not monolithic—we are multiracial, multiethnic, multicultural and multigenerational, with diverse identities across gender, sexuality, religion, and ability. We will continue to stand against discrimination in all its forms. JANM remains committed to being a place of refuge, a safe space where all people are welcome to be themselves.
Rejecting Mass Incarceration and Deportations
JANM strongly denounces the January 29, 2025, presidential memorandum directing the construction of a migrant concentration camp at Guantánamo Bay, with the capacity to detain 30,000 immigrants. The use of national security rhetoric to justify mass detention echoes the same logic that led to the forced removal and incarceration of over 125,000 Japanese Americans—our parents, grandparents and extended families—under Executive Order 9066. We know too well the devastating consequences of such action—families torn apart, livelihoods destroyed, and multigenerational trauma inflicted on a community for decades.
We question the policy to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to carry out mass deportations without due process, a policy historically used to target marginalized communities. Originally enacted for wartime enemy deportations, this law was used in 1941 by President Roosevelt to arrest and detain Japanese, German, and Italian citizens without due process. It later paved the way for Executive Order 9066, which led to the mass incarceration of over 125,000 individuals of Japanese heritage—more than two-thirds of whom were American-born citizens. This dangerous new direction echoes past injustices, including the Chinese Exclusion Act, Alien Land Laws, and World War II incarceration policies, emphasizing that the lessons of history must not be ignored.
Defending Birthright Citizenship
JANM rejects the unconstitutional executive order to end birthright citizenship, a fundamental right guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution. Japanese Americans understand what is at stake—many of our ancestors were denied citizenship under racist exclusion laws, while our Nisei (second generation) were born into a country that stripped their parents of legal rights and seized their property. Despite this injustice, many Nisei courageously served in the US military, fighting for our freedom abroad, even as their families were incarcerated behind barbed wire in America’s concentration camps. This attempt to redefine legal status today is as fragile and dangerous as it was in 1942. We stand with all immigrant families and communities at risk and will continue to fight for the rights of all people to be recognized as full members of society.
Protecting Democracy and Rule of Law
JANM joins nonprofit organizations across the country in opposing attempts by the Administration to freeze federal funds in violation of Congressional authority and the Impoundment Acts. We recognize that many pressing issues affect our community that extend beyond JANM’s mission, and that is why we have the Daniel K. Inouye National Center for the Preservation of Democracy (Democracy Center). The Democracy Center is a space for civic dialogue, where people of all backgrounds and perspectives can discuss and defend American democratic principles—checks and balances, the Constitution, and the rule of law.
Our Commitment to Action
At JANM, we do more than preserve history—we carry its lessons forward. We will remain vigilant and continue to speak out against policies that erode civil rights, deny people their humanity, and attempt to undo decades of progress toward justice, equity, and inclusion.
We reaffirm our founding purpose: to tell our stories, to stand up for the truth about history, to serve as a bridge across communities and divides, to stand against discrimination and hate, and to ensure that no community is ever again subjected to the injustices that Japanese Americans faced. In doing so, we honor our past and fulfill our responsibility today and into the future.
January 16, 2025: Update on Little Tokyo’s Response for the Fires in the Los Angeles Area
As the Los Angeles community begins to face the aftermath of the horrific Eaton and Palisades fires that have caused so much loss and devastation, people everywhere are mobilizing to help those who have lost loved ones, homes, businesses, and livelihoods, and to support the firefighters and first responders who continue their tireless efforts to contain the fires and protect lives and property as dangerous conditions persist.
Our Little Tokyo neighborhood is safe and intact, but many who work here are not. Thousands more are eager to find ways to help those affected by the fires. A coalition of Little Tokyo organizations are now working to coordinate our efforts to provide relief and community resources, including JACCC, JANM, LTCC, LTSC, and Visual Communications, in cooperation with the Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles. We are hearing from many charities and mutual aid organizations that they are currently overwhelmed with donations of goods and other offers of help in response to immediate needs. This group is turning our attention to identifying ways to help meet key needs for the medium and longer-term recovery. We are reaching out to our colleagues, constituents, and community organizations in the affected areas to determine how we can be of most help. We will keep you updated and in the meantime, encourage those who can to make financial contributions to organizations who are well equipped to distribute aid.
For those needing assistance, and those looking to donate to trusted relief organizations, here are some resources to consider:
Josh Morey of ori-gen and the J. Morey Company has a two-part video of advice for those navigating the insurance claims.
Cal Firegives current information about the status of the fires, including evacuation shelters, orders, and warnings, road closures, and animal evacuation shelters.
The Los Angeles Unified School District provides a Family and Community Recovery Guide, school updates, and other resources for those who have been displaced due to the fires.
The American Red Cross is accepting online donations to help those affected by the wildfires.
Azay Little Tokyo has been preparing hot meals to distribute around town to firefighters, evacuees, and unhoused neighbors.
Our thoughts are with all of you in Los Angeles County as you take every precaution to protect yourselves and your loved ones. We are here for you, and we will get through this together.
Ann Burroughs JANM President and CEO
January 9, 2025: Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the fires in the Los Angeles area
All of us in the JANM family are deeply saddened by the devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires. The tragic loss of life, homes, businesses, and livelihoods is unimaginable, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by the fires. Our gratitude goes to the firefighters and first responders who are risking their lives to protect our lives and property.
I want to assure you that our staff and volunteers are safe, and that the Museum and our Collections are unaffected. However, many of our staff and volunteers have been evacuated from high risk zones and we are hearing that some have lost their homes. As you know, JANM is currently closed to the public for renovation, however our operations will continue. In an ongoing effort to keep our staff and volunteers safe during the unpredictable and highly volatile conditions, and to help keep roads clear for emergency vehicles and evacuees in the affected areas, JANM’s offices will remain closed until the danger has passed. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.
Staff and volunteer availability is limited due to the emergency, so please be aware that services such as membership cards, store orders, and return email and telephone calls may be delayed. We will continue to update you about any cancellations of upcoming public programs. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
For those needing assistance or wanting to help, here are some resources to consider:
Cal Firegives current information about the status of the fires, including evacuation shelters, orders, and warnings, road closures, and animal evacuation shelters.
Thank you for your understanding, patience, and vigilance during this grave and challenging time. My thoughts are with all of you in Los Angeles County as you take every precaution to protect yourselves and your loved ones. We are here for you, and we will get through this together.
Every fall, our volunteers host a See’s Candies fundraiserthat supports the Kokoro Craft Show Committee and the volunteers’ activity fund. This fund helps pay for volunteer-led programs, including Together events and field trips to the Holocaust Museum of Los Angeles, the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, the Chinese American Museum, and a walking tour of Los Angeles’s Little Tokyo.
On January 5, 2025, JANM will begin renovating its Pavilion and launching JANM on the Go. During this time, the volunteers’ activity fund will be essential to keeping our volunteers connected to JANM and to one another.
Please share this fundraiser with your friends and family, and order some sweet gifts for the holidays! This fundraiser is open until Friday, December 6, 2024.
Please note that the price of See’s Candies online is the same as it is in stores. The Kokoro Committee and JANM will receive a percentage of each order. Your order will be delivered directly to your home or to the home of your family or friends.
If you need assistance with your orders, please call See’s Candies customer service at 877-599-7337 and mention that you are supporting the Kokoro Craft Show at JANM. Customer service is available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m.–4:30 p.m. PT.
Image Gallery: JANM volunteers take a field trip to the Shoya House at the Huntington. Mike Okamura, a JANM volunteer and the president of the Little Tokyo Historical Society, leads volunteers on a walking tour of Little Tokyo (photos by Tomoko Takasugi).
Image Gallery: Shoppers enjoy the Kokoro Craft Show and a performance from Bombu Taiko. Photos by Ben Furuta.
Image Gallery: JANM volunteers enjoy Together events at the Museum (photos by Joe Akira and Ben Furuta) as well as a field trip to the Chinese American Museum followed by lunch in nearby Olvera Street.
With fall right around the corner, we are reflecting on a great summer welcoming teachers from across the country to Little Tokyo to participate in weeklong Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops titled Little Tokyo: How History Shapes a Community Across Generations. Funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Landmarks of American History and Culture program brings K–12 educators to sites, areas, and regions of historic and cultural significance.
Image Gallery:Lynn Yamasaki, director of JANM’s Education unit, talks with educators. Educators on a tour of Little Tokyo. The site of the Manzanar concentration camp. Former incarcerees and JANM Volunteers Hal Keimi, June Berk, and Richard Murakami talk with teachers.
Teachers are some of our very favorite people and we were so pleased to welcome fifty-eight incredible educators selected from an applicant pool of over 150 to join us in Little Tokyo!
Collectively, they represented twenty-seven states and reach over 7,200 students each year.
In addition to sessions with JANM Education staff, participants learned from eighteen guest scholars, educators, and community members and gained an in-depth understanding of Japanese American history through the lens of Little Tokyo. Topics gave insight into the community throughout time and included immigration, prewar racism, Bronzeville, World War II incarceration, postwar activism, the redress and reparations movement, and present day issues facing Little Tokyo. This year, a powerful day was spent visiting Manzanar National Historic Site. Check out this short video to hear from some of the participants about their time spent at JANM!
We are grateful to the NEH and to all the teachers who traveled from near and far to join us. It was an inspiring and energizing program for our staff, volunteers, and community.
We are thrilled to share that JANM has received another Landmarks of American History and Culture grant to continue workshops again in 2025. Keep an eye on our website or join our education enewsletter to stay informed about the application period and process.
Little Tokyo: How History Shapes a Community Across Generations has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Image Gallery: Educators look at artifacts from JANM’s Collection. Kristen Hayashi, director of Collections Management and Access and curator, and Hal Keimi speak with educators. Karen Ishizuka, chief curator, moderates a panel with community members Mike Murase, Kathy Masaoka, and Mark Masaoka about Little Tokyo.
Does your mouth start to water when you see a steamy bowl of ramen or udon? Is your go-to snack Spam musubi or onigiri? Same here! Food plays a huge role in our cultural identities. This summer, Discover Nikkei is making a video that highlights how Nikkei around the world share a community through food. We’d love for you to participate!
If you’re handy with a camera—or a smartphone—we’re asking you to take a video with your favorite cultural food (or perhaps your Oba-chan’s signature dish?), and then “pass it” to the virtual person next to you. Plus, take a picture of your plate to show us the delicious Nikkei cuisine you prepared! We’ll be editing all the submissions together to form one longer video of Nikkei sharing food around the worldwide dinner table. The video will be shared on our website, YouTube channel, and social media platforms.
The final video will be a celebration of the incredible diversity of our global community. No acting experience necessary! Just be yourself and have a great time. If you’re feeling extra creative, put something in the frame that represents where you live. Maybe a favorite team jersey, a photo of a special place, or a national flag in the background—the more creative, the better!
For all the details on how to shoot and submit your video, visit 5dn.org/pass-the-food. We can’t wait to see your videos!
Do you love capturing the world in unique and creative ways? Do you have a passion and talent for photography? If you have your own equipment and are available on weekends and evenings, we’d love to hear from you!
We’re expanding our crew of volunteer photographers to capture our exhibitions, public programs, and more at JANM. Volunteer photographers work with the Marketing and Communications department to shoot photographs that document and illustrate JANM’s events, initiatives, and mission to promote the understanding and appreciation of America’s diversity through the Japanese American experience.
Volunteers’ photographs are featured on our website and blog; highlighted in institutional reports, presentations, and outreach materials; used across social media; and archived at JANM. Their work conveys the powerful stories of the Museum and its mission to the public on a global stage.
JANM Volunteer Richard Watanabe captures the excitement of mochitsuki at the 2024 Oshogatsu Family Festival. Photo by Doug Mukai.
JANM Volunteer Nobuyuki Okada snaps photographs of visitors stamping the Ireichō. Photo by Doug Mukai.
Volunteer Opportunity: Photography
Reports to: Marketing and Communications
We’re looking for photographers who:
Have experience photographing events, exhibitions, people, and/or buildings at a quality level
Own photography equipment and a computer
Can select, edit, and digitally transfer photographs
Can attend at least one on-site event a month, usually on weekends or evenings
Are comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with visitors, staff, and volunteers
Have keen visual and compositional judgment
Are professional and flexible in meeting needs and circumstances of events
Can be appropriately dressed for the occasion
Can communicate with staff about their schedule in advance
Physical demands include:
Standing (10%)
Walking, including stairs (80%)
Sitting (10%)
Lifting (up to 5 pounds)
Sound like you? Submit your volunteer program application! Once we receive your application we will schedule a phone call with you to discuss volunteering at JANM and request a sample of 3–5 photographs.
Discover Nikkei is thrilled to announce the thirteenth edition of Nikkei Chronicles, our annual, themed open call for writings. Discover Nikkei, a project of JANM, is a community website highlighting Nikkei identity, culture, and history. Every year, we call on the global Japanese diaspora to share personal stories around a specific theme. This year’s theme is Nikkei Names 2: Grace, Graça, Graciela, Megumi?
Do you have a Japanese name? How did your parents choose your name? Have you ever changed your name? We invite you to share stories, essays, and vignettes about how Nikkei names connect families, reflect cultural identity, embody struggles, and more. We welcome diverse approaches to our theme. Submissions might include historical essays on naming people and places, the origins of names, how names become cross-cultural, or writing about names other than your own. For inspiration, check out some of the wonderful stories we received during our first Nikkei Names series ten years ago.
All submissions that meet the series guidelines and criteria will be published online in the Discover Nikkei Journal. Nikkei Names 2 stories will also be eligible for selection as the community favorite. Readers can vote for their favorites by logging in and giving them a “star”—the earlier you submit, the more time your story can earn stars! And, our editorial committee will select one favorite each in English, Japanese, Spanish, and Portuguese. The five favorite stories will be announced in December 2024.
All submissions must be sent by email and formatted using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Submissions must include a short author biography, a headshot, and at least one image to accompany the piece. Multiple submissions and submissions written by multiple authors are welcome. For the full submission guidelines and writing prompts, please visit 5dn.org/names2.
On Friday, March 1, 2024, JANM hosted the opening celebration of Giant Robot Biennale 5with exhibition curator and Giant Robot founder Eric Nakamura; artists Sean Chao, Felicia Chiao, Luke Chueh, Giorgiko, James Jean, Taylor Lee, Mike Shinoda, Rain Szeto, and Yoskay Yamamoto; and music with Dan the Automator.
The new exhibition welcomed nearly 1,300 visitors in a few hours, with a line that wound through JANM’s core exhibition, Common Ground: The Heart of Community. Visitors enjoyed engaging with the art, listening to music, and chowing down on food from Kogi BBQ and MANEATINGPLANT food trucks.
Since 2007, the Museum has partnered with Nakamura to produce the Giant Robot Biennale, a recurring art exhibition that highlights diverse work and celebrates the ethos of Giant Robot—a staple of Asian American alternative pop culture and an influential brand encompassing pop art, skateboard, comic book, graphic arts, and vinyl toy culture.
“These exhibitions champion the spirit of collaboration and welcome you into a unique space with a DIY attitude. They create a vibrant culture for future generations to see themselves and their interests on the national stage. And they continue to fuse the past with the present to create a trailblazing community for you,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.
Nakamura and the artists also contributed to the Giant Robot Biennale 5 audio tour, now available on JANM’s digital guide. Hear directly from the artists anytime, anywhere, and come down to JANM to check out the exhibition. It’s on view through September 1, 2024, and it’s an experience you don’t want to miss!
