Friday, October 31, 2008

Spotlight #6 - Emily Leach


Full Name: Emily Yukiko Leach
Age: 26
Profession: Formerly Interactive Marketing, Transitioning to Nursing
A Few of My Favorite Things: Planetariums, Rainy Weather, Audrey Hepburn, Pembroke Welsh Corgis, Zombie Contingency Plans, Japanese Dramas and Naps
Power Animal: The Sqwerl

Now it's my turn to apologize for taking so long to put my piece on the blog. Or, perhaps I should congratulate myself on my excellent procrastination skillz.

I came to Nakayoshi by way of invitation from Megumi. I am not now nor have I ever been a member of the JACL. That is not to say that the JACL isn't a wonderful organization – it really is, and it holds a great role in the history of the Japanese American community. I certainly recognize its continuing contribution and importance. I'm happy to be involved in Nakayoshi because there are not many organizations available for young JA's of my demographic. Nakayoshi is also the most inclusive JA organization I have seen.

My relationship and upbringing in the Japanese American community is a little different, but more common now-a-days. I am Hapa, a Japanese American of multiracial descent, specifically Japanese, Irish, English, Argentinian and host of other ethnicities my dad occasionally (and seemingly arbitrarily) reveals. Although I am aware of the current debate over the appropriation of the word Hapa from its Native Hawaiian origins, and I don't have any other words to describe my identity and I take a little leeway in using the term because of the fluidity of language and all. If anyone objects, I can totally appreciate that. Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

I was born and raised in San Francisco. On my father's side I am a 5th generation San Franciscan. My mother was born en route to the Jerome, AK camp and eventually returned to Fresno with the rest of her family. She was the lone black sheep of her generation to leave the farming town and move to the big city, where she met my dad. At the time (and to some extent, still today), the San Francisco Japanese American community was very insular and hard to penetrate, so I was raised with some distance to the community. The Japanese aspects of my upbringing consisted mostly of my mother's friends, family and food. My father also coached in the J-basketball leagues. This amalgam of experiences formed the backbone of my heritage.

I was also raised in a time when many prominent JA's scapegoated “out-marriage” as the cause of the downturn of the community, with mixed children like me embodying that collapse. That exclusive rhetoric shaped my relationship to the community, and not surprisingly by college all my Japanese American friends were also Hapa. My activism began as a first year at UC San Diego in our Hapa Club (our branch of Hapa Issues Forum, that link is from 2002 and you can see some circa 2002 photos of me on there), where I eventually became President in my second year, going on to represent UCSD at national multiracial conferences, raising awareness of multiracial issues and encouraging inclusivity in our local Asian American organizations.

My position in the multiracial activist world enabled me to work on multiple transborder and intercultural platforms. I studied human trafficking around the Pacific Rim, worked with an NPO and sex workers in Thailand and as a Hapa, paid particular close attention to the close relationships between the US Military and Amerasians. I also held the position of Student Affirmative Action Committee (SAAC) Chair at UCSD – a completely under-appreciated position and I give mad props to whoever is holding it down – meaning I represented and organized the school's small but strong coalition of underserved students.

And then, I burned out. I've been taking a break from major organizing but I still enjoy contributing to community dialogue and volunteering at events. I believe the JA community views and treats its multiracial members from an educated perspective with more respect now than when I was growing up. However, I still believe a lot of work needs to be done in order to fully embrace Japanese of mixed descent into the community, and the same could be said of getting youth involved in the community. I've found that as an adult much more of my activism has been focused on the JA community. You may also see my writings in Asianweek every now and then.

Anywho, this post has been rather serious. If you get to know me you'll find that I'm a lazy but open-minded lady. I'm slow to judge people and my ideal is to lead a happy-go-lucky lifestyle. Yoroshiku ne!

Get Involved: NJAHS Day Of Remembrance 2009

Nakayoshi received an email notification that the National Japanese American Historical Society (NJAHS) is having their first Planning Session for their Day of Remembrance 2009 this Sunday. If you can and want to get more involved, stop on by or contact Executive Director Rosalyn Tonai at rtonai@njahs.org for more information.

Planning Session for Day of Remembrance 2009 Program:

When: Sunday, November 2nd
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 PM
Where: NJAHS
1684 Post Street
San Francisco, CA 94115-3604

Send RSVP to: NJAHS Executive Director Rosalyn Tonai at rtonai@njahs.org

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

APIA Vote Wants Your Help Protecting Voter's Rights

Our friends at APIA Vote need your help, if you're available and want to be more involved, check out the opportunities they're offering!


Immediate action needed if you're interested, so check it out or pass it along to people who may be interested.


Are you a California Attorney, Law Student, and/or Volunteer Looking to help protect voters' rights on November 4?

Volunteer to do Voter Protection in NEVADA w/ APIAVote!

APIAVote is working in coalition with the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the AFL-CIO Voter Protection program in Las Vegas to ensure that AAPIs are treated fairly on Election Day and have the opportunity to voice their preferences and concerns.

You will monitor poll sites for compliance with the Voting Rights Act and the Help America Vote Act. Volunteer attorneys check to see whether Asian-language voting assistance is provided (such as ballots, interpreters, signs and voting materials), whether voter identification requirements are implemented in a non-discriminatory manner, and whether provisional ballots are offered to voters whose names are not in voter lists.

TRAINING will be held at the following location and times:

When: Monday, November 3 at 2 PM, 4 PM and 6 PM
Where: Laborers Local 872- Suite 101, 4201 East Bonanza

HEADQUARTERS on Election Day:
Where: Laborers Local 872 -Suite 330, 4201 East Bonanza

TO SIGN UP OR FIND OUT MORE: Please email Kathleen at kathleen@apiavote.org or call 301-704-0536.

Interested in volunteering in other states? Please go to www.aaldef.org/vote2008 for a full list of polling sites nationwide.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Nakayoshi sighted at Sansei Live! in AsianWeek

Looks like we've been spotted! Pics of Nakayoshi members were taken from the Sansei Live! event that was on October 18th, 2008. You can see the original at AsianWeek's online postings of API nightlife events, Asian Nights, at http://www.asianweek.com/2008/10/24/asian-nights-102408/

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Spotlight #5 - Haruka Roudebush

Name: Haruka Roudebush
Age: 25
Profession: Paralegal at civil rights law firm
Favorite Childhood Cartoon: Anpanman!

Ok, I totally lagged (like 2 months!) on getting this spotlight done. As you can see, I was busy helping Nakayoshi put on events and writing other posts on this blog. So, so busy.

Anyhow, about me... I was born in Tokyo and moved to San Francisco when I was two, and grew up in the Bay Area in San Bruno on the Peninsula and later in Lafayette in the East Bay. I went to UC San Diego where I graduated in 2005 with a major in Political Science and a minor in Japanese Studies.

Growing up, I never had much exposure to the JA community until I went to college, where I served as an officer of the UCSD Nikkei Student Union all four years of undergrad. I also first got involved with the JACL at that time through the San Diego chapter. Since graduating I have served as the Youth Representative on the advisory committee of the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program and am also currently a board member of the San Francisco chapter of the JACL, where I have served the past two years. My job is also centered around civil rights issues, where I work on prison reform issues such as monitoring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act in California state prisons and also providing full due process rights for juveniles undergoing parole revocation proceedings in California.

I'm not entirely sure of how to define my generational identity within the community. Technically, I'm shin-issei, but have essentially lived my entire life in the US and became a naturalized citizen, so I might be more accurately described as being 1.5 generation JA, with an upbringing closer to the experience of being shin-nisei. Anyhow, even though my mother speaks to me in Japanese, I'd say my fluency in Japanese is closer to that of a three-year-old child. In many ways, I'm just another person exemplifying the underlying diversity that is increasingly characterizing the current generation of youth within the Japanese American community.

My own experience in finding my place within the JA community has come out of my experience exploring my heritage and building up the Nikkei campus community at UCSD through the Nikkei Student Union, and quickly realizing the full scope of the community beyond my college campus. I found further opportunities to stay involved through JACL and volunteering around Japantown after graduating and moving back to the Bay Area. Although I did not grow up connected to the Japanese American community, in the short time since I have gotten directly involved, it has been one of the greatest sources of support, security, pride and purpose in my life. I have found immense gratification in helping build up that community and in turn helping connect my peers and others to it. All this more or less explains why I have been so invested in helping get Nakayoshi off to a strong start. I would love for Nakayoshi to serve as a social outlet for other young JA's to get together once we've graduated and moved on from our campus organizations. Just as importantly, I want Nakayoshi to provide us younger folks a means to connect directly with the rest of the Japanese American community and the other individuals, institutions and organizations within it. Regardless of our prior history, background or experience (or lack thereof) with the Japanese American community, I want to ensure that there are more opportunities for the younger generation to get involved and eventually contribute to a process that will provide a source of sustainable leadership for the community in the future.

When I'm not spending the majority of my free time involved with the community, I enjoy food (eating and cooking!), spending time with my friends and girlfriend, reading, playing video games(nerd alert!), listening to and playing music, cheering on the SF 49ers/SF Giants/SJ Sharks/Golden State Warriors, riding my bike, snowboarding in the winter, and in general enjoying all that San Francisco has to offer!

Monday, October 20, 2008

Weekend Recap: North Beach Crawl and Volunteering at Sansei Live!

Nakayoshi had quite the fun weekend this past Friday and Saturday. Were you in on it too?

We started out with our crawl through North Beach on Friday night. I arrived promptly at 9pm at the SF Brewing Co., but just as I suspected, Nakayoshi members all knew to arrive fashionably late. Luckily that gave me time to nurse my diet coke as Nakayoshi members started to trickle in the door. By the time we were ready to move on to the next spot, our group was close to 30 strong. Nakayoshi proceeded to take over 15 Romolo later in the night and finally finished the night off at Rosewood on Broadway.

It was great seeing you all come out! We really hope that we see even more faces the next time around. If you missed this month's social, make sure you and your friends are free on Friday, November 21st when we go out for another night on the town.

Make sure to check out more pictures from Friday night on the Nakayoshi online photo gallery!

While Nakayoshi spent Friday night out on the town, a handful of us also found the time on Saturday night to volunteer at the 25th Annual Sansei Live! benefit at the Presidio Officer's Club in San Francisco. The annual fundraiser for Kimochi, Inc. featured lots of live music, hors d'oeuvres, culinary demonstrations, and plenty of dancing. Kimochi, Inc. provides many valuable services to the aging nisei generation in Japantown, so we felt like this was a great event to support another organization that serves our community in countless ways.

A big thanks goes out to Tamiko Wong, Kimochi, Inc.'s volunteer coordinator for the event. Thanks also go out to our volunteers, including Graig, Emily, Atsushi, Matt and Jessica, as well as to our lovely friends (and members!) from this year's Northern California Cherry Blossom Queen Court. Nakayoshi also had a great time meeting other volunteers from UC Davis JASS. Make sure you guys join Nakayoshi when you graduate, ok?

For those of you who can't wait for the next Nakayoshi event, come on out to our next meeting, this Sunday, October 26th from 1:00-4:00pm at the JACL HQ in Japantown. E-mail us at nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com if you need more info!

Friday, October 17, 2008

National JACL Blog now up and running

I came across a link to the JACL blog on the National JACL website a while ago, but no posts had been made at the time. Lo and behold, today my RSS reader showed there were two posts made today on the JACL blog! Looks like they're off to a good start:
This is the new JACL Blog, dedicated to young professionals in search of that online water cooler where they can talk about things that matter to the APA community .
Like some posts on the Nakayoshi blog, it looks like they'll be providing commentary on issues affecting the community, although with a larger national scope. Contributors to the blog include the current JACL program Fellows around the country, as well as our friends PSW Regional Director Craig Ishii and National Youth Representative Brandon Mita (a past guest contributor to the Nakayoshi blog!), and JACL National Executive Director Floyd Mori.

You can check out the JACL Blog at: http://jaclblog.wordpress.com/

By the way, what other APIA issues/community-based blogs are you guys reading? Here's a list of some of my favorites:

The Fighting 44s
Angry Asian Man
DISGRASIAN
Asian-Nation.org
Asians in America Magazine
HYPHEN Magazine blog
Racialicious.com

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Reel Nikkei Stories Project

Our friends at the JCCCNC are putting on a unique project, REEL NIKKEI STORIES, aiming to give young Japanese Americans the chance to interview and record on video the histories of their families. This is a great project that hopefully some of you can participate in to help preserve our community's experience as well as your personal family history. More information on the project and their first meeting is below:

From Ali Kagawa, Programs Associate at the JCCCNC:

How much do you know about your family history?


REEL NIKKEI STORIES

Info Meeting & Training Preview

10:30am – 12:30pm, October 18, 2008

JCCCNC, 1840 Sutter Street, San Francisco

FREE and open to the public. All ages welcome!

REEL NIKKEI STORIES is designed to empower young Nikkei with the confidence, training and tools to interview, video document and share the untold stories of living relatives before their oral family histories are lost forever.

Learn from professionals how to:

· Ask the right questions
· Properly video document oral histories
· Edit video
· Create and share a family legacy project

“If history becomes real to a person, it empowers them and lives through them and then can be passed on from generation to generation.” - JCCCNC Executive Director Paul Osaki
We have a limited supply of video equipment available to lend to responsible participants. To reserve your space please contact Ali Kagawa at 415-567-5505, email akagawa@jcccnc.org Sponsored by: California Civil Liberties Public Education Program (CCLPEP); The Henry and Tomoye Takahashi Foundation; Best Buy

Nakayoshi Bi-weekly Update No. 2 - October 15, 2008

Nakayoshi Bi-weekly Update No. 2 - October 15, 2008
Nakayoshi is implementing a biweekly update on upcoming Nakayoshi events that we will send every two weeks to all members of our e-mail list, Facebook group, and post on the Nakayoshi Blog at http://nakayoshi-jacl.blogspot.com/.

Hey Nakayoshi members! Here's the second bi-weekly update for the month of October. Our North Beach Crawl social event is coming up this Friday, so be sure to bring your (21+) friends for a fun night out on the town! Check out our volunteering opportunity if you're free on Halloween, and mark your calendars for our upcoming events in November and December, including the start of our cooking class series, group dating, and a Warriors NBA game!

In this update (new events in bold):
10/17/08 - North Beach Crawl
10/18/08 - Sansei Live! Volunteer Event
10/26/08 - Nakayoshi Monthly Meeting
10/31/08 - Trick or Vote Volunteer Event
11/9/08 - Nakayoshi Cooking Class Series: Sushi
11/13/08 - Nakayoshi Gokon (Group Blind Date)
12/12/08 - Golden State Warriors Asian American Heritage Night

REMINDER: CA mail-in voter registration deadline is Oct. 20, 2008. Go to http://www.maps.google.com/vote for voter registration information.

October Events
View Nakayoshi's online event calendar here.

Friday, October 17 Social Event: Nakayoshi North Beach Crawl
Join Nakayoshi as we traipse around San Francisco's North Beach district and sample the area's lively night life. The evening will start off casually at the San Francisco Brewing Co. on Columbus at 9:00pm, then we'll move on and see where the night takes us! Dress to anticipate meeting possible dress codes. The event is open to anyone 21+. E-mail nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com if you're coming, have questions, or if requesting a particular spot in the area for us to drop by.

Location: Start at San Francisco Brewing Co., 155 Columbus (cross street: Jackson), San Francisco, CA 94133 map
Time: 9:00pm

Saturday, October 18 Volunteer Event: Sansei Live!
- Volunteer Sign-ups CLOSED

Thank you to those who signed up to volunteer! Nakayoshi will be volunteering at the 25th Annual Sansei Live!, an annual benefit that supports Kimochi, Inc., an organization that provides various programs and assistive services to senior citizens in San Francisco Japantown.

Location: Presidio Officer's Club, 50 Moraga Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129 map
Time: 5:30pm-11:30pm (actual volunteer shift info to be e-mailed to volunteers)

Sunday, October 26 Nakayoshi Monthly Meeting
As always, we'd love to see new and old faces at our monthly meetings to give us feedback and help us plan future Nakayoshi events and activities! Meetings are held on the last Sunday of every month from 1:00pm-4:00pm at the National JACL Headquarters building in San Francisco Japantown.

Location: National JACL Headquarters, 1765 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115 map
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm

Friday, October 31 Volunteer Event: Trick or Vote!
Nakayoshi members will be helping out Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice (ACRJ) put on their afterparty in Oakland for the high school students who participate in their Trick or Vote event. Volunteers will be organizing games and activities for the party. For more information on the event, click here. To get involved please contact Amanda Wake at amanda [at] reproductivejustice [dot] org or 510-434-7900 x302.

Location: East Side Arts Alliance, 2277 International Blvd. at 23rd Ave, Oakland, CA map
Time: 7:00-9:00pm


November Events: Save these dates!

Sunday, November 9 - Tabemasho! (Let's Eat!) Nakayoshi's Cooking Class Series Kick Off
Food Topic: Sushi

Come out to mingle with other Nakayoshi members and learn the process of basic sushi-making, from preparing sushi rice to rolling techniques for that perfect and delicious hand roll! The class will be taught by Nakayoshi members Graig and Sean Inaba, with 12 years of professional experience of sushi-making instruction between the two of them. All materials and supplies will be provided by Nakayoshi. Space for this event is limited to the first 20 paid participants, so contact us ASAP to ensure a spot in the class!

Price: $40 general public, $35 for JACL members (make checks payable to "NCWNP JACL")
Location: Japanese Cultural and Community Center of California (
JCCCNC), Issei Memorial Hall, 1840 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA
Time: 1:30pm-4:30pm


Nakayoshi Gokon!
Who: First 5 ladies and 5 fellas to RSVP to nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com (be sure to include any dietary limitations). Single folks only!
What: A Konpa or Gokon is a Japanese gathering over drinks and food and could be described as a group blind date.
When: Thursday, November 13th, 6:30 pm
Where: San Francisco's New Pisco Latin Lounge (warning: website has embedded music)
1817 Market St. @ Octavia (map)
Why: Meet some new people and make some new friends (and potentially more!).
Cost: $20-$30 (price TBA) which will include food and drinks

Looking forward to some good grub and good times!

Other dates and events:
Saturday, November 15 - Nakayoshi Thanksgiving Potluck
Friday, November 21 - Nakayoshi Social Event
Sunday, November 23 - Nakayoshi Monthly Meeting


December Events:

Friday, December 12 - Golden State Warriors Asian American Heritage Night
Are you a basketball fan? Want to go to an NBA game? Come watch our boys on the Warriors take on Yao Ming and the Houston Rockets and help raise money for Nakayoshi at the same time! Tickets to the Golden State Warriors Asian American heritage night will also include a commemorative t-shirt and access to an exclusive pre-game mixer!

Purchase tickets at the special $40 rate for Nakayoshi online at Ticketmaster at https://oss.ticketmaster.com/html/go.htmI?l=EN&t=warriors&o=8444506&g=716 and enter special offer code nakayoshi, then create an account or login with your existing Ticketmaster account to purchase tickets. Have questions? Contact Nakayoshi member Emily Leach at emily [dot] leach [at] gmail [dot] com for additional information.

Price: $40/ticket (purchase online here, special offer code nakayoshi).
Location: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA
Time: 7:30pm

All events are free and open to anyone unless otherwise noted. Feel free to forward this message along to your friends or anyone interested. Not on the Nakayoshi e-mail list? Click here to subscribe. Have questions? Want to sign up or RSVP for an event? E-mail Nakayoshi at: nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com For additional information and updates, be sure to check the Nakayoshi blog at http://www.nakayoshi-jacl.blogspot.com/

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Vow To Vote No on Prop. 8 - Equality for All


No matter how you look at it, Proposition 8 is discriminatory and hateful. By using your voice and vowing to Vote No on Prop. 8 this coming election, you can help send a message that Californians wont tolerate the law dictating and defining who we love and our right to choose who we share our lives with.

If Proposition 8 were to pass, it would continue to reinforce discriminatory notions of the LGBTI community. Enforcing the idea that being "gay" or "lesbian" is wrong. So as the rest of the country looks to California on this controversial issue, on our stance on Prop. 8, will we be able to look back after November 4th and say that we've progressed or that we've taken 2 giant steps backwards?

As a Japanese American woman in her mid-20's, the thought of marriage has crossed my mind. What if someone told me I couldn't marry someone because of their race? Their opinions? Their blood type? I wouldn't know how to react, I'd be furious. You and I both would probably stand there and ask, what does that have to do with two people, who are willing to exchange vows of commitment to one another, promising to be there through sickness and in health, 'til death do they part?

Marriage has historically been a battleground for discrimination. This is apparent in cases such as the Cable Act of 1922, which was later repealed in 1936, where women who were married to foreign nationals (some Japanese) were forced to forfeit their US citizenship. Fortunately we have made progress in this nation in the 1967 Supreme Court ruling of Loving vs. Virginia, which lifted the ban on interracial marriages. We have already battled marriage on the grounds of race and ethnicity, now the fight is for gender and sexual equality!

How do we continue to teach future generations about equality, social justice and acceptance? Will we teach them to love openly and to be open-minded, or will we teach them to discriminate, judge others, and fear what they themselves do not understand?

The choices we make in our lives should be our own. The choice to love someone shouldn't be dictated by the law. And how we define the term “marriage” should be at one’s own discretion.

Nakayoshi, like its parent organization, the National Japanese American Citizens League, vows to vote No on Proposition 8 this upcoming election. We encourage you to join us in this vow if you haven't done so already (I have!).

The JACL has been an advocate of marriage equality for years, recognized as one of the first non-LGBT organizations in the nation to support this issue, they have joined the "No on Prop 8 Equality for All" campaign in efforts to ensure that all Californians are given their fundamental rights to equality, freedom and fairness regardless of their sexual orientation.

Below, we hope you take the time and read a letter distributed by the JACL Northern Western Nevada Pacific District, asking for the support of all Nakayoshi members to act, educate and vote No on Prop. 8.

Dear Nakayoshi Young Professionals,

The Northern California Western Nevada Pacific District (NCWNP) of the National Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) has joined the “No on Prop. 8” campaign in support of marriage equality in the state of California.

As a civil rights organization with nearly a 75-year history of advocating for the fair treatment of all people, the NCWNP District reaffirms its stance first taken in 1994 by the National JACL to support marriage equality and the right to choose one’s partner. JACL encourages every voter to oppose Proposition 8, which would amend the California Constitution to restrict the civil and human rights of thousands by recognizing marriage as valid only between a man and a woman.

When the California Supreme Court overturned the ban on gay marriage on May 18th of this year, National JACL President Larry Oda stated, “The JACL commends the California Supreme Court for its decision regarding marriage equality for all Californians. We believe all people should have the right to marry whom they choose.” Proposition 8 “would blatantly deny a specific group of people the respect and dignity of equal treatment under the law,” Oda added.

Domestic partnerships limit the rights of couples, while marriage equality protects the rights of all couples.

Civil rights organizations that are part of the anti-Proposition 8 coalition include (a partial list) Asian and Pacific Islander Equality (Los Angeles and San Francisco), Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California and Chinese for Affirmative Action (San Francisco).

Regardless of how you feel about this issue, please help guarantee the same fundamental rights and equality of every Californian.

Join us in voting “No on Prop. 8” on November 4th.

Sincerely,


Megumi Kaminaga & Jenn Suzuki
NCWNP Youth Representatives

Spread the word. Educate. And set the message straight that Californians support equality and rights to all.


To learn more, visit http://noonprop8.com/.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Have you registered to vote yet?



Have you registered to vote yet? You have until October 20th, 2008 to register by mail in California.

This post was supposed to coincide with APIA Vote's Day of Action on October 4th to encourage people to register to vote in the next big election, but what can I say? I was too busy registering to vote to write this post yesterday. Whoops.

OK, not really. I've actually been registered to vote for years, but if you aren't also registered to vote, just like all those celebrities are saying in that YouTube clip above, you seriously should. This country has been going through some [*ahem*] tumultuous times lately, with the war and the economy being just two topics of discussion where you might have something to say. Even if you aren't too into politics, it never hurts to pay attention, and now is as good a time as ever to start participating civically. How else are we going to let the government and elected officials know when they're messing up? How else are we going to demonstrate our support for certain policies and laws over others? How is our generation going to even begin to deal with the mess all these old people made of our country/future? The first step of the solution is simple. You gotta vote.

I know my simplistic generalizations urging you to vote totally insult your intelligence, so if you need more information, I've put together a few useful links below:

Need information on how to get registered? Go to: http://www.maps.google.com/vote

Read up on Why Asian Americans should care about voting.

Need objective, non-partisan information to help you decide how you want to vote? Check out information provided by the League of Women Voters of California
or for information with more of a youth perspective, check out
Rock the Vote.


Although most Nakayoshi members are probably rooting for the same Presidential candidate come Election Day on November 4th, Nakayoshi cannot endorse specific candidates because our parent organization, JACL, is an official 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. That being said, there are certainly candidates and ballot initiatives you are welcome to stump for in the comments section. Are you involved with an issue or care about a ballot initiative or candidate in this coming election? Think we should know more about it? Leave a comment! Drop that knowledge bomb on us.

After reading this post, if you still need personal help registering to vote, let us know at nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com and we'll do our best to get you registered. I'll bet I could even take off my bra from under my shirt like Sarah Silverman did in that video while we do it.

Ok kids. go register. go vote.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Nakayoshi in Hokubei Mainichi

Looks like we got a photo and a brief article in the Hokubei Mainichi newspaper highlighting our contributions at the past National AIDS Memorial Grove volunteer workday! Here's the link to the online edition: http://www.hokubeionline.com/en/news/2008/10/Making-Difference-AIDS-Memorial-Grove

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Nakayoshi Bi-weekly Update No. 1 - Oct 2, 2008

Nakayoshi Bi-weekly Update No. 1 - October 2, 2008

Nakayoshi is implementing a biweekly update on upcoming Nakayoshi events that we will send every two weeks to all members of our e-mail list, Facebook group, and post on the Nakayoshi Blog at http://nakayoshi-jacl.blogspot.com/.

Hey Nakayoshi members! We've come out of our planning meeting this past Sunday with a bunch of stuff for you guys this month. We've put together a couple volunte
er opportunities for you, and be sure to make it out to this month's social event, Nakayoshi's night out in North Beach in San Francisco! See you guys out there!

October E
vents
View Nakayoshi's online event calendar here.

Friday, October 17
Social Event: Nakayoshi North Beach Crawl
Join Nakayoshi as we traipse around San Francisco's North Beach district and sample the area's lively night life. The evening will start off casually at the San Francisco Brewing Co. on Columbus at 9:00pm, then we'll move on and see where the night takes us! Dress to anticipate meeting possible dress codes. The event is open to anyone 21+. E-mail nakayoshi.ncwnp@gmail.com if you're coming, have questions, or if requesting a particular spot in the area for us to drop by.

Location: Start at San Francisco Brewing Co., 155 Columbus (cross street: Jackson), San Francisco, CA 94133 map
Time: 9:00pm


Saturday, October 18
Volunteer Event: Sansei Live!


Join Nakayoshi as we help out at the 25th Annual Sansei Live! event. The event is an annual benefit that supports Kimochi, Inc., an organization that provides various programs and assistive services to senior citizens in San Francisco Japantown. The event will feature hors d'oeuvres, drinks and live music from the Kimochi All-Star Band, Full Circle, DJ John Jow and Kimochi Seniors. Artwork created by the Seniors will be on display. Sansei Live! will also feature culinary demonstrations, emceed by chef Ming Adler.

Location: Presidio Officer's Club, 50 Moraga Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129 map
Time: 4:00pm-Midnight (actual volunteer shifts TBD)


Sunday October 26
Nakayoshi Monthly Meeting

Come hang out with the Nakayoshi Core Committee, give feedback and help us plan future Nakayoshi events and activities! Meetings are held on the last Sunday of every month from 1:00pm-4:00pm at the National JACL Headquarters building in San Francisco Japantown.

Location: National JACL Headquarters, 1765 Sutter St., San Francisco, CA 94115 map
Time: 1:00pm-4:00pm


Friday, October 31
Volunteer Event: Trick or Vote!

Nakayoshi members will be helping out Asian Communities for Reproductive Justice (ACRJ) put on their afterparty in Oakland for the high school students who participate in their Trick or Vote event. Here's more information on the event from the ACRJ website (http://www.reproductivejustice.org/):
ACRJ is joining the nation wide Trick or Vote day of action on Halloween 2008 to educate voters on Proposition 4, the Parental Notification Initiative, and other ballot initiatives that affect reproductive justice and that young people care about. ACRJ’s Youth Organizer and Election Team will mobilize youth organizations from the Bay Area to use Trick or Vote as a way to inform their neighborhoods and communities. Although most youth can not yet vote themselves, this event will demonstrate how they can still make a difference in the November elections by mobilizing those who can vote against ballot initiatives that negatively affect their lives. This event is a fun, engaging, and creative way for youth to plug into get-out-the-vote work. For more information click here. To get involved please contact Amanda Wake at amanda [at] reproductivejustice [dot] org or 510-434-7900 x302.
Location: Oakland (exact location TBD)
Time: TBD


November Events: Save these dates!


Sunday, November 9 - Nakayoshi Sushi-making Class
Saturday, November 15 - Nakayoshi Thanksgiving Potluck/Bowling Night
Friday, November 21 - Nakayoshi Social
Sunday, November 23 - Nakayoshi Monthly Meeting

All events are free and open to anyone unless otherwise noted. Feel free to forward this message along to your friends or anyone interested.


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For additional information and updates, be sure to check the Nakayoshi blog at http://www.nakayoshi-jacl.blogspot.com/