JACL Blog is a Web site about issues of concern to the Asian Pacific American community. Members of the Japanese American Citizens League keep the site up and running as they provide commentary and raise awareness about the APA community. This group blog covers a range of hot topics including politics, health care, family, civil rights and culture. It focuses on being positive, humorous, realistic, passionate, creative so visitors can live more pro-active, aware lives.

Mission

The JACL Blog will connect, engage and inspire online visitors to become active in their community.

JACL Blog is the online forum that delivers fresh, informative, relevant commentary and news about issues of concern to APAs. Unlike other APA blogs, JACL Blog is unique because the JACL sponsors and contributes to the online conversation. By posting insightful commentary to engage audiences, the JACL Blog is enhancing the discussion about the APA community.

About the authors

JACL Blog offers news, analysis and commentary on issues concerning the Asian Pacific American community. The lead writers are JACL fellows from across the country. The Ford Fund Fellow works in the Chicago JACL office and is often responsible for the JACL’s tolerance, diversity and education initiatives. The Masaoka Fellow works in a DC congressional office, learning about public service and getting a firsthand experience of policy in action. The Mineta Fellow concentrates on public policy advocacy and safety awareness for the DC JACL office. The blog also includes contributions from other JACL members and friends.

Jacqueline is the current Ford Program Fellow in the Midwest Regional Office of the JACL. This native Chicagoan graduated with a degree in Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She has always been involved with the community, working with the Asian American Cultural Center, the Counseling Center, the Illinois Leadership Center and the Culture and Emotion Laboratory. She has held leadership positions in multiple student organizations, including several Asian Pacific American groups. Jacqueline is interested in reducing the stigma related to mental health issues and creating applicable and competent prevention programs. When she has free time, she enjoys impulse shopping, sports and exercise, and singing out loud.

The former Mike M. Masaoka Fellow, Leslie is currently a student at CSU Fresno, focusing on public policy and the sciences. She also freelances for area and national news organizations. While raised in the Central Valley, Leslie earned her BA in English with a minor in biology from Wellesley College and her MS in journalism from Northwestern University. Although Leslie has been active in a wide array of student groups, research programs and community volunteerism, APA issues have always been near and dear to her heart. Some of her proudest experiences have been when she was an editor and co-founder of two campus publications, dedicated to the pulse of the APA community. Writing, learning and “doing good” have been the tenets of Leslie’s life.

Crystal is the current Norman Y. Mineta Fellow in the Washington, D.C. regional office of the JACL. Crystal was born and raised in Southern California and has a background in political science with a minor in Asian American studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Shortly after graduating, Crystal worked as a full-time staffer to Congresswoman Linda Sánchez as a Congressional Aide in her District Office in California. She specifically worked very closely with the diverse AAPI community in the District as well as various AAPI groups across Los Angeles County. Crystal has always had a passion and interest in advocacy for the AAPI community which began in college. During her years at UCSB, she was involved with various organizations on campus and used her position to help promote Asian American awareness both in the University and community.

Contributors

is the Regional Director with the JACL Pacific Southwest District. With a history and economics degree from UCLA, Craig was an active member of the Nikkei Student Union (NSU) where he was involved in a variety of cultural, political, and community issues. Through the NSU he was introduced to the Asian Pacific Coalition which helped him to realize his duties as an Asian American. He is anxious to work on the programs established by the JACL in the areas of tolerance, diversity, and education. As a staff member with JACL, his priorities for the Pacific Southwest District include creating a political and community consciousness and implementing programs which cultivate youth leadership.

has been active with the JACL leadership for years and is currently the National Youth Representative. When not assisting the NY/SC, Brandon is a second year law student at Howard University in Washington, DC. Having worked with the Office of Commissioner Stuart Ishimaru at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and with the intent to work for the Asian Pacific American Legal Resource Center, Brandon’s interest lie in litigation and the Asian Pacific American community. Originally a resident of Skokie, Ill., he was very active in the Chicago Asian Pacific American community. Brandon received his BA in political science from the University of Illinois at Chicago, where he was the chairperson for the Asian American Coalition Committee, whose ongoing mission is to promote and advocate for issues concerning Asian Pacific Americans on campus and in the Chicago community.

is the National Executive Director of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and the Executive Director of the National Coalition for Asian Pacific American Community Development (CAPACD). Floyd was born in Utah. After high school, he joined the U.S. Army Reserves, attended USC and graduated from Brigham Young University. He has taught economics at Chabot College, served in the California State Assembly and was an international business consultant. He has long been an advocate for Asian American issues and has had extensive experience working with various Asian and Pacific Islander American communities and organizations.

Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

The Japanese American Citizens League, established in 1929, is the oldest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States. The mission of the JACL is to secure and maintain the human and civil rights of all Americans and others victimized by injustice.