Local Spotlight: Spokane JACL Chapter Hosts Annual Nikkei Appreciation Luncheon Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute Students Spokane, WA - On March 6th, over 100 Spokane JACL chapter and community members came together at the Northern Quest Resort & Casino for their annual Nikkei Appreciation Luncheon to honor the Issei and Nisei whose personal sacrifices and work ethic created the foundation for the quality of life enjoyed today and the opportunities to pursue career choices and post-secondary education that were not options for many family members during the first 50 years of the 20th century.
Special guests included Spokane Valley Mayor Rod Higgins and Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute Executive Vice President Kiyoshi Fukumoto. Steve Yoshihara gave the recognition speech for Isseis and Niseis, Jefferson Workman from the Spokane Buddhist Temple gave the invocation, and Pastor John Wang from Highland Park United Methodist Church gave the benediction. Lisa Kirihara Dickinson from the Washington State Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs delivered the keynote. The cultural entertainment was provided by Mukogawa Fort Wright Institute students. ### The JACL Digest will publish an article from a chapter or regional district to highlight JACL's good work around the nation. If your chapter or district would like to participate, please contact your regional director or email the DC office directly at mnakamura@jacl.org or etrinidad@jacl.org. The Spokane Chapter JACL will keep this long-time tradition going. We will recognize and remember those of the Spokane Japanese community, or those who have strong ties to the Japanese community, who have passed away within the previous year.
A short program will be held starting at 2 pm. A limited amount of folding chairs will be provided, so please feel free to bring your own this year. As many of you know, there is an effort to create a US postage stamp to honor Japanese American World War II soldiers (also know as the "Nisei soldiers"). This stamp campaign has been going on for over 10 years but we have recently made progress and need your help to further the progression. A petition for this US postage stamp has been created on We the People, a new feature on WhiteHouse.gov, and we are asking for your support by signing the petition. Will you please add your name? If this petition gets 100,000 signatures by March 20, 2016, the White House will review it and respond!
We the People allows anyone to create and sign petitions asking the Obama Administration to take action on a range of issues. If a petition gets enough support, the Obama Administration will issue an official response. You can view and sign the petition here: http://wh.gov/ifAZl |
