JAPANESE AMERICAN CITIZENS LEAGUE Hawai ‘i Committed to the protection of civil and human rights of all JACL-Honolulu Chapter January 2011 Officers Trisha Y. Nakamura The Japanese Cultural Center of Hawai‘i, JACL-Honolulu & Monsanto Hawai’i present President Liann Ebesugawa 1st Vice President Day of Remembrance - Honouliuli Pilgrimage 2011 Shawn Benton* 2nd Vice President Honouliuli Michael Murata Treasurer Sean Ibara Secretary National Historic Site: Directors Travis Agustin Dream or Reality? Susan Arnett Alphonso Braggs Sunday, February 27 David Forman Linda Ichiyama 9:30 am - 4:30 pm Craig Jerome Nikki Love Monsanto Kunia Facility Jacce Mikulanec Karen Nakasone Twenty-five seats have been reserved for JACL members. Seats will be assigned on Yoshie Tanabe a first come, first served basis, with priority given to those with a connection to Jamie Yamagata Honouliuli. Legal Counsel Please email Travis Agustin at [email protected] or call Jamie Yamagata at 429- Benjamin A. Kudo, Esq. 3322 to RSVP (please be sure to share your connection to Honouliuli if you have one). Then mail the enclosed Registration and Waiver forms to JACL DOR COM- Advisory Board MITTEE, P.O. BOX 1291, HONOLULU, HI 96807. Allicyn Hikida Tasaka* Clayton Ikei* William Kaneko* Registration is due by February 4. Colbert Matsumoto* Please reply ASAP so we can reserve a seat for you! Alan Murakami* For more information, please see DAY OF REMEMBRANCE, page 8 * JACL Hawai`i Past President www.jaclhawaii.org 1 JACL-Honolulu Chapter January 2011 Letter from 2008-2010 President by Shawn Benton selling ceded lands to which Ha- Representative Blake Oshiro on waiians have “unrelinquished April 29, 2010, HB 444 was brought First, I would like to say thank you claims” and which are central to the back to the floor and the members to the members of the Honolulu reconciliation process, the State voted to pass HB 444 on final read- Chapter for allowing me to serve as would breach its trust obligation ing. President for the past 2 years. I under Hawai‘i law, resulting in ir- would especially like to thank the reparable harm The Honolulu Executive Officers, who served with to indigenous Chapter also sub- me: VP David Forman, Treasurer H a w a i i a n s . mitted testimony Michael Murata and Secretary Sean JACL and EJS on bills and resolu- Ibara as well as the Board of Direc- asked that the tions, including tors. As some of you may know, the Court leave in- bills recognizing Officers and Board of Directors tact the Hawai‘i Hawaiians as the commit their time to the organiza- S u p r e m e indigenous people tion on a volunteer basis. Even Court's unani- of Hawai‘i and though everyone has other full time mous opinion prohibiting the sale commitments, each and every one of that the lands or exchange of them have allocated time to attend must be pre- ceded lands and meetings, plan events and advocate served intact resolutions urging PHOTO BY CLEM BAUTISTA with unceasing energy and passion. until claims can the full preserva- Without them, I as well as the Hono- be resolved. Un- Shawn Benton gives her end of the tion of the Honou- lulu Chapter would not have made fortunately, on year report at the Annual General liuli Internment Membership Meeting. it through these past two years. To March 31, 2009, Camp as well as the the Officers and Board of Directors, the U.S. Su- issuance of a postal it was truly a privilege to work with preme Court stated that they did not stamp honoring the WWII Japanese all of you. agree with the Hawai‘i Supreme American Nisei soldiers. The Hono- Court’s opinion and held that the lulu Chapter also provided testi- I am proud to say that the Honolulu Apology Resolution of 1993 created mony to the Board of Education on Chapter has continued its tradition no substantive rights for Native proposed amendments to its Civil of being one of the most independ- Hawaiians. Rights Policy and Complaint Proce- ent, progressive and racially diverse dure requesting greater protections Chapters. During my term as Presi- The Honolulu Chapter also contin- for all students against discrimina- dent, we engaged in many efforts. ued its outspoken support for the tion based upon race, color, national rights of the LGBT community by origin, sex, disability, religion, gen- First, our Legal Defense and Advo- urging the passage of the Civil Un- der identity, socio-economic status, cacy committee has advocated for ions bill through testimony and the physical appearance and sexual ori- various issues these past two years. media. When a vote on the bill was entation and proposed amendments In January 2009, JACL joined with deferred on January 29, 2010, the to the administrative rules permit- the Equal Justice Society in filing an Honolulu Chapter expressed its ting searches of student’s lockers amicus brief in the case of State of dismay through a letter to the editor without cause. Hawai‘i v. Office of Hawaiian Af- by pointing out that the legislature fairs. In that case, JACL and EJS hid behind politics instead of stand- The Honolulu Chapter’s Education urged the U.S. Supreme Court to af- ing strong to ensure that no group is Committee also engaged with nu- firm the Hawai‘i Supreme Court’s denied justice because of who they determination that, by unilaterally are. However, through the efforts of Please see SHAWN, page 3 2 www.jaclhawaii.org JACL-Honolulu Chapter January 2011 SHAWN, continued from page 2 enlightening and left a powerful im- twitter. Through twitter, we are able pact on the attendees. I am thankful to send news and reports immedi- merous groups to plan educational to these organizations for including ately. For example, Trisha Naka- events open to the public. On Octo- the Honolulu Chapter and hope that mura, the new president-elect, and I ber 21, 2009, the Honolulu Chapter we continue to collaborate in these attended the JACL National Conven- along with JCCH and the Office of ventures. tion this year in Chicago, Illinois. We Multicultural Student Services at provided our followers with minute- UHM, presented a discussion re- Finally, during these past two years, by-minute updates about the de- examining the criminal case involv- we have been able to bring the bates and business during the Busi- ing Thalia Massie and Joseph Kaha- Honolulu Chapter into the 21st cen- ness Session. We received several hawai and its relevance in modern tury. As you know, the internet, as a “thank yous” from our followers for day Hawai‘i. source of communication, has be- allowing them to be a part of the come a very important aspect in this Convention. To follow us on twitter, More recently, the Honolulu Chapter day and age because it not only go to twitter.com/JACLHonolulu. joined with Equality Hawai‘i Foun- keeps everyone connected, but it al- dation, JCCH and the Honpa lows the exchange of information in In closing, I would like to say thank Hongwanji Mission of Hawai‘i in an instantaneous fashion. Our new you to the members of the Honolulu presenting a successful program website (www.jaclhawaii.org) allows Chapter for their continued support. with a keynote address by actor us to do this by providing continu- Without all of you, we would not be George Takei. While the event in- ous and updated information to our able to continue to fight for equality cluded both encouraging and unfor- members as well as the public. The and justice for everyone. Thank you. tunate experiences in the Japanese Honolulu Chapter is also part of the American LGBT community, it was social media revolution by using Annual General Membership Meeting Wrap By Liann Ebesugawa & Sean Ibara and commitment to justice by their Jacob is also a freshmen in college, support of civil unions. Board mem- and a graduate of Seabury Hall on Nearly 300 people turned out on bers for the 2010-2012 term were Maui. JACL is proud to be able to Saturday, October 2nd at the Japa- also sworn in by Hawai’i Circuit award scholarship monies each year, nese Cultural Center of Hawai’i for Court Judge Sabrina McKenna. At- thanks in part to those who support JACL’s Annual General Membership tendees were treated to an excellent our silent auction held during each Meeting (AGMM) and Awards video presentation courtesy of Oce- AGMM. Luncheon, co-chaired by Kathryn anic Time Warner Cable which de- Inouye, Bill Kaneko, Colbert Mat- tailed JACL’s long history and some JACL would also like to thank our sumoto and Hoyt Zia and emcee'd of the high profile issues the organi- emcee, Honorary Co-Chairs and by Barbara Tanabe. zation has tackled over the years. corporate sponsors who have sup- ported our organization and its mis- In addition to conducting new busi- JACL also awarded two scholar- sion. We could not have done it ness for the following year, JACL ships to high school students who without them! Be sure to be on the also presented its 2010 Distin- showed a commitment to civil rights look out for our next AGMM event! guished Service Award to State Rep- and social justice. Ennsen Murao is resentative Blake Oshiro and the currently a freshmen at Creighton SEE PICS FROM 2010 AGMM Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Ha- University, and graduated from St. THROUGHOUT THIS ISSUE! wai’i for their exemplary courage Louis High School on O‘ahu. Sierra www.jaclhawaii.org 3 JACL-Honolulu Chapter January 2011 Letter from 2010-2012 President by Trisha Y.