2022 Convention Schedule

We Hold the Power: Building Effective Nonpartisan Campaigns (Joint with OCA) -Skyview 2 Room

We have the power to create change, and it all starts with effective campaigns! AAPIs have been at the center of a historic surge in electoral participation and we have an incredible opportunity to continue that momentum for 2022 and beyond. Join APIAVote as we explore the nuts and bolts of nonpartisan campaign building: understanding them, executing them, and using them to create change!

AAPI Representation in Tech & Beyond (Joint with OCA) - Silver Room

Given the large representation of Asian Americans in Silicon Valley, there is a rosy perception of AAPI representation in the tech industry. But sheer numbers do not portray the fact that very few AAPIs make it to the boardroom-level positions. Representatives from Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile and Comcast will share thoughts on how to break the bamboo ceiling in the corporate setting but also shed light on the many opportunities and avenues available outside of tech, particularly in the industry's highest echelons.

Pacific Citizen Publicity and Promotion Workshop - Bronze 3 Room

Ever wonder how you can effectively communicate with local media outlets to inform your communities about events and activities that your chapter puts together? In this informative workshop, learn from newspaper editors and experienced non-profit marketing speakers on how to customize your publicity and attract new interest to your chapters! Practice crafting press releases within a collaborative environment so that your chapter will be equipped with the tools to keep your membership well informed and engage with a wider audience.

Itadakimasu: Food through Community Action [NY/SC] - Bronze 4 Room

From traditional events such as obon (お盆) and mochitsuki (餅つき) to places like our temples and Japantowns, Japanese American culture, community, and space is filled with food. In this workshop, our guest speakers, Kristina Fukushima (she/her) of Little Tokyo Community Council and Scott Oshima (they/them) of Japanese American Cultural & Community Center will be sharing what community care through food means to them and their work. Join us as we reminisce about the deliciousness of Japanese American food traditions and their importance to informing our identity and bringing our community together.

Situational Awareness Workshop (SAW) Training [Joint with OCA] - Skyview 4 Room

In response to the increased rise of anti-Asian/American, xenophobic, harassment, and hate towards marginalized communities of color, it's important to be aware of the tools to combat these types of oppression. The Situational Awareness Workshop (SAW) is an interactive bystander intervention training that will teach people how to become confident and effective bystanders against racism and discrimination. At the end of the training, each participant will have the tools to be able to intervene as a bystander whenever they see or experience harassment.

Making Your Way to C-Suite [Joint w/ OCA + NYSC] - Silver Room

Join us for a discussion on professional development with those in leadership positions! Selected speakers will describe how they started in their respective fields and share advice on ways to overcome advancement barriers within the workplace. Speakers will also reveal how their places of work are ensuring greater diversity and whether or not they're incorporating values of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in their recruiting process and work culture.

Enough is Now: Weaving Together Our Intergenerational Stories [YPC Podcast] - Bronze 1 Room

What is and how are we…”enough”?

The Young Professionals Caucus (YPC) brings you a live session* of the Speaking Nikkei Podcast (SNP) focused on telling our stories to help enact a vision for a better world. Come listen to the SNP hosts, Dylan Mori and Zara Espinoza, along with our guest speakers as they discuss how generations of Asian American people in our community are interconnected and interdependent on each other through our shared yet different life experiences that are key to shaping a collective voice that speaks truth to power.

Fighting for Our Humanity: Transgender Lives, Laws, Allyship [Okaeri] - Bronze 3 Room

It is a frightening time for transgender people and those who love them with hundreds of anti-trans laws being introduced in states around the country. This workshop will talk about some of these laws, why they are being introduced, and the misinformation being generated, as well as tools that can be used to advocate for transgender individuals in our Nikkei community and beyond. We hope this workshop will make transgender folks feel supported as we educate attendees so that we can be more informed and confident allies.

Pressure on Rising Asian Americans (joint with OCA) - Skyview 5/6 Room

Mental health issues and care continue to be taboo subjects in the AAPI community. However, we know that, from youth starting grade school to even the most accomplished members of society, many are struggling to navigate their mental health. JACL and OCA invite some of our community's beloved public figures to hear their stories on how their mental health journeys have been and what they wish their community knew.

Reparatory Justice: The Fight for HR 40 and Japanese Latin American Redress - Silver Room

The JACL is proud to bring together a panel of speakers to discuss the fight for Black and Japanese Latin American (JLA) reparations. Community leaders from both movements will share how they are working to articulate the needs of the communities they serve and the efforts that are being made to develop and pass appropriate forms of reparation and apology for Black and Japanese Latin Americans.

Advocacy through Art: a Zine Workshop [NY/SC] - Bronze 3

The NY/SC will be leading a zine-making workshop where participants will be able to design their own zines following a number of different prompts, all centering around the idea of self-reflection and expression through art and writing. Through zine-making, the NY/SC wishes to foster a culture of freedom of speech and expression: skills which come hand in hand with activism and advocacy work. This workshop is meant to be a creative, relaxing, productive, and safe space for youth to come together and think about the work they have been doing/are looking forward to continuing during and after the JACL convention.

Preserving the History of Your JACL Chapter - Bronze 4

Learn how you can capture and share the history of your JACL chapter with oral history interviews and digitally preserve historical photographs and documents in the long-term. Members of the Densho staff will demonstrate how Densho helps JACL members preserve and share community history, and will also be available on Saturday to provide consulting to individual chapters. Funding is available to eligible JACL chapters for travel and implementation costs to preserve their materials. This program is funded by the Japanese American Confinement Sites (JACS) Grant Program.