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2024 Convention Workshops Schedule

Workshop Block 1 - 9:00am to 10:15am

  • Salon 5/6

    Presented by N'COBRA PHL (National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America's Philadelphia Chapter) this workshop will share highlights from the collaborations between N'COBRA PHL and JACL Philadelphia that supported the establishment of a Philadelphia Reparations Task Force. It will ask attendees if they can support Black organizations’ fight for reparations with relevant contextual history, open letters of support, op eds/articles, informational workshops, communal gatherings and more. Participants should leave the workshop with a template on each of these items and a readiness to begin building reparations synergy in their respective geographic areas across the country.

  • Salon 10

    Join our expert panel as we delve into the evolving landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) within corporate environments. Our distinguished speakers will explore the shifting language utilized by corporates in addressing DEI concerns and the actionable changes being implemented within internal programs. We will examine the impact of the changes to DEI initiatives on relationships with external community partners, highlighting strategies for fostering authentic engagement and collaboration. Furthermore, our panelists will shed light on the legal frameworks essential for navigating DEI efforts, providing valuable insights into compliance and best practices.

Plenary - Localize the Vote (Co-Hosted with APIAVote & OCA) 10:30am to 12:00pm

Liberty A/B

Join us for a session dedicated to unleashing the full power of AAPI voters at the grassroots level. This plenary will focus on mobilizing AAPI voters around three critical issues impacting our communities at the local level: alien land laws, DEI laws, and protecting cultural districts. Get ready to make a difference – the power lies within our local communities!

Workshop Block 2 - 2:00pm to 3:15pm

  • Salon 5/6

    What does it mean to be Japanese American in this era? How do we preserve the history of wartime incarceration in the absence of those who lived through it? What are our long term goals as a community, and how do we get there? Join Rob Buscher, Executive Director of the Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium in a facilitated dialogue designed to collectively vision the future of our community. During this workshop we will explore specific roles that JACL chapters can play within the Consortium's work to preserve and educate about the confinement sites. Topics will include strategies for developing an intergenerational pipeline to community leadership, how to ensure the stories and perspectives of our incarceration survivors continue to inform our work in the decades to come, and best practices for teaching Japanese American history to regionally and ethnically diverse audiences.

  • Salon 10

    How can we be better allies for our trans and non-binary friends? How do we create safe, inclusive, and welcoming spaces? Ultimately, how can the JA community be a home for our LGTBQIA+ family? Join Philly Asian Queer, a local volunteer powered organization working to engage queer Asian/Asian Americans, to answer these questions and learn more about trans and nonbinary identities. During the workshop, we will learn how to put into practice the 2023 JACL Resolution in Support of Trans and Non-Binary Equality and become the best allies we can be.

  • Liberty A/B

    These strategy sessions aim to develop coordinated action plans to address pressing concerns facing AAPI communities across the US. These sessions will focus on raising awareness of key issues and advocating for policies that protect the rights and interests of AAPI populations and combatting discriminatory policies. Participants will collaborate to craft strategies for communities to organize electorally, as well as to create effective messaging and storytelling to galvanize engagement.

  • Philadelphia South

    These strategy sessions aim to develop coordinated action plans to address pressing concerns facing AAPI communities across the US. These sessions will focus on raising awareness of key issues and advocating for policies that protect the rights and interests of AAPI populations and combatting discriminatory policies. Participants will collaborate to craft strategies for communities to organize electorally, as well as to create effective messaging and storytelling to galvanize engagement.

  • Philadelphia North

    These strategy sessions aim to develop coordinated action plans to address pressing concerns facing AAPI communities across the US. These sessions will focus on raising awareness of key issues and advocating for policies that protect the rights and interests of AAPI populations and combatting discriminatory policies. Participants will collaborate to craft strategies for communities to organize electorally, as well as to create effective messaging and storytelling to galvanize engagement.

Workshop Block 3 - 3:30pm to 4:45pm

  • Salon 5/6

    Facilitated by the JACL National Youth Student Council, will offer a platform for Asian American undergraduates and friends to explore the intersection of their identities and educational journeys. Through a panel discussion and interactive exercise, participants will delve into the complexities of balancing cultural identities with academics, fostering supportive communities, and confronting feelings of displacement in campus environments. This inclusive event welcomes individuals of all ages and backgrounds and features a panel that highlights the diversity of the Asian American diaspora. Participants will gain insights into contemporary Asian American college experiences and practical strategies for navigating challenges such as cultural expectations, discrimination, and the search for belonging.

  • Salon 10

    Does your chapter struggle to keep your social media up to date? What are the best practices when utilizing your chapter’s social media? How can I be creative on all of the different apps, platforms, and websites to keep track of? Join this joint JACL-OCA workshop to get a basic understanding on how to create and run a website, understanding the uses of a social media campaign, and what different social media platforms and apps offer for our chapter’s advocacy efforts – all while keeping the content accessible for all.

    Special thanks to Verizon for sponsoring this JACL workshop!

  • Philadelphia North

    AA/NHPI communities are known to utilize mental health services the least out of any other racial group. Sometimes we avoid caring for ourselves by caring for others or we ignore this care to avoid reliving our personal or intergenerational trauma. In this workshop, we will sit with professionals in psychology as well as community healers to explore what are ways in which we can take care of our mental well being as individuals and in our communities.