JACL Announces 2025 National Convention Awardees
June 26, 2025
For Immediate Release
San Francisco, CA - JACL National is pleased to announce two national awards to be conferred during the 2025 National Convention next month in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The two awards to be presented are the following:
President’s Lifetime Achievement Award to visionary art director Leo Akira Yoshimura
Robert Emmett Fletcher, Jr. Humanitarian Award to Carol Folt
Both recipients will be honored at the Sayonara Gala, which will conclude JACL's annual convention on the evening of July 19, 2025.
These awards are given to select individuals to recognize their contributions not only to the Japanese American community but to the advancement of their fields for the betterment of all people. The JACL National Board confers these awards with consultation from other leaders in the Japanese American community and past JACL leaders. JACL applauds both awardees for their accomplishments and looks forward to recognizing them at the convention in July. Please continue reading below for a short description of each awardee.
The 2025 JACL Convention will be held from July 17 to 20 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Based at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town, JACL will host a series of workshops, plenaries, and film screenings for attendees and community members. To register for the convention or purchase tickets to specific events, including the Sayonara Gala, please visit: https://jacl.org/2025-national-convention. Full registrations or Sayonara Gala tickets must be purchased no later than July 9.
President’s Lifetime Achievement Award - Leo Akira Yoshimura
Leo Akira Yoshimura is a second-generation Japanese American born and raised in Chicago as one of 11 children. Growing up, his mom urged assimilation. “Wear clothes that do not bring attention.” “Do not ruffle feathers.” “Even if your teachers are wrong, do not
disagree with them.” “Go unnoticed.” “You must be more than the SAME so that you can
never be sent to Manzanar again.”
Leo refused to be the SAME, refused to be INVISIBLE, but it came with a price. Growing up he was described as “that Jap,” but deciding NOT to be invisible had positive results. He attended Loyola University, joining the theater group where he designed and built scenery – the first Japanese American to do so. He went on to study scenic design at the Yale School of Drama, the first Japanese American to be admitted to this prestigious design program, and received an MFA in 1971. From New Haven, Conn., he moved to New York and worked as a design assistant for both opera and Broadway.
In 1975, in a career-defining decision, and despite a self-described lack of sense of humor, he accepted a position as an art director on a new TV show, “Saturday Night Live,” which was another first for a Japanese American.
This past year, Leo celebrated his 50th season designing for “SNL.” Over that time, he has received 13 Emmy Award nominations, won seven times, and also won seven Art Directors Guild Awards. He continues his studies at the Art Students League of New York.
Throughout the past 50 years Leo has been acutely aware of his status as “that Jap,” He’s proud of his professional accomplishments and, indeed, of being first in his chosen field. He attributes his success to always finding a way to say “yes” and takes intense pleasure in being able to say “he’s done his work,” both as a designer and as a Japanese American.
The JACL President’s Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual in recognition of outstanding national leadership in promoting civil and human rights and/or representing the Japanese American community over their lifetime.
Robert Emmett Fletcher, Jr. Humanitarian Award - Dr. Carol Folt
Dr. Carol Folt serves as the twelfth president of the University of Southern California and holds the Robert C. Packard President’s Chair.
Known for always placing students at the center, she is a collaborative academic leader and an internationally recognized life scientist with faculty appointments in biological sciences, civil and environmental engineering, and population and public health sciences.
Since joining USC in 2019, Dr. Folt has advanced academic excellence and innovation; increased accessibility and affordability; elevated belonging and inclusion; driven significant growth in the USC Health System; made meaningful advancements in sustainability; prioritized shared governance; enhanced USC’s winning legacy in athletics with honor and integrity; increased cross-school collaboration; built a new Capital Campus in the heart of Washington D.C., expanding USC’s role within the national conversation; amplified USC’s research enterprise; and established USC’s most comprehensive academic and research initiative, embedding ethics, analytics, and artificial intelligence across the university’s scholarly and creative work.
Dr. Folt serves as past chair of the Association of American Universities (AAU) Board of Directors and was elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences in 2024.
Prior to USC, Dr. Folt served as chancellor of UNC-Chapel Hill and held several leadership appointments at Dartmouth College, including interim president, provost, dean of faculty, and Dartmouth Professor of Biological Sciences.
Dr. Folt is a distinguished scientist whose pioneering research on the effects of dietary mercury and arsenic on human and ecosystem health led to numerous national and global policy changes and consumption advisories.
Dr. Folt earned her bachelor’s degree in aquatic biology and a master’s degree in biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her doctorate in ecology from the University of California, Davis.
Under Dr. Folt's leadership, in 2022, the University of Southern California finally conferred degrees to 33 Nisei who were denied their college degrees because of incarceration during WWII. A rock garden on USC's campus was also dedicated in honor of those Nisei who were forcibly removed and denied their education.
The Robert Emmett Fletcher, Jr. Humanitarian Award seeks to honor individuals who have demonstrated exceptional courage and compassion by taking selfless actions to support Japanese Americans, particularly in times of injustice. Named after Robert Emmett Fletcher, Jr., a white agricultural inspector who courageously stood by Japanese American families during their forced incarceration in World War II, the award will recognize individuals from outside the Japanese American community who have made a significant impact in advocating for justice, equity, and humanity.
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The Japanese American Citizens League is a national organization whose ongoing mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others who are victimized by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote cultural, educational, and social values and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.
