| | | | Let's Talk! Member Input Sessions (Virtual) We want to know what members are thinking about, and what you'd like to see from JASSC in the future! We are hosting three virtual meetings this month at various times to get member input on topics like... - Member Experiences
- Community Engagement
- Event Feedback
- Volunteering
- Website User Experience / Design input
- Long-term planning for JASSC
- Whatever else is on your mind
Registration is limited to 15 people per meeting so as to allow adequate time for Q&A. Please sign in and register by clicking the date you can attend. Registrants will be sent a survey and Google Meet link a few days prior to the event. Send any inquiries or topics of interest to Jennifer@JapanAmerica.org. 10 Apr 2025, 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM 16 Apr 2025, 10:00 AM – 11:00 AM 19 Apr 2025, 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM | | | Conversation Over Cookies At this event, Japanese speakers will stay in place at a table with a board/card game and English speakers will jump around where they want to play. We will try to speak in Japanese as much as possible! Any level of speakers are welcome! This event usually takes place at the CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920) Saturday, April 12, 1:30pm to 3:00pm Saturday, May 10, 1:30pm to 3:00pm Saturday, June 21, 1:30pm to 3pm
See the Events page on our website for details and to register. | | | | | Children's Day こどもの日 Coming May 3rd Join us for a fun-filled Children’s Day Festival on Saturday, May 3 from 10 AM to 12:30 PM! Location: Pikes Peak United Way Family Success Center, 1520 Verde Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Step into a world of creativity, culture, and excitement as we bring Japan to life for kids and families in Southern Colorado. Your children will have the chance to craft beautiful origami, practice Japanese calligraphy, and make their very own colorful koinobori (carp streamers). They’ll also love playing classic Japanese games like kendama, menko, and daruma otoshi, plus exploring the world of anime and manga! To top it off, children can shine in our Gala Children’s Fashion Show, wearing kimono, yukata, martial arts uniforms, or Asian-inspired outfits. Your kids can also enjoy live musical and martial arts performances, with the chance to interact and try it themselves! Even more exciting activities are in the works, so stay tuned, and RSVP to receive updates!  This FREE event is open to all!You can support this and other events by becoming a member of JASSC though!
We need volunteers beginning at 9 am on the day of the event.  Sign up to become a volunteer here! 
Here's our full-page flyer ~ Print some out and post them in your community please! :) Get the latest info and RSVP (to help us plan) at the event page here. | | | | | History of Amache - Cultural Talk 03 May 2025, 12:45 PM – 1:45 PM following Children's Day at the same location:
Pikes Peak United Way Family Success Center, 1520 Verde Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 Amache, also known as the Granada War Relocation Center, played a significant role in American history during World War II. From 1942 to 1945, it was one of the ten camps where over 7,000 Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated and incarcerated. Located in southeastern Colorado, Amache housed men, women, and children who were uprooted from their homes and communities, facing harsh conditions and loss of freedom. Despite these challenges, the internees formed a resilient community, establishing schools, farms, and other essential services within the camp. The history of Amache reminds us of the strength of the human spirit and the importance of remembering our past to build a more inclusive future. Julianna Ellis, a park ranger from the Amache National Historic Site, will be offering an engaging and educational presentation on Amache on May 3, 2025. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about a brief overview of the Japanese American experience during World War II and discover the significant role Amache played during that time. Additionally, the presentation will cover the stewardship of the site before it became a park. The Park Ranger may also share some of her favorite significant stories and resources from the park, providing a deeper understanding and personal insights into this important historical site. This event is free to attend, no registration necessary. The presentation is suitable for viewers of all ages. Please email Naomi@JapanAmerica.org if you have any questions. | | | | | Homestays for Fujiyoshida Students Our sister city, Fujiyoshida, is sending a Junior High School student delegation once again this August, and we're looking for host families. Each year that we have opened our doors to our guests has been filled with joy, connections, and memories. Please see the info and flyer below: WHAT: Six-night homestay WHEN: 07/31 (THU - afternoon) to 08/06 (WED - early morning) WHO: 13 students and 1 chaperone Please let us know if you are interested in participating this year. We will provide a host family online application form and program specifics. Please contact: Eric Basco - homestay@japanamerica.org We are grateful for your interest and participation in this opportunity. ________ Fujiyoshida Sister City Committee Chair | | | Annual Amache Pilgrimage Date: May 16-18, 2025 Pilgrimages to WWII concentration camps for Japanese descendants began in the late 1960s, with the first formal pilgrimage to Amache occurring during Colorado's centennial in 1975-76. The annual one-day Amache Pilgrimage usually takes place on the Saturday before Memorial Day, with this year's event on May 17, 2025, marking the 50th Anniversary. Nikkeijin Kai of Colorado and the Amache Preservation Society will coordinate the memorial services and potluck lunch, continuing a tradition of over 40 years for pilgrims. Here are the related sites: https://amache.org/current-activity-news/ https://www.amachealliance.org/projects-nonprofit | | | | | Ireichō: Book of Names The Ireichō will be visiting Denver and Granada, Colorado May 13th - 17th 2025. Although reservations are no longer available to stamp names in the book, there is a ceremony at Amache the morning of May 17th during the pilgrimage. The Ireichō contains the first comprehensive listing of over 125,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were incarcerated in US Army, Department of Justice, Wartime Civil Control Administration, and War Relocation Authority camps. Click Here to learn more about the Ireichō. | | | | | | | Expo 2025 Osaka Youth Ambassadors
Include Our Recent Intern, Joe Nelson This is great recognition for Joe as well as for JASSC and Colorado Springs. Sister Cities International is proud to announce our 89 outstanding Youth Ambassadors (YAs) ages 19-27 who will represent the USA at next month’s World Expo in Osaka, Japan. We have 47 states represented and the YAs speak a combined total of 22 different languages! Click HERE for a full list with photos and short bios in our YA “Look Book” Many of your cities are represented among the group and we are very proud of them all. There were 1500 applicants for only 89 positions. | | | | | | | | | | | The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama
The Denver Art Museum is featuring an exhibit on the work of Japanese American artist Tokio Ueyama, including work created about his time incarcerated at Camp Amache. The exhibit is included with general admission to the museum and will run until June 1, 2025: The Life and Art of Tokio Ueyama features more than 40 paintings loaned to the museum by the Japanese American National Museum and Ueyama’s family, whose combined efforts to preserve his work have allowed the story of this accomplished and cosmopolitan artist to be told at the Denver Art Museum for the first time. https://www.denverartmuseum.org/en/exhibitions/tokio-ueyama | | | Amache: An American Injustice
Airing on PBS through October 1, 2028 A new short film Amache: An American Injustice is now showing on the PBS app and PBS website through October 1, 2028. To view the the film visit https://www.pbs.org/show/amache-an-american-injustice/. The film features Amache survivors and the DU Amache Field School.
| | | Other Interesting Organizations Want more news? Check out these other organizations supporting Asian Americans in Colorado and beyond!
- Golden Lotus Foundation - The GLF is working hard to build a botanical garden and tea house in Colorado Springs. They are always looking for volunteers, so sign up for their newsletter if you are interested!
- NAJAS - the National Association of Japan America Societies is the hub of all other JAS in the US.
- Japan America Society of Colorado (Denver) - JASC is our closest sibling organization, with most of their happenings located in Denver. They have a community e-bulletin which they send out monthly as well.
- El Pomar Foundation - Elevating Leadership Development Program. The ELD program is run by the El Pomar foundation and creates "greater access and support for people of color in Southern Colorado to tap into their leadership potential for the benefit of community." Their quarterly meetings are free to attend and convene advisory councils for the following groups: Asian / Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, and Native American.
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- Asian Pacific Islander Business Community of Colorado Springs - this new organization is building better connections to and awareness of Asian-led businesses in Colorado Springs. The link is to their linktree, which includes a newsletter signup.
| | | | | About JASSC JASSC web site Send us your news! Let us know what you’d like to see in the next newsletter. Please email the editor, Rayna Lindsey
rayna@japanamerica.org Did you know that you can edit your own address, phone and email information right on the japanamerica.org website? Simply enter your email and password in the upper-right corner and click Login. Don't know your password? Click Forgot Password and the website will help you out. You will also find a secure password-protected online member directory. Use it to look up names, addresses, phone numbers and emails for other members.
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