| | | | Letter from the President As we step into 2025, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for your ongoing support and passion for JASSC’s mission. Together, we have accomplished remarkable things, and we eagerly anticipate the opportunities and connections that this new year will unfold. Together, we have achieved remarkable milestones, all thanks to the collective efforts of our board, interns, volunteers, and dedicated members. Our success is a testament to our shared vision, collaboration, and teamwork. In 2024, we proudly continued our annual events while also introducing new community initiatives, such as sharing Japanese culture with youth at the Deerfield Community Center and hosting a Japanese cooking class at the Pueblo West Library. Additionally, we made significant strides in enhancing our electronic filing system to preserve historical information and document our event programs effectively. Special thank you to Linda Bragg and Kathy Kidd for their dedicated board service to JASSC. Both retired from the board but continued to support our vision and mission. Their contributions are recognized and appreciated. We welcomed three new board members, Rayna Lindsey, Kaz Nagai, and Laura Villagrana. This year, we established two new committees: the Fujiyoshida Sister City Committee and the Cultural Engagement Committee. There is still much work ahead, and we will keep you updated on our progress. As we look to the future, I am continually inspired by our leadership team, the membership, the opportunities to deepen our impact and the bonds of friendship and understanding between Southern Colorado and Japan. We eagerly anticipate another year filled with meaningful connections and unforgettable experiences with you. Thank you for your unwavering support and belief in the mission of JASSC. Stay tuned for upcoming events, programs, and initiatives that celebrate the vibrant cultural exchange we hold dear. Together, let's make 2025 a year to cherish! Wishing all of you and your families a year of health, happiness, and success. Deepest Gratitude, M. Wayne Stout
President of Japan America Society of Southern Colorado
wayne@japanamerica.org or president@japanamerica.org | | | | | | | | | | | Date: Saturday, January 11th, 2025
Event Time: 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Location: Pikes Peak United Way Family Success Center, 1520 Verde Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80910 A free and fun, tasty cultural event open to the public! Everyone is welcome to come enjoy some delicious new year's mochi, first come first served! Bring the whole family for an opportunity to pound rice with a Japanese traditional wooden mortar (usu) and pestle (kine), just like ojiichan used to do it! We need more volunteers for things like making bite-sized mochi in the kitchen, serving, and directing folks to the right areas. Volunteering goes from 8:30 am - 1:30 pm for preparation and cleanup. Please sign up here, and don't forget your apron! This year we're in a new location! We have moved to the United Way Family Success Center (address above). This year, we welcome back Sun Mountain Taiko to help us get the right rhythm going for rice pounding! | | | Conversation over Cookies -- January Date: Saturday, January 25th, 2025, 1:30pm-3pm
Location: CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920) Click here for more information and instructions on how to reserve a space. | | | Conversation over Cookies -- February Date: Saturday, February 22nd, 2025, 1:30pm-3pm
Location: CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920) We are changing how you reserve a space in February and moving forward. Instead of emailing the organizer, please click here for more information and to register. | | | Conversation over Cookies -- March Date: Saturday, March 8th, 2025, 1:30pm-3pm
Location: CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920) | | | | | Community Event: Lunar New Year: The Year of the Snake Date: Saturday, January 18th, 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Pioneer's Museum (215 Tejon St, Colorado Springs, CO 80903) In June of 2023, Lunar New Year Day was established as an official observed state holiday in Colorado on the first Friday of every February. The Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum is thrilled to host the Pikes Peak regional celebration of the Lunar New Year with our partners Refugees + Immigrants United and Filipino American Community of Southern Colorado. Guests are invited to celebrate at this family-friendly event with performances, crafts, and information and activity booths presented by local organizations. To uplift the cultural richness of this event and our community, attendees are warmly encouraged to wear traditional attire from their own country of origin. | | | Community Event: 第48回 デンバー紅白歌合戦 48th Denver Red vs White Singing Contest
| | | Date: January 25th, 2025, 12:00 PM (doors open 11am)
Location: Tri-State Denver Buddhist Temple (1947 Lawrence St. Denver CO 80202) Join us for the 48th annual Denver Red & White Singing Contest in 2025 and show off your singing voice and lead your team to victory. Supporters are also welcome! 2025年で第48回を迎えるデンバー紅白歌合戦に参加して自慢の歌声を披露し、チームを勝利に導きましょう。また応援団も大歓迎です！ 開場：11時 開始：12時 For more information click here. | | | Sangre de Cristo Arts Center (Pueblo) Exhibit Portrait of Nature: Myriads of Gods June 7, 2024 - January 11, 2025 Learn more here | | | | | Tesserae: Love Letters to Asian American Communities Vol. 2 Click here to read the zine! Students in Asian American Communities Fall 2024 at UCCS co-produced this zine by developing individual submissions and working in teams to put it together. "Tesserae" refers to pieces of a mosaic, symbolizing the diversity and unity of our communities. The zine explores the issues of marginalization, cultural identity, self-image, grassroots activism, and community care. Please enjoy! Click here to check out the first volume from Fall 2023. | | | Mochitsuki segment on CBS Sunday Morning show on 12/29/2024 How Japanese mochi brings communities in America together Mochi, a doughy cake made from steamed sweet rice, is more than just a nostalgic taste of Japan; the very act of making mochi – a "mochitsuki" – takes on special significance on New Year's Day. Correspondent Conor Knighton reports. | | | Denver Art Museum Exhibit: Tokio Ueyama
The Denver Art Museum is featuring an exhibit on the work of Japanese American artist Tokio Ueyama. The exhibit is included with general admission to the museum and will run through June, 2025. Click here for more information. 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.
| | | Now Hiring: The JETAA job board features job listings shared by JET alumni, non-profit and partner organizations and for-profit corporations and companies. 99% of the jobs have a connection to Japan. Share with your networks and make sure to send new listings their way!
| | | 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.
- Consulate-General of Japan in Denver
| | | | | 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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