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C h a r t e r
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Dear Friends,
Welcome to our website, the official on-line presence of the
Watsonville-Santa Cruz Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League
(JACL).
While we draw our membership primarily from the residents of Santa Cruz County and
northern Monterey County (Pajaro Valley), we have members who live in other
parts of the United States. Presently, with 320 members, we are the ninth
largest of 112 chapters in the National JACL.
We, of the 21st Century and in the beginning of the presidency of Barack
Obama, live in a culturally-rich society with people of divergent views. A few
people, unfortunately, have failed to leave behind their archaic, hateful, social
and cultural stereotypes and attitudes.
The purpose of our JACL, then, is to take effective measures against acts of
racism, bigotry, harassment, discrimination, violence, etc. Although the
focus of JACL began over instances encountered by Japanese and Japanese-Americans
specifically in this country, the JACL responds to all threats against individuals
or groups. John Tateishi, former National JACL Executive Director, stated
that the mission of the JACL is "to fight discrimination and to insure
the well-being of anyone who is victimized by social injustice."
The Watsonville-Santa Cruz Chapter is a local organization with ties to the civil
rights mission of the National JACL. Our chapter is involved in a diverse
range of civil rights, educational, cultural, civic and historical, veterans,
and other issues. We inter-face with other community groups, civil rights
organizations, Asian-American organizations, and the media in the effort to
prevent or respond to hate crimes and discrimination. With our networking
and our monthly newsletter, we are able to inform members of current issues
and upcoming events.
Please join our family of concerned citizens. For more information regarding
membership, please contact Membership Chairperson, Bobbi Jo Palmer, at (831)
724-8636, or fill out the membership application form included on this
website. For issues concerning our mission, contact me at (831) 476-7040 or
email at ptkaneko44@gmail.com.
We welcome and thank you for your support.
Sincerely,
Paul Kaneko, 1st Vice President and Civil Rights Chairman
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