About Japanese American Citizens League San Diego Chapter
Founded in 1929, the JACL is the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States. The JACL monitors and responds to issues that enhance or threaten the civil and human rights of all Americans and implements strategies to effect positive social change, particularly with respect to the Asian Pacific American community.
The JACL and the Japanese American community are continuously affected by changes in the political environment and in demographics. Our society continues to be impacted by the events of September 11, 2001, which created a worldwide climate of uncertainty and insecurity in which reconciling the proper balance between issues of national security and our civil liberties has once again been brought to the forefront. We are also affected by changing demographics of race, ethnicity, and age.
Looking to our future, the JACL constantly assesses the effectiveness of its role in Japanese American, Asian Pacific American, and civil rights communities, as well as what infrastructure is necessary to effectively support our mission and efficiently achieve our goals. Today, with inter-racial and multi-ethnic marriages changing the face of the Japanese American community, the JACL is continuing to face new issues in looking to its future and to the future of the Japanese American community.
The Board of Directors for the San Diego Chapter consists of community leaders who dedicate their time to the goals of JACL.
We are recognized for our dedication to the Japanese American community by supporting social wellness, providing cultural and educational programs for the youth, promoting communication between local Japanese American organizations, and responding to the needs, concerns, and ideas of the people in the greater San Diego region, who share a common bond of Japanese heritage.
The mission of the SD JACL is to actively advocate for universal civil rights and social justice, foster cross-cultural awareness and understanding, and preserve and cultivate the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American experience in San Diego and the U.S.
