Japanese American Citizens League (JACL)

10/16/2026

JACL is hiring! 📣

We’re seeking a Business Development Director based in San Francisco or Los Angeles.

The ideal candidate brings experience in fundraising, membership growth, donor pipeline development, grant writing, and a passion for advancing JACL’s mission.

Interested? Visit jacl.org/careers for the full job description, compensation, benefits, and application deadlines.

10/16/2026

JACL commends the announced lawsuit by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, in which the state is taking action to fight the closure of the National Archives in San Bruno.

Read our full statement: jacl.org/statements/jacl-applauds-state-of-california-lawsuit-to-keep-archives-open

10/15/2026

Today marks 60 years of the National Historic Preservation Act!

Over the decades, the NHPA, especially Section 106, has safeguarded historic places and made sure communities and stakeholders have a voice in decisions. A new bill, the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act (S.5653), seeks to revise Sec. 106. Take action now to protect Sec. 106 and preserve our community’s voice and historic sites. Learn more and find links at: jacl.org/statements/protect-sec-106

10/15/2026

JACL SUPPORTS NATIONAL CAPACD IN DEFENDING COMMUNITY INVESTMENT

JACL has submitted comments in support of National CAPACD’s efforts to protect and strengthen the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), opposing proposed changes from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

The CRA is a critical safeguard that helps ensure banks meet the credit and community development needs of the communities they serve, particularly low- and moderate-income communities and those that have historically faced barriers to investment. The proposed changes risk weakening these protections by limiting meaningful community development requirements, reducing support for affordable housing and Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs), restricting eligible community development activities, and reducing lending data needed to identify and address credit gaps.

JACL believes meaningful equality requires equitable access to the financial resources and institutions that help communities thrive. We stand with National CAPACD in supporting a strong, community-centered CRA that promotes economic opportunity, strengthens neighborhoods, and helps ensure historically underserved communities are not left behind.
Link to JACL's comments: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1trlYUxzbeqvZq2LEL2jrGRpUpKGn2yC8/view?usp=drivesdk

National CAPACD, alongside over 40 coalition members and national partners, submitted comments opposing proposed changes that would weaken the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA).

For decades, we have advocated for stronger bank accountability and equitable investments in historically underinvested and underserved communities, including access to affordable housing and small business capital.

We urge the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to withdraw the proposed changes and work with the Federal Reserve to develop a consistent CRA framework that strengthens, rather than weakens, investment in historically redlined and disinvested communities.

Read our full statement ➡️ link in comments

10/13/2026

For JACL Members 📣 Join the JACL Policy Team for two special presentations!

Hear from Grant Din, Communications Co-Chair of Save Our National Archives, about current efforts to protect and preserve our nation’s archives.

Hear from Huy Pham, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Historic Preservation (APIAHiP), about ongoing efforts to protect Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) and its role in safeguarding historic and culturally significant places.

Register now at: https://bit.ly/JACL-policy-10-29

Note: This briefing is for JACL members only! We please ask the general public and members of the press not to attend.

10/13/2026

JACL Statement on Federal Raid of Representative Ilhan Omar's Home in Washington, D.C.

You can also find the statement on our website here: jacl.org/statements/jacl-statement-on-federal-raid-of-rep-omars-home

10/09/2026

On this day in 1990, nine of the eldest survivors of the Japanese American wartime incarceration received the first redress checks at a special ceremony in Washington, D.C. Today we honor the legacy of the redress movement and reflect on what it continues to mean for our community and for communities everywhere. We're grateful to the friends who joined us in marking this day; scroll through to read their quotes and view the full statement here: jacl.org/statements/jacl-commemorates-the-legacy-of-japanese-american-redress

10/08/2026

There are still ways to help protect the National Archives! 📣

Scroll through the highlights from our latest action alert to catch up on recent developments and find ways to support H.R. 10131: the National Archives Protection Act.

Read the full action alert and find links: jacl.org/statements/hr10131

10/07/2026

Earlier today, our D.C. policy fellows stood with Right to Democracy and other Indigenous partners outside the Supreme Court for a community solidarity action. SCOTUS is currently hearing the case of Prutehi Guåhan v. Department of the Air Force.

Local advocates from Guam are contesting the military’s ongoing open burning and detonation (OB/OD) activities on the island, arguing they proceeded without the required National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) reviews or meaningful community input.

10/06/2026

There's still time to join us and our partners at APIAVote for our phone-banking days! ☎️

Help us encourage everyone to vote. If those dates/times don’t work, other shifts may be available.

Also check out our chapter challenge (details on the image below). Learn more and sign up for phone banking and more at https://jacl.org/gotv