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Frank Seishi Emi, an NCRR Hero
The Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress mourns the loss of our dear friend and our hero, Frank Emi. We are fortunate to have known Frank since 1983 when he joined NCRR. It was during the early days of the redress movement when we first learned about the Fair Play Committee and the Resisters of Conscience. Why hadn’t we learned about America’s concentration camps and those few who, like Frank, fought back?!   It was through the redress movement and hearing people’s stories that our history was slowly revealed. Read more...

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30th Anniversary Party
See all photos

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Civil rights activists give voice to Muslim community
Current political issues, religious freedom and racism were among the issues discussed in a lecture by Asian Americans for Community and Talent (AACT). Read more...

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9/11 Healing Memorial at the Islamic Center of Southern California
Assalamu Alaikum. Peace Be Upon You.
9/11 changed us. As we watched the Twin Towers topple, as we heard the anguished tears of those who lost loved ones, as we waited anxiously for the flood of news to end, we felt the change creep in and settle. That change was fear and in many ways, it never left. Read more...

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VIGIL IN LITTLE TOKYO TO SUPPORT MUSLIM AMERICANS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (NCRR) and the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), in cooperation with the JACCC and other groups invite the community to come out to the plaza in front of the JACCC on Sept. 9 at 7:30 p.m., to show support for Muslim Americans who are increasingly being subjected to a hateful campaign of anti-Muslim and anti-Islam lies and attacks.

See video and photos.

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FOR VOX POPULI
Muslims and Buddhists are Not the Same and That’s Fine.
This is the holy month of Ramadan when observant Muslims carry out acts of compassion and charity, fast from sunup and “break their fast” at sundown to reaffirm their faith. Read more...

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ANTI MOSQUE, ANTI ISLAM, ANTI AMERICAN
The people who are coming up with all sorts of explanations as to why they object to a mosque in the vicinity of “ground zero,” in New York, cloak themselves under all manner of aggrieved American citizens. At best, in memory of the loss of someone and at worst, simply acknowledging their dislike of anything Muslim. Read more...

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NCRR members, Kathy Masaoka and Tony Osumi juried student displays about Pearl Harbor and the WWII Concentration Camps held at the Orthopedic Hospital in Los Angeles. One of the displays was about the Tuskegee airmen, and Major Levi H Thornbill represented them at the event. See photos.

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With an almost “sold-out” screening of “Lt. Watada”, director Freida Mock answered the numerous questions along with Watada’s mother, Carolyn Ho, Watada’s, father Bob and stepmother, Rosa. The documentary film was based on the life of Ehren Watada and his refusal to deploy to Iraq. The event was held at the Henry Hwang Theatre (East West Theatre) in Little Tokyo. See photos.

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Quakers: Friends of the
Japanese American Community
During WWII, the Religious Society of Friends (also known as the Quakers), the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), and its affiliates were among the few groups to publicly support and aid the 120,000 persons of Japanese ancestry who were forced to leave their homes on the
West Coast and incarcerated in ten camps across the United States. See more...

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AN OPEN LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR OF ARIZONA
TO GOVERNOR JAN BREWER
The Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, an organization who fought for redress for victims of a shameful period in American history, condemns your signing of SB 1070. It is an act founded in racist hysteria with blatant pandering for votes at the expense of our Mexican American community. Read more...

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At the invitation of the Orange County Human Relations Commission the NCRR Education Committee presented three workshops at the "Walk In My Shoes" symposium. The symposium, which was attended by hundreds of middle school students, was held at California State University at Fullerton on March 5, 2010. See more...

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Bridging Communities connects youth through sessions on identity, culture and civil rights.

On Feb. 20th, some 25 Japanese American and Muslim American high school students convened a the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center for the first session of the second annual Bridging Communities program. See more...

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Remembrance for the Future
"Let us remember the lessons. That justice is not self-executing. It is not a gift. It is a challenge." Keynote speaker Dale Minami said as he closed out his speech at Saturday's Day of Remembrance 2010 program at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo. "We cannot rely on our institutions alone to protect our rights." Read more.

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Update: see photos from the event.
The film STAND UP FOR JUSTICE will celebrate its long-awaited DVD release on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010, 2:00 pm, at the National Center for the Preservation of Democracy, in Little Tokyo. Read more.

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NCRR Holiday Party photos

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JACL Pacific Southwest District and Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress Announce the Bridging Communities Program...Read more

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Ehren Watada: Free at Last
Three military courts rejected Watada's double jeopardy claim; but as soon as the case was appealed to a civilian court, US District Court Judge Benjamin Settle issued a stay blocking the retrial and charging that "the military judge likely abused his discretion."

The Army announced it would appeal but then did nothing for eighteen months, leaving Watada in limbo. Finally, after a campaign by Watada's supporters, the Obama administration's Department of Justice nixed the Army's appeal. The Army threatened to court martial Watada on other charges but finally decided to accept defeat.

Click here for the full story

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In October 2009, NCRR endorsed API Equality-LA, a coalition of organizations and individuals working to build support for equal marriage rights and fair treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in the greater Los Angeles Asian and Pacific Islander community. contact@apiequalityla.org

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Wibur Sato, a longtime NCRR member is honored by the Gardena Valley Democratic Club for 50 years of membership...read more

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Summer Activist Training 2009
Koreatown Immigrant Workers Alliance or KIWA (formerly the Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates) created the Summer Activist Training program in 1993 to meet the needs of young people who wanted to make social change in their communities but lacked the skills to organize campaigns. NCRR became a sponsor in 1995 along with Thai Community Development Corporation (Thai CDC) and were soon joined by the Pilipino Workers’ Center (PWC)...read more

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NCRR Protests Paramount Studios Film
“The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard”
In the R-rated “comedy,” “The Goods,” Korean American car salesman Teddy Dang is beaten by a group of Caucasian car salesmen who think he is Japanese. Guy Aoki, founder of Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) and a longtime NCRR member, called on NCRR to support a protest of Paramount Studios. The Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), NCRR, and about 35 individuals picketed in front of Paramount Studios on August 21, 2009. Angered and frustrated by the continued demeaning portrayal of Asian Americans in the media, the spirited group picketed as passing motorists honked their horns in approval. ...read more

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Bridging Communities Program
The Japanese American Citizens League Pacific Southwest District (JACL PSW) and Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (NCRR) in partnership with the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and the Islamic Shura Council announced the launch of the Bridging Communities program to connect the youth of the Japanese American community to the Muslim American community by celebrating the strengths and differences that bind us as a community...read more

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The Cherry Blossom Festival Southern California Committee and the George Kiriyama Educational Excellence Award committee honored Richard Katsuda as the 2009 George Kiriyama Educational Excellence Award recipient...read more

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An Emotional Day of Remembrance
On February 19, 1942, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 which authorized the incarceration of Japanese Americans during WWII. On Saturday, February 21st, the 21 annual Day of Remembrance was held at the Japanese American National Museum. This year was focused on the topic of immigration with the theme, Forging Alliances: Connecting Nikkei to Current Immigration....read more

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NCRR 9/11 Committee: Update on Lt. Ehren Watada
Lt. Ehren Watada, who was court martialed for refusing to deploy to Iraq in 2006 and fight in a war that he believed was immoral and illegal, is still awaiting a decision by the military...read more

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Since September 11, 2001 NCRR has built a relationship with the American Muslims, South Asians and the Arab American communities through educational programs such as Break the Fast, forums and the Manzanar Pilgrimage...read more

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Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress URGES A NO VOTE ON PROPOSITION 8
NCRR opposes Proposition 8, which would amend the California Constitution to eliminate the fundamental right of marriage for same-sex couples in California. We believe gays and lesbians are entitled to the fairness and equality that all California citizens now enjoy under California law. NCRR opposes discrimination based on race, sex, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. To not recognize gay and lesbian rights to marriage is discrimination...read more

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The 68th Annual Nisei Week Awards dinner was held at the Kyoto Grand Hotel and Garden in Little Tokyo...read more

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Nisei Week parade
NCRR was honored at this year's Nisei Week parade for our years of commitment to redress and reparations and the battle for civil rights in this country. See pictures

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SUMMER ACTIVIST TRAINING

Summer Activist Training (SAT) program was founded in 1993 to provide young Asian Pacific Islander Americans an opportunity to spend three and half days learning valuable skills in community organizing and direct action campaigns. This program brings together like-minded APIAs to help create a community of young activists and organizers, many of whom go onto work in various community-based organizations and unions. This is the perfect opportunity to expand your network of support and inspiration!

There will be great food, an opportunity to meet and network other young activists, and a chance to develop better relationships with APIA organizations in the Los Angeles area.

This year's training will last from June 26 - June 29, 2008. If you plan on being in the LA area or can make a trip of it, please consider applying! (PDF)

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Campaign For Justice Update 5/29/08
Click here to read.

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Manzanar 39th Pilgrimage
It was a very diverse group of about 500 people, pilgrims of varying ages, ethnicities and backgrounds who visited the Manzanar National Historic site, many of whom were participating for the first time.  Former internees were joined by their children and grandchildren, curious high school students, and seven busloads of various secular, academic and religious groups. Read more / See pictures

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Lillian Nakano was honored by the California State Assembly on May 12th for her work in the redress movement during ceremonies marking Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Read more.

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“Building a Movement to End this Illegal and Immoral War”
The Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress September 11 Committee

We want to share with Amerasia Journal readers how Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress, formerly the National Coalition for Re- dress & Reparations, sees its task of building a progressive move- ment of Japanese and Asian Americans.

Download PDF

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Rally Held to Save J-Town
J-Town Voice urges business assistance program, creation of Little Tokyo Legacy Fund - By Gwen Muranaka, Rafu Shimpo...read more

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ISLAMIC CENTERS HOST EDUCATIONAL FORUMS BEFORE ATTENDING MANZANAR PILGRIMAGE
"The Japanese American community was the first to reach out to us after 9/11," said Affad Shaik, Civil Rights Chair of the Greater Los Angeles office of the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA), "that is why we are educating our community about what happened to Japanese American during WWII and are taking Muslims from Southern California to this years Manzanar Pilgrimage." ...read more

Related: 39th ANNUAL MANZANAR PILGRIMAGE SCHEDULED FOR APRIL 26 BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE FROM LOS ANGELES

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Day Of Remembrance 2008
“Unleashing Community Voices: The Power of Grassroots Activism” was the theme of the 2008 Day of Remembrance. This year’s program highlighted NCRR’s contributions to the historic redress campaign and took place on Saturday, February 16 at 2:00 pm at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. ...read more

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Reflections of Lily Okamoto
For the Sansei women in the Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress or NCRR, Lily has been and still is a role model for us. Since the late 80’s she came to the monthly meetings faithfully. Only a year or two ago did she stop coming after saying that she could not hear very well and did not feel she was able to contribute. But we were always very glad to see Lily come and were happily surprised when she came to a meeting a few months ago using her walker....read more

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NCRR 9/11 Committee Continues Support of Watada and Aguayo
Vigils in Support of Lt. Ehren Watada and Against the War in Iraq  
In October, the NCRR 9/11 Committee and Watada supporters held vigils on the corner of Alameda and First to express opposition to a second court martial of Lt. Ehren Watada for his refusal to deploy to Iraq in June 2006.  For five consecutive...read more

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Stand Up for Justice DVD/Curriculum Available to Calif. High School Teachers!
The NCRR Education Committee is pleased to announce that a ten-year collaboration with Visual Communications has culminated in the production of a 33-minute film about Ralph Lazo and the “Stand Up for Justice Curriculum Guide” for secondary school social sciences teachers....read more

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Campaign for Justice Makes Big Push in 2008!
Campaign for Justice (CFJ) has been fighting for redress for Japanese Latin Americans (JLAs) since 1996. When JLAs were excluded from redress provided by the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, NCRR, JACL, Japanese Peruvian Oral History Project, and the Southern California chapter of ACLU formed CFJ. CFJ worked with JLA former internees to file the Mochizuki v. U.S. class-action lawsuit. That action culminated in negotiations with the Department of Justice and a compromise, in which JLAs were afforded only $5,000 reparations for each former internee....read more

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NCRR Digitizes Archives with CCLPEP Grant
In 2007, NCRR received a grant from the California Civil Liberties Public Education Program  (CCLPEP) for the archiving of NCRR’s historical Days of Remembrances.  The grant will allow the events to be preserved via our website, NCRR-LA.org. ...read more

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Flying Backwards to the Future Targeting innocent civilians will always be a crime against humanity
The headlines in the obituary section of the Los Angeles Times in November called attention to the passing of Paul Tibbets by proclaiming him “as the man who ushered us into the atomic age”.  Yes, he piloted the Enola Gay to Hiroshima, but the reality is that he didn’t fly us into a new world but took us straight back into the Stone Age.  Make no mistake about it.  The action to drop the bomb meant the death of over 100,000 civilians..men, women, children, the physically handicapped, the elderly, --everyone!...read more

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Court bars second court-martial for Watada

A U.S. District Court judge today granted a preliminary injunction that bars the Army from proceeding with a second court-martial trial of 1st Lt. Ehren Watada, the first Army officer to face prison for refusing to deploy to Iraq. Read More.

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Candlelight Vigil in Support of Lt. Ehren Watada
Mondays, 5:30 pm
South Alameda Street & East First Street
Little Tokyo
Monday vigils were held at the same place and time every Monday for Lt. Watada.

For more information on the vigil:  NCRR  213.680.3484  ncrr@charter.net

For updates on the Lt. Ehren Watada's case: http://www.thankyoult.org/

Photos: Vigil for Lt. Ehren Watada, October 8th in Little Tokyo.

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Click here to see a video of Watada supporters

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In Los Angeles, protesters marched through downtown to the federal building for a mass rally and Die-In. The California fire catastrophe did not keep people from registering their opposition to the Iraq war in a major way, despite that day's front-page Los Angeles Times article urging people to "stay inside" because of bad air quality. Read More.

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War resister gets a hero's welcome

Agustin Aguayo served eight months in a military prison after refusing to serve a second tour in Iraq, but the former U.S. Army medic received a hero's welcome Sunday from antiwar activists in Los Angeles... Read more (link to L.A. Times)

• Aguayo Photos

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No justice at Lt. Watada pretrial replay

On Friday, a pretrial hearing was held at Fort Lewis in the U.S. Army's second attempt to court-martial Lt. Ehren Watada for refusing to deploy to Iraq in June 2006. Lt. Watada continues to argue that the Iraq war is illegal under U.S. and international law...Read More

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School Board Honors Lazo

Ralph Lazo's grandchildren Nicole and Alex Thibodeaux and son-in-law Andrew Thibodeaux received a commendation from David Tokofsky and the other Board Members of the Los Angeles Unified School district for Lazo's support of Japanese Americans during World War II...Read More

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Within One’s Conscience

Helga Aguayo was one of the discussion panelists at the 2007 Day of Remembrance commemoration event held Saturday, February 17^th at the Japanese American National Museum.  It marked the 65^th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of Executive Order 9066 to remove and incarcerate over 120,000 Japanese Americans in the West Coast states...Read More

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Marching for Peace

In a show of solidarity, anti-war protestors and supporters of the nation’s first Army officer to refuse deployment to Iraq, marched through Little Tokyo on Saturday, demanding justice for First Lt. Ehren Watada...Read More

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Dr. Maher Hathout wins LA Human Relations Commission’s Award.
Dr. Maher Hathout was awarded the LA County Human Relations Commission John Allen Buggs award on October 5th at the Biltmore Hotel. Click here to read more.

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Rei Osaki will be sorely missed.
Rei Osaki, a core NCRR member passed away in December after a brief illness. Rei had been an active member since NCRR’s Day of Protest march in 1989. Click here to read more.

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Education Committee to Conduct Teacher Training Workshops.
NCRR’s Education Committee had a very active 2006. In the first half of 2006 Stand Up For Justice, the Ralph Lazo docudrama... Click here to read more.

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Alan Nishio, a founding member of NCRR retires after 34 years at Cal State University, Long Beach. The event was held on September 22, 2006 at the Point in the Walter Pyramid. Click here to read more.

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A Victorious Day
The Orange County DA’s office dismisses Kurt Isobe’s case

At Saturday, September 16^th/s fundraising event in Little Tokyo for Kurt Isobe and his impending retrial, the Isobes announced to over 100 supporters that the Orange county District Attorney’s office dismissed the case Friday. Click here to read more.

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Kurt Isobe, his father Craig Isobe, and NCRR member Evelyn Yoshimura attended NCRR’s June general meeting.  Kurt, a personable, young student who was arrested at a rally against the Minutemen Project in Orange County, came to NCRR’s general meeting to talk about his arrest last year and the result of his recent trial. Click here to read more.

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Loyalty Redefined on Day of Remembrance
by Nao Gunji (Rafu Shimpo staff writer)

Wayne Mortimer Collins and Tetsujiro “Tex” Nakamura receive Fighting Spirit awards for work with renunciants...read more

Three Awards Given by JACL - pswd and NCRR at 2002 Day Of Remembrance

NCRR: Fighting Spirit Award
JACL PSWD: Community achievement award
NCRR: Special recognition
...Read More

Liberties & National Security?

1942- 2002: What lessons can we learn from the WW2 Japanese American experience? Nikkei for Civil Rights & Redress (NCRR) 9/11 Committee and the American-Arab Anti-discrimination Committee invite you to a thought-provoking discussion on the relationship between civil liberties and national security. Since the horrific ... Read More

"Breaking Fast" with Muslims
Set for Senshin Temple – Saturday, December 8th 2001. A "Breaking of the Fast" will be held at Senshin Buddhist temple, located that at 1311 West 37th Street, Los Angeles, on Saturday, December 8th, from 4:00 p.m.. This program is part of a series of the events being organized by the Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR) September...Read More

Little Tokyo Honors Terrorist Victims With Candlelight Vigil
An estimated 250 people participated in a candlelight vigil and memorial ceremony Friday night in Little Tokyo to pay tribute to the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist hijackers in New York City, Washington, D.C., and the passengers and crew aboard the plane that crashed in western Pennsylvania. Read More...

Japanese American Delegation to Cuba Reports Back to Community
For 10 days this past August, 17 Asian Americans from Los Angeles went somewhere few Americans have seen first hand: Cuba. The recently returned delegation sponsored by Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR) will share their impressions of Cuba and details of exchanges with the Cuban Japanese community on Sunday, Read More...