Welcome to the Twin Cities Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL). JACL is a national membership organization whose mission is to secure and maintain the human and civil rights of Americans victimized by injustice.
JACL derives its effectiveness through its strategically located regional offices, which serve the needs of the organization’s members and help maintain the well-being of all Americans.
In addition to its national headquarters in San Francisco, the JACL has regional offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and Washington D.C.
The Pacific Citizen, publishing news and information for and about the Asian American community since 1929, is a production of the JACL Los Angeles office.
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JACL National Convention 2023
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Come join in a special taiko workshop led by Community Kai 2025 cohort member Emily Harada of @TaikoArts Midwest. In this workshop, you'll learn about the history of taiko in North America and its connection to activism and joyful resistance. Participants will get a chance to play and connect together through energy, rhythm, and vibrations from the taiko. You'll also get a chance to learn phrases from a song.![]()
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RSVP soon because space is limited to 15 participants!![]()
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DATE: Saturday, November 14, 2026![]()
TIME: 6:30 - 8:00pm, 1-1/2 hours![]()
LOCATION: TaikoArts Midwest Studio![]()
655 Fairview Ave. N. St. Paul, MN 55104![]()
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FREE for Community Kai participants![]()
$25 for TCJACL members![]()
$30 for non-TCJACL members![]()
$20 for Students or Financial Assistance![]()
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Must be at least 13 years old to participate![]()
Participants under 18 years of age must be accompanied by an adult![]()
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Email communitykai@tcjacl.org to save your spot!![]()
RSVP by Saturday, November 7th!![]()
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About the instructor:![]()
Emily Harada began playing taiko at the age of 7 with Ho Etsu Taiko at the Midwest Buddhist Temple of Chicago. She went on to study with Somei Taiko and Taiko Center of the Pacific in Hawaii, and returned to help lead the ensemble. Notably, she recently returned following a 2-ish year intensive study under Kaoly Asano of Tawoo Dojo and Gocoo in Tokyo, Japan, and has returned to the midwest to work full time for TaikoArts Midwest as an artistic apprentice and as staff for kaDON. With a masters in athletic training and experience in biomechanics, she’s interested in movement and what the body can do with taiko. ![]()
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Photo credit Juan Patino
A huge thank you to everyone who came out to help us celebrate our 80th anniversary!![]()
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Tamlyn Tomita ![]()
Fran de Leon
Get Repost App • The Minnesota Star Tribune Ireichō, which translates to “book to console the spirits,” is a traveling monument that recently stopped at Historic Fort Snelling in Minnesota. Its thick pages contain the names of more than 125,000 Japanese Americans who were incarcerated during World War II. ![]()
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It is proof that thousands of American families lost their homes and freedom. Its lesson feels urgent in Minnesota today.![]()
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Tap the link in our bio The Minnesota Star Tribune to read the full column by Laura Yuen.![]()
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Video: Laura Yuen/The Minnesota Star Tribune. Photos: The Associated Press and Glen Stubbe/The Minnesota Star Tribune.
The National Park Service today announced the designation of the city of Savage, Minnesota, as an American World War II Heritage City, recognizing the community’s extraordinary contributions to the nation’s World War II home front and its ongoing commitment to preserving that history.![]()
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"From the Japanese American Soldiers who provided critical military intelligence to the thousands of workers who built ships and manufactured essential equipment, Savage made important contributions to America's victory in World War II," said Jessica Bowron, Comptroller Exercising the Authority of the Director of the National Park Service. "By honoring this community's wartime contributions, we also recognize the importance of preserving the places and personal stories that connect us to this defining chapter in American history."![]()
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During World War II, Savage, Minnesota, played an important role in military intelligence training and industrial production supporting the Allied war effort. From 1942 to 1944, Camp Savage housed the U.S. Army's Military Intelligence Service Language School, where Japanese American soldiers, known as Nisei, received intensive training in Japanese language and military intelligence. Many had volunteered for military service despite the incarceration of Japanese Americans, including members of their own families. Graduates served throughout the Pacific Theater as translators, interpreters, interrogators, and code breakers, providing critical intelligence to American forces. Their contributions helped advance Allied operations and earned national recognition, including the Congressional Gold Medal awarded to Military Intelligence Service personnel in 2010.![]()
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Savage also made significant contributions on the home front through shipbuilding and precision manufacturing. Established in 1942, the Cargill shipyard employed as many as 3,500 workers, including a workforce that was approximately 25 percent women, in a community with just 222 residents. The shipyard constructed 18 Navy oil and gasoline tankers and four towboats, supporting military operations in the Pacific.![]()
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www.twincities.com/2026/10/09/it-ruined-so-many-peoples-lives-book-recognizes-people-of-japanese-...
www.twincities.com
Its three-day stop in the Twin Cities was presented in conjunction with the Minnesota Historical Society and the Twin Cities Japanese American Citizens League.
Today is the last chance to get your tickets to TCJACL’s 80th birthday party!![]()
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-Look back at 80 years of community and advocacy![]()
-Meet actress Tamlyn Tomita![]()
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