Aim is to learn status of youth engagement; results to be shared at JACL nat’l confab.
Five Japanese American youth leaders and 2025 Kakehashi Project alumni have announced the launch of an online survey to gauge the state of youth engagement within the Japanese American Citizens League and at-large Nikkei community.
According to the panel’s organizers, the survey aims to gather information about the cultural and civic interests of Nikkei individuals between 18-30 to identify barriers to participation with organizations like the JACL and reveal opportunities to enhance engagement.
The organizers are asking Nikkei youth to share their perspectives and feedback via the survey. Anonymized results will be presented in the aggregate during the panel and used to inform recommendations to JACL members. Community organizations and publications are encouraged to share the survey widely. The link to the survey is at: https://forms.gle/XHMbHA8gCNZX4v4B8.
The findings will be presented 2-3:15 p.m. PT at the panel titled “The Next Chapter: Activating Nikkei Youth Towards Purpose and Action” at the 2026 JACL National Convention on Friday, July 31. The session will examine why engagement among Nikkei youth with many Japanese civic organizations has declined and provide actionable strategies for reactivating this key demographic.
Responses will be gathered from now through July 27. Participants invited to provide additional input in individual follow-up conversations.
The five youth leaders comprising the panel are moderator Isabella Senno, member, JACL Chicago Chapter; Eli Nishimura, Midwest District Council youth representative, JACL National Youth Student Council; Hannah Yoshinaga, Youth board member, JACL Eastern District; Akemi Lucas, board member, JACL San Fernando Valley Chapter; and Treyton Littlejohn, member, JACL Greater Los Angeles Chapter.
“Engaging the next generation is one of the most critical priorities facing the JACL and other Nikkei civic organizations,” Yoshinaga said. “The survey will provide crucial data for understanding engagement gaps that currently exist within this community. We look forward to translating these insights into tactical recommendations at the chapter, district and national levels during our panel.”
“At its peak, the JACL had 30,000 members, many of them young people,” Littlejohn added. “We have the oldest and most connected AAPI civil rights organization in the country. One of the questions we’re asking is: What are we going to do with that?”
The group first met during the 2025 Kakehashi Project, a cultural exchange program connecting Japanese American youth with Japan. Their shared experience and the recognition that young Nikkei individuals are increasingly seeking spaces for connection, action and leadership motivated them to bring a unified youth perspective to this year’s convention.
The panel is open to all 2026 JACL National Convention attendees. For more information, visit https://jacl.org/2026-national-convention.