A slide showing the total amount raised for JANM’s “Our Promise” campaign
By George Toshio Johnston, P.C. Senior Editor
‘If an institution is created to preserve the lessons of constitutional failure, if an institution that is founded to do that cannot speak clearly in a moment when democracy is under strain, then it ceases to fulfill the purpose of which it is created.”
JANM President and CEO Ann Burroughs (Photos: George Toshio Johnston)
With those words, said at the museum’s May 30 JANM Gala & Online Auction, the theme for which was “Forging Inspiring Paths for Future Generations,” Japanese American National Museum President and CEO Ann Burroughs encapsulated how JANM and its “Our Promise” initiative managed to reach and surpass the $65 million fundraising goal — later increased to $85 million — it had set for itself well in advance of Jan. 20, 2025.
See related story here.
That was, of course, the day when a new administration — bent on ratcheting back hard-won civil rights, overturning parts of the Constitution it opposes and scrubbing from view histories that need to be remembered and repaired in order to become a more perfect union — took the reins of political power.
“At JANM, we’ve preserved history because memory is power,” Burroughs added. “It’s the power to decide whose stories are told, who tells them, whose histories are remembered, and ultimately, it’s the power to share the future.”
It is a mission that, of course, needs funds to execute. Thanks to a committed community and an array of Signature, Diamond, Emerald, Platinum and Gold sponsors, plus help from deep-pocketed philanthropist MacKenzie Scott ($10 million in 2021, $20 million in 2025), the mission rocketed past the reset goal of $85 million.
See related story: “JANM Welcomes the Future”
A slide projected for the throng gathered at the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angeles said it all: “Our Promise” had raised $112 million. And that was before the more than $1.3 million raised that evening, which honored actress and activist Tamlyn Tomita with a Lifetime Achievement Award and MS NOW TV journalist Rachel Maddow with an Award of Excellence for hosting and producing the podcast “Rachel Maddow Presents Burn Order” (see April 17, 2026, Pacific Citizen, tinyurl.com/483t4ktk).
KTLA TV news anchor Frank Buckley
Reprising his role as master of ceremonies was KTLA news anchor Frank Buckley, who amused the audience with the long-running roust-athon between himself and local TV news rival David Ono, news anchor at KABC, who was on hand to present Tomita with her award.
“I actually have a great respect for David, and I love my fellow JA David Ono. Not as much as David Ono loves David Ono,” Buckley said, garnering laughs from the audience.
“Frank and I are dear friends. This whole rivalry thing — we just love to make sport out of it,” Ono said before introducing Tomita. “As you know, there is no rivalry because a rivalry is two people who actually are close competitors, and there is no competition here.”
KABC TV news anchor David Ono
Waxing serious, Ono said of Tomita: “Since I met her, she took me under her wing,” referring to the bond Tomita and he developed after he began to work for KABC in the 1990s and the two started co-hosting community events. “And I was just young and new in Los Angeles. And she helped me understand this community.”
In a heartfelt address, Tomita, who had just returned from Salt Lake City for a performance of Ono’s “Defining Courage” (see Nov. 4, 2022, Pacific Citizen, tinyurl.com/53nyx29t), said, “I’ve been crying all day ever since I boarded the plane from Salt Lake because I didn’t know what to say except to thank every single one of you here.”
Maddow, who was “literally on the other side of the world” and unable to attend in person, spoke to the audience via a recorded video. She called the experience of working on “Burn Order” one of the “most humbling and moving experiences of my professional life.”
MS NOW producers Michael Yarvitz and Kelsey Desiderio accepted Maddow’s award on her behalf.
Accepting the award for on her behalf were MS Now colleagues Michael Yarvitz and Kelsey Desiderio, who also produced “Burn Order.” Yarvitz also name-checked MS Now senior producer Jen Mulreany Donovan.
“We say never again, and we mean it because we know what happened thanks to you. We know its damage and its chaos and the scars it has left for generations,” Maddow said in the video. “By knowing that history, we know we also have a responsibility to make sure that those who come after us know it, too.”
MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow speaks to the audience via a recorded video to accept her Award of Excellence.
On video also with live piano accompaniment by Benet Braun following dinner was an in memoriam segment that recognized those in the JANM and Japanese American communities who died since last year’s gala: Pacific Citizen columnist Marsha Aizumi, Virgene Kyoko Doyle, Bill Fukushima, Ina Goodwin Tateuchi, Professor Art Hansen, Masako Kato, Barbara Reiko Mikami Keimi, Andie Kimura, Lou Kitashima, Yoichi Komiyama, June Kurisu, Leland Kurisu, Tom Matano, Nancy Matsui, Ken Mochizuki, Robert Nakamura, Yosh Nakamura, Mary Kageyama Nomura, Kyoko Oda, Sadako Sogioka, George Sugimoto, Norman Sugimoto, Lilli Tanaka, Helen Tsuyuki, Agnes Uchida, Florence Uchida, Tim Uragami, Douglas Urata, Robert Davies Volk, Mary Yamasaki and Henry Yasuda.
Ken Inouye and Tamlyn Tomita tout JANM’s Bid for Education. Tomita also received a Lifetime Achievement Award during the evening’s festivities.
Following dinner, Tomita returned to the stage with fellow JANM Governors Jennifer Hirano and Ken Inouye to spotlight and raise funds for JANM’s Bid for Education program, which was created in 2000 by the late Sen. Daniel Inouye. Tomita told the audience the goal for the evening had been to reach $250,000, and that the total had actually reached $378,623 — and with the $47,115 raised from the auction, Bid for Education had raised $425,738.
JANM board of trustees Chair Bill Fujioka
The evening’s entertainment was a musical performance by vocalist Davis Gaines, most famous for performing the title role in “The Phantom of the Opera” more than 2,000 times. Jazz Crosswinds also provided music for the event.
To watch a recording of the 2026 JANM Gala & Online Auction, go to tinyurl.com/yz7h8kmz.