(Editor’s Note: This commentary marks the first installment of “In Our Words,” a new column spotlighting young adult voices within the JACL.)
Hannah Yoshinaga
Treyton Ito Littlejohn
We’re at a pivotal point in the JACL’s history. As America’s oldest AAPI civil rights organization approaches its centenary, it faces unprecedented financial headwinds, shrinking membership and an identity crisis amid a shifting political climate.
The question of how to bring the next generation into the fold is about survival; carrying the JACL’s legacy forward and keeping the organization well-resourced enough to do so will not happen without more youth quickly becoming more active participants and collaborators.
This year’s recent National Convention revealed how clear that reality is to many within the JACL’s ranks. As we work toward a thriving, robust civil rights infrastructure for the next 100 years, strategizing solutions for today’s all-time-
low youth engagement demands not just a simple one-time fix, but an entirely new vision.
So, what will drive young adults to join and become deeply involved in an organization like the JACL? It starts with two things: restoring and emboldening the high-caliber advocacy that earned the JACL its name in the first place and developing internal systems that provide youth with actionable pathways to execute.
Renewing the JACL’s Civil Rights and Social Justice Mandate
A defining question of the week at convention was: “Who does the JACL serve, and how does it plan to do that?”
That’s not an easy question to answer, especially as the organization’s policy arm undergoes a full reimagination and reconstruction. Generational and regional divides also make it difficult to formulate a central advocacy vision; however, we should be reminded that these tensions are nothing new within the JACL.
Thoughtful consideration of who the JACL works for and how it can pursue a more assertive posture is necessary to remain relevant in the modern civil rights landscape, one defined by the denigration of diversity, equity and inclusion; attacks on immigrant communities; and the stripping of key protections and government resources for organizations operating in this space.
Facing all of this, the JACL must ask itself whether it’s doing enough to deserve the title of a leading civil rights organization, and how it can do more to support its members as they stand with the communities affected.
Rooting advocacy in the history and lived experience of the Japanese American community will always be important, but the organization has a responsibility to do more.
By expanding its purview beyond that scope, it can make a substantive difference for those who need it most and attract new members, allies and advocates into its tent.
When the JACL secured redress for surviving internees in 1988, it did so with vigorous support from groups in and outside the Japanese American community, including the National Coalition for Redress/Reparations and the NAACP.
Youth feel strongly that it’s time to carry a renewed spirit of collaboration into the 21st century. In 2026, who are we building that coalition with? As we continue to benefit from the fight our progenitors brought to our nation’s capital, we can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines.
The JACL has already taken a first step in that direction with R-1 (tinyurl.com/bdht82t3), which outlines how the organization will assist immigrant communities targeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While we’re enthusiastic about the resolution’s passage, we see this as only the beginning of a larger opportunity for the JACL to build a political home that prioritizes action, mutual aid and a bolder, more inclusive social justice agenda that reflects the growing diversity of its membership.
The JACL’s storied roots and standing within the AAPI space put it in a strong position to cultivate that home, engaging advocates of every generation, young and old, who now more than ever are seeking a renewed sense of community and purpose. Doing so would allow the JACL to not only react to political outcomes but also shape them and offer its membership the resources and opportunities to contribute more meaningfully.
Making Room for New Generations to Lead
Once this mandate is restored, we believe structural change can and should follow.
The JACL needs systems that offer new voices, whether from the 18-25 youth group or beyond, genuine paths to responsibility and ownership.
Put simply, one of the JACL’s top priorities must be identifying, training and empowering the next class of stewards. This is true at the national level, where there are limited long-term entry points for youth, and at the chapter level, where many young members face the reality of being few and far between or lack the resources and support to do more.
Young people will look instead to other Nikkei or AAPI organizations that make it easier to plug in, and the JACL will lose valuable talent. On the flip side, more established roads to leadership at all levels give aspiring changemakers reasons to build their future inside our organization.
But that effort shouldn’t be pushed forth by youth alone. Given that 74 percent of the JACL’s membership falls in the 50-plus age range (https://tinyurl.com/4aa4wxej), we urge JACL leadership to consider the wealth of knowledge and relationships stored within its chapters. The organization should activate its elders no less than its youth, incentivizing mentorship, leadership training and intergenerational learning opportunities as a pillar of its strategic plan.
The JACL’s youngest members bring incredible skill and passion to their work. With the guidance and trust of experienced advisers, they can be put to use on real programs and projects, whether that’s raising essential funds or organizing political actions. The generational passing of the baton requires this deliberate partnership, carried out structurally by JACL leadership locally and nationally.
Our message is simple. We’re here, poised to help execute the JACL’s strategic priorities and carry its legacy into 2027 and beyond. We are eager to learn from our vast network of elders and ensure the JACL celebrates not only its 100-year anniversary, but also another successful century after that. The ownership and accountability we, and every generation to follow, take on can be something the organization counts on for the long run.
We Need to Work Together
The priorities above matter for fostering youth engagement, but they’re widely shared across the JACL, too.
Discussions across the 2026 National Convention made clear that members of all ages are strongly aligned, both on the issues facing the organization and on the desire to share responsibility for tackling them. Splitting into camps by age will only slow us down as we work to restore financial stability, expand membership and grow our impact on the national stage.
This is best embodied by the Japanese principle of Zentai Saiteki, which emphasizes fixing the whole system as a connected unit rather than focusing on any single part. Working across generations is what is needed to transform the JACL into the powerhouse we know it can be.
The Next Steps
The response to the youth movement at the National Convention was overwhelmingly positive, with leaders across the JACL voicing their support and asking what more they can do to empower us. Now it’s on us to show that trust is well placed and put it into action.
An engaged and mobilized cohort of young adults is critical to the JACL’s own future and just as necessary for the entire AAPI civil rights ecosystem in the United States. Without the JACL serving as a keystone, other AAPI organizations will stand on shakier ground and become more exposed to attacks on their merit and purpose.
Thus, the call to action has never been louder.
To youth: It’s time to come together and get to work.
To the rest of the organization: We’re ready to step up and take an active role, putting advocacy back at the center of the JACL’s mission and establishing the frameworks this moment requires. We have a vivid picture of the future we all want to create, and we hope you’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with us to get there.
Hannah Yoshinaga is a member of the JACL’s Eastern District Youth Board and New York chapter. Treyton Ito Littlejohn is a member of the Pacific Southwest District Youth Board and Greater Los Angeles chapter.