Museum raises $1.2 million with ‘We will not be scrubbed’ message.
By Ellen Endo, P.C. Contributor
Japanese American National Museum Board of Trustees Chair William T. Fujioka approached the microphone to open the museum’s signature event and set the tone not only for the April 12 gala but also for the institution going forward.
His message was clear: “We will not be scrubbed.”
That point appears to have landed with those in attendance at the Diamond Ballroom of the JW Marriott in downtown Los Angles: The benefit, with the theme “Unlocking the Future,” raised $1.2 million.
Fujioka explained by calling back to the World War II forced removal of 125,000 Japanese Americans. In 1942 after the United States had entered the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt based Executive Order 9066 on the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which allows the president — during wartime — to detain or deport immigrants of an enemy nation without due process.
“Like many nonprofit organizations across the United States, JANM is faced with the serious threat of losing federal funding that will impact our ability to pursue our mission,” Fujioka stated, citing JANM’s long-held commitment to social justice, civil rights and diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI.
“Some institutions are actually scrubbing their websites and modifying their mission to remove any reference to social justice and DEI solely to protect (their) funding,” Fujioka pointed out.
Consul General of Japan Kenko Sone observed, “JANM not only preserves Japanese American history and culture but also promotes civil rights and democracy. JANM’s role is more important than ever in the current context.”
Remarks by JANM President and CEO Ann Burroughs echoed Fujioka’s opening admonition.
“We gather now in a moment of profound urgency,” she said. “Across this country, we are witnessing the dangerous rollback of civil rights, a resurgence of hate and of racism . . . as if DEI were a threat rather than a foundation of a just and equitable society.”
Burroughs added, “Our democracy is being tested in ways that it has never been tested before.”
Throughout the evening, speakers, honorees, presenters and musical performers reverberated the call for a return to social justice and civility. Earlier this month, the Los Angeles Times reported that $2 million in federal grants, of which $1.45 million was approved for JANM during the Biden administration, had been cut by the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency.
On a more positive note, Burroughs announced that the museum’s fundraising efforts have exceeded expectations, reaching $74 million and prompting the museum leadership to extend the campaign through 2026 with a new target of $85 million (see Pacific Citizen’s June 7, 2004, issue). Future plans include renovation of the galleries, a new core exhibition and enhanced programming.
Three trailblazing individuals were recognized during the event. Lifetime Achievement Awards were presented to Toshizo Tom Watanabe and Nobuko Miyamoto.
L-R: Dan Kwong awards Nobuko Miyamoto her Lifetime Achievement Award. JANM President and CEO Ann Burroughs presents Toshizo Watanabe with his Lifetime Achievement Award. Filmmaker Tad Nakamura congratulates Judi Oyama on her Award of Excellence. (Photos: Ellen Endo)
Watanabe recalled meeting with Sen. Daniel K. Inouye and JANM’s founding Executive Director Irene Hirano. Inspired by the senator’s vision for the Democracy Center, Watanabe concluded that “Japanese Americans could not only succeed but could shape the course of history.” The encounter led Watanabe to work toward strengthening ties between the U.S. and Japan and endow the Democracy Fellowship, a professional development program named in his honor.
Nobuko Miyamoto, who began as a professional dancer on Broadway and in motion pictures, is best known in the Japanese American community as an activist who for 55 years has fused music and dance with activism. In accepting the award, she commended JANM for “teaching younger generations what democracy is all about. We are living in this moment that amplifies (JANM’s) importance. Your presence says we will not be disappeared. Your resistance says we will not be erased. We are not going backwards!” (see article on the documentary “Nobuko Miyamoto: A Song in Movement” in this issue).
Two JA music icons, Judith Hill (left) and Nobuko Miyamoto, at the JANM benefit
The Award of Excellence was presented to Judi Oyama, graphic designer and entrepreneur whose achievements have engraved her name in the pages of skateboarding history. She was one of the first women to compete in the sport professionally. In 2023, at the age of 63, Oyama was the World Champion silver medalist in slalom skateboarding. She was inducted into the Skateboarding Hall of Fame in 2018.
Actress Tamlyn Tomita, a member of the JANM board of governors, led the call for contributions to the Bid for Education along with Jennifer Hirano, daughter of the late Irene Hirano, who helped found JANM, serving as its president and CEO, and afterward, as president of the U.S.-Japan Council. KTLA news anchor Frank Buckley guided the evening’s lineup as master of ceremonies.
Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Judith Hill, who has sung with Michael Jackson, Prince and Josh Groban, performed a closing set that, like the evening’s speeches, challenged listeners to continue to move forward undaunted and unbowed.
To view the 2025 JANM benefit online, visit tinyurl.com/44wut3eu.
