Join Victor and Josie and Support J-Sei!

Hi Friends and Family!

Please join us to celebrate and support the wonderful work of J-Sei, a community care and cultural organization now in its 52nd year.

May is Asian Pacific Heritage month and we are joining the Asian Pacific Fund for this fundraising effort. Our photo shows our API grandchildren, Kaia Kiku and Leo Nacho, both proud of their Japanese-Chinese-Chamorro heritages. 

J-Sei's incredible work includes:

* Home-Delivered Lunches in partnership with Meals on Wheels America provided 34,000  hot, nutritious lunches to older adults who are unable to shop or prepare their own meals. 

* Food Pantry Program, in partnership with the Alameda County Community Food Bank, provides supplemental grocery items to many seniors who need assistance, both delivered or on-site pick up

* Resources to Counter Anti-Asian Racism offers ways to communicate and de-escalate tense situations, self defense and how to assist others in a time of increased violence against the AAPI community

* J-Sei Home is a beautiful Japanese assisted living option, a licensed Residential-Care Facility for the Elderly with an emphasis on Japanese and Asian meals and activities

* Support for educational and preservation of history efforts:

In 2019, just before the pandemic, J-Sei opened their meeting rooms to help efforts for a Crystal City Pilgrimage. This Pilgrimage visited this little-known World War II site where many Japanese and their families were interned, which included Victor's Uno family. His Uno grandfather was separated from his family for over two years, before they reunited at Crystal City in 1946. Thousands of Japanese Latin Americans who were kidnapped from their home countries were also forcibly interned at Crystal City, and Granddad Uno taught many English, and introduced young students to American songs and culture. Former internees of the prison - young students at the time of their internment - attended the Pilgrimage and shared valuable memories and experiences with other attendees, including residents and officials from Crystal City's school district and local government.

J-Sei's support for educational and preservation efforts is important work that made this Crystal City Pilgrimage possible. Connecting World War II history to what was happening with the forced separations of children from their parents at the Southern Border, was an important mission of the Pilgrimage. "Stop Repeating History!" was and continues to be an important message from our Japanese American experience.

We are grateful to the many friends and family who folded hundreds of paper cranes - tsuru - that were taken to Crystal City as an expression of support for the many children who were being held in cages and other deplorable conditions. 

There are so many reasons why we support J-Sei's work and why we are asking you to join us in making a contribution. Whatever amount you are able to make is deeply appreciated, it will help the work of a very important community organization.

Any donation made will be matched dollar for dollar by the Asian Pacific Fund.

Many thanks to you and Family,

Victor & Josie (and Kaia Kiku, Leo Nacho and Cowie)