30 Years of Legacy: The Nikkei Student Union at UCLA
|
||
| Licensing | ||
The Nikkei Student at UCLA celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year, hosting a commemorative banquet on Saturday January 21, 2012.
Founded in 1981, the Nikkei Student Union (NSU) at UCLA has grown to have a membership of over 200 students. This year NSU celebrates 30 years since its founding and will also feature its 26th Annual Cultural Night in February.
Timeline:
- The Nikkei Student Union is founded by Ken Minami, Albert Saisho, and Kenji Saisho.
- NSU fights with the National Coaltion for Redress and Reparations (Nikkei for Civil Rights and Redress (NCRR)) to demand an apology and monetary reparations for the internment of Japanese and Japanese Americans during WWII
- NSU holds its inaugural week of Remembrance (weeklong series of speakers, forums, and exhibits). Evolves into NSU’s annual Cultural Night (CN)
- NSU plays an integral part to gain tenure for former Asian American Studies Center director Don Nakanishi
- NSU members organize Kyodo Taiko, the first collegiate taiko group
- Southern California Japanese American Historical Society honors NSU for its efforts to educate students on JA issues. The City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles, and the California State Legislature Assembly award NSU for outstanding service
- The Intercollegiate Nikkei Council is formed in efforts to establish a network among SoCall Nikkei college groups
- April Cheng becomes the first Chinese American president of NSU
- NSU Modern, a hip-hop and jazz dance group, is formed to provide members with an artistic outlet for expression
- NSU and Kyodo Taiko hold the first Fall Festival
- NSU begins working with LTSC and other community groups to build a recreation center in Little Tokyo (2008 a Memorandum of Understanding between the City and LTSC is approved, 2009 the recreation center project renamed Budokan)
- NSU renames its annual basketball tournament to “The Yuji Ichioka Memorial Basketball Tournament” in honor of the renowned historian, activist, and professor Yuji Ichioka
- NSU staff member Jonathan Shintaku organizes the first annual “Where is the Love” (raising awareness about hate crimes)
- Chibi-K was suspended in 2006 due to dwindling participation and lack of outreach
- A grass roots student initiated volunteer program to connect college students with the Nikkei community through participation in Little Tokyo community-based organizations
Slides in this album |
|
|
1980s NSU begins its first Manzanar PilgrimageNSU hosts its annual Manzanar Pilgrimage in April, bringing its members to one of the internment camps of the 1940s. This picture shows the attendance from last Manzanar Pilgrimage in May 2011, where Kyodo Taiko performed and NSU Odori led the Obon Dancing in commemoration of the pilgrimage.
1980s NSU begins its first Manzanar Pilgrimage |
NSUatUCLA
|
1988-1989 NSUAttending the 3rd annual NSU Cultural Night, hanging with friends, running fundraisers, collaborating... NSU is about developing a community and long-lasting friendships. The memories made here are built to last.
NSU 1988-1989 |
|
1989 Don Nakanishi's Fight for TenureDuring the 1980s the Asian American Studies Center (AASC) at UCLA NSU helped fight for Don Nakanishi's tenure as director of the new AASC. By staging protests and walkouts, NSU became a vital student voice for the Asian American movement on campus. You can read more about Don Nakanishi here …
1989 Don Nakanishi's Fight for Tenure |
|
1989 Cultural NightThe first student-run production by NSU, Cultural Night evolved from the Week of Remembrance event of forums and exhibits to a student-run production of a drama set, odori, taiko, and hip-hop performances. Today, NSU's CN is hosted at UCLA's prestigious Royce Hall for an audience of over 2000 attendees.
1989 Cultural Night |
|
1991 Staff RetreatNSU's Staff currently consists of five committees: Cultural Awareness and Community Service (CACS), New Staff (Leadership Development), Outreach, Social, and Sports along with an Executive Board. Today, NSU hosts three staff retreats every year at the beginning of each quarter, and their stafff currently holds more than 50 staffers.
1991 Staff Retreat |
|
1991 INC BasketballBasketball is a large part of the JA community and many of NSU's members come from J-league backgrounds. They are able to continue playing basketball in various tournaments, most often with the other Southern California Intercollegiate Nikkei Council Colleges and Universities. Here, they are able to meet up with old …
1991 INC Basketball |
|
1992 NSU Hosts its 20th Anniversary BanquetNSU Celebrates 20 Years
1992 NSU Hosts its 20th Anniversary Banquet |
|
1996 NSU In the CommunityNSU is not only dedicated to raising cultural awareness but also Community Service. Pictured here are NSU members engaged in the Little Tokyo community, forging relationships and developing a greater tie with the JA Community.
1996 NSU In the Community |
|
1996 BanquetNSU's End of the Year Banquet in 1996
1996 Banquet |
|
1998 BanquetBanquets are held at the end of the year in June, our very last event. Although another year in NSU has come to an end, an end only marks the beginning of something new. From here, new co-heads and committees are designated and the New Board officially takes on all …
1998 NSU at UCLA Banquet |
|
1998-1999From Obon Hopping in the summer to Fall Staff Retreat to all the festivities of First Quarter, it's a time for bonding, culture, and building upon old and new friendships. |
|
1999-2000Spending time with great people...and with good food! NSUers still love their food and often bond over good eats like 10th Week Dinners, Family Dinners, random excursions, and banquets. With good food you open up, share the wealth of a delicious meal, and it's always a good reason to meet …
1999-2000 UCLA NSU |
|
2001 Zero WeekZero Week Picnic is held on the Sunday before First Week, during the Zero Week Festivities to encourage new freshmen and transfers to check out various student organizations on the UCLA campus. Free and open to any who would like to attend, NSU staffers cook various delicious dishes and host …
2001 Zero Week Picnic |
|
2001 CNNSU's Culture Night features performances by a drama cast, odori, Kyodo Taiko, and NSU Modern and takes months to plan and weeks of practice for this one night production. The entire day of consists of finalizing stage lights, one final dress rehearsal, ensuring everything is ready to go. Every year … |
|
2002 BanquetUCLA hosts its annual End of the Year Banquet
2002 Banquet |
|
2009 - NSU Begins the Chibi-K InternshipDue to the diminishing number of participants for the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center's (JACCC) Annual Chibi-K Fun Run, a part of the Annual Children's Day Festivities.
2009 - NSU Begins the Chibi-K Internship |
|
2011 - NSU Odori Hosts Its First RecitalIn May 2011 NSU Odori hosted its first recital at Schoenberg Music Hall, presenting a wonderful display of eloquence, elegance, and finesse.
2011 - NSU Odori Hosts Its First Recital |
|
2011 NSU's 25th Anniversary Culture NightNSU celebrated its 25th Anniversary Culture Night, "The Last Generation: Every Generation Needs a Regeneration."
2011 NSU's 25th Anniversary Culture Night |
|
2011 Red Cross Honors NSU for its Contribution to the Japan Relief FundWith the great initiative of its staffers, NSU's Board helped organize fundraising for the Japan Relief
2011 Red Cross Honors NSU for its Contribution to the Japan Relief Fund |
|
2011 - NSU Helps Organize the JA Legacy ConferenceThe Legacy Conference is an intergenerational conference promoting JA activism in five different fields. It was held on November 5th, 2011 at JANM, the ideal location to bring JAs to back to Little Tokyo. Iku Kiriyama, Glenn Omatsu, Alan Nishio, Kathy Masaoka, Mark Masaoka, Evelyn Yoshimura, Traci Kato-Kiriyama, Aaron Hamachi, …
2011 - NSU Helps Organize the JA Legacy Conference |
|
2012 NSU 30th Anniversary BanquetNSU celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year by hosting a Banquet at Ackerman Grand Ballroom at UCLA. NSU hopes to bring together its alumni and current members to celebrate 30 years of legacy and rekindle their "Home Away from Home."
2012 NSU 30th Anniversary Banquet |
30 Years of Legacy: The Nikkei Student Union at UCLA
Journal feed
