Stride With Us to Build the Next Generation of Leaders 🎉
Thanks to supporters like YOU, 2024 has truly been a banner year. We’re on track to serve nearly 1,650 youth and young adults—a testament to the power of community.
Here’s just a glimpse of what we’ve accomplished together:
But we’re not done yet.
2025 is full of opportunity—expanding our innovative programs to new audiences while strengthening the bonds within our community. With your continued support, we can empower the next generation of leaders to celebrate their identity, build community, and create brave spaces to grow.
🚀 Our Goal: $100,000 by January 31, 2025
We’re already 68% of the way there—can you help push us closer?
Every donation, no matter the size, is a step toward a stronger, brighter future. Let’s make it happen together! Thank you for being part of our Kizuna family. 💛
🌟 See the Impact of Your Monthly Support! 🌟
$25/month covers a Leadership in Action guest speaker to inspire the next generation.
$50/month funds a passionate Summer Camp Counselor to lead and teach cultural workshops.
$100/month supports the behind-the-scenes work that makes an NCI internship possible.
Your monthly gift fuels leadership, culture, and community—every single day! 💛
Our Mission
Kizuna’s mission is to build a future for our community through the education, empowerment and engagement of the next generation.
Our unique program pipeline offers a clear path forward, guiding individuals—from ages seven and up—through developmental programs centered on leadership, identity, and cultural values. Each program is a step toward deeper community involvement, ensuring every participant has the tools to lead, connect, and contribute for years to come.
🌱 Our Biggest Year Yet—More Highlights From Kizuna's 2024 Journey! 🌱
🏕️ Making Summer Camp Accessible for All!
This year, we proudly provided 14 free or reduced-cost scholarships to ensure more youth could experience the magic of Summer Camp! 💛
Collaborated with 18 new organizations or community leaders throughout the year!
🌐 Expanding Our Reach Together! 🌐
By teaming up with incredible community organizations, we’ve broadened our horizons and connected with even more people. In 2024, through our participation in various events, we reached nearly 900 new individuals—people we may not have engaged with otherwise. Every collaboration brings us closer to empowering the next generation and strengthening our community ties! 💛
Some community events we participated in 2024 include: Little Tokyo Sparkle, JACCC & Terasaki Budokan's Children's Day, Anime Expo, San Tai San, Haunted Little Tokyo, Changing Tides' Ripple Effect, Project Kokoro's Family Day, AND MORE!
Doubled our teen leadership program!
🌟Teen Leaders Taking Action Beyond Kizuna!🌟
Even though the program wrapped up in March, our incredible teen cohort from 2024 Leadership in Action is still making waves:
📚 Organizing public library readings of their published book, titled Kizuna: A Story of Connection
🎓 Launching a Nikkei Student Association at their high school
📝 Sharing their goals and inspiration through blog posts
🌟 Joining the Ted Lieu Youth Advisory Council
Their passion and drive continue to inspire us all.💛
Our participants are inspired to keep growing through Kizuna’s program pipeline:
🏕️ 9 participants stepped up as Summer Camp leaders this year
💪 3 participants are aiming for advanced leadership roles next year
📋 2 participants have already re-applied to 2025 Leadership in Action
The journey doesn’t end—it evolves. Together, we’re building the next generation of community leaders!
Held two new in-person salons, where we intimately engaged with community leaders at a meet and greet.
🎓What We Learned from Our Amazing Community!🎓
We gained valuable insights into what makes our community thrive:
🌟 Community Connection is Key: Participants highlighted the power of extracurriculars and cultural engagement to bring people together.
🏀 Sports & Cultural Programs Matter: These activities were seen as crucial for preserving Japanese American identity and challenging stereotypes.
🧬 Generational Wisdom: Many emphasized the importance of understanding the differences between Issei, Nisei, Sansei, and beyond to keep our heritage alive and evolving.
Our community graciously inspired some exciting future actions for us to consider:
🎎 Year-Round Cultural Engagement: Create more opportunities to celebrate and connect through culture all year long.
🌱 Bridge the 20-30 Gap: Develop programs to connect these vital age groups together.
🧩 Stronger Connections for Youth: Build spaces where young people can grow, learn, and lead together with community.
🌏 Cultural Education & Exchange: Provide more platforms to share and learn about our heritage.
How You Can Empower the Next Gen: ✨
You can make a difference! 🎉
Together, we can cross the finish line for 100K & fund our beloved cultural programs well into 2025!