July 2017 Issue

Rendering by Lincoln Brown Illustration

On August 3, LTSC will break ground on the highly anticipated multipurpose sports facility and community center Terasaki Budokan. To commemorate this milestone in the pursuit of a decades-old community dream, a ceremony will be held at the Budokan site on Los Angeles Street between 2nd Street and 3rd Street. The event will assemble supporters, funders, lenders and elected officials.

Budokan construction will begin in mid-September and completion of the project is expected before the end of 2018*. Budokan will house a two-court gymnasium for basketball, volleyball, martial arts and other activities. The facilities will also feature an outdoor plaza, children’s playground and a community room.

LTSC, with the assistance of community volunteers, has raised $24.3 million of the estimated $25 million needed for construction. We are still seeking contributions to stay on target. To make a donation, please visit the Budokan website.

*Updated opening date in 2020

LTSC’s 2016 Annual Report is now available online. The theme for the 2016 report is “Treasuring Community” and focuses on how a community-centered approach guides our work in Little Tokyo and greater Los Angeles. Cover art for the report was designed by Kent Yoshimura, a talented LA artist with ties to Little Tokyo. We hope you enjoy our highlights from the past year.

Angelina Preschool graduates

LTSC’s Angelina Preschool celebrated the graduation of 35 students, who will move on to kindergarten in the fall. A large crowd of proud parents and family members were on hand for a series of performances by the graduates.

Angelina Preschool, located at Angelina Apartments in Echo Park, provides full-day subsidized preschool services for income eligible 3 to 5-year-olds. The school’s hours are Monday through Friday, full day (7 a.m.-5 p.m.), year-round (July 1-June 30). Spaces for 2017-2018 are still available. For more information, please visit the Little Tokyo Service Center.

Evelyn Yoshimura is honored by JACCC

Evelyn Yoshimura, LTSC’s Community Organizing Director, was selected to receive one of three Community Spirit awards, presented by the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC) each year.

Evelyn was recognized for her impressive contributions as an activist and community advocate. In the 1960s, Evelyn fought for ethnic studies on her campus. Later, she joined allies protesting abuses of redevelopment in the 1970s. In the 1980s, Evelyn demonstrated against Apartheid in South Africa. She was also a key player in the movement to win redress and reparations for people of Japanese descent incarcerated during World War II. Today, Evelyn brings stakeholders together to maintain community control over the rapidly changing Little Tokyo.

Volunteers from Cathay Bank lead a financial capability workshop

Cathay Bank generously supports LTSC’s Financial Capability and Asset Building program. This program provides financial literacy education to the residents living in our affordable housing units and neighboring communities. Residents, including youth, attend workshops and have access to one-on-one counseling with LTSC staff to learn how to keep a household budget, reduce debt and increase savings. In addition, the program helps homeless families stabilize their finances in order to secure permanent housing.

Moving Day projection at the Japanese American National Museum

The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) and the Little Tokyo Historical Society (LTHS) held a public program with three survivors of the Japanese American World War II incarceration camps. The former inmates discussed their time in Little Tokyo before the war and the impact of their camp experiences.

The camp survivor program was one in a series held in conjunction with JANM’s Moving Day outdoor public art installation. LTSC’s creative community development project +LAB has provided financial support for the Moving Day programs as part of an effort to help Little Tokyo organizations elevate their cultural and artistic work and draw attention to First Street North. First Street North is a block that is a critical part of the past, present and future of Little Tokyo.

Moving Day is a component of JANM’s exhibition Instructions to All Persons: Reflections on Executive Order 9066. The next Moving Day program will be presented by Go For Broke on July 20.

Far East Lounge Coordinator Hiromi Sone (left) and Toshiko Mutoh (right)

After putting her art aside for an extended period, LTSC client Toshiko Mutoh opened a solo show at our Far East Gallery in June. Said Ms. Mutoh, “As I started drawing again, I was able to enjoy my life every day.” Read more in the Summer 2017 edition of the Social Services Newsletter “Through the Seasons” (p.6).

API SBP business counselors and Cathay Bank representatives at last year’s Money Smart course

The Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program (API SBP), of which LTSC is one of five participating organizations, will host a two-day introductory business course in July. The course, which has classes on July 15 and 22, will cover how to start and run a business efficiently. It is open to new businesses, self-employed individuals and aspiring entrepreneurs. Spaces are still available.

The mission of API SBP is to assist the development of small and micro businesses in LA with a particular focus on the Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Thai and Filipino business communities, especially those of low-income immigrants.

More information on the course is available at  Little Tokyo Service Center.

Events

7/15 & 7/22- Money Smart for Small Business 
7/15 – Moving Day Program Presented by Go For Broke 
7/21 – 11th Annual Sake and Food Tasting Event 
10/14 – Annual Asian Small Business Expo

Green Tip

Thank you for sharing

Share books, magazines, movies, games and newspapers with your friends and neighbors.

Donors

Thank you to all our supporters for your contributions last month!

June Donors
Don and Lynn Akamine
Mikako and Ali Amini
Anonymous
Combined Federal Campaign of Greater SoCal
Christopher Espinosa
Jessica Kanai
Kathleen Kubota
Gary and June Masada
Asao and Kim Masumiya
Robert and Teresa Matsushima
Nancy and Mark Munekata
Harry Nakada
Tad Nakashima
Eileen Nawa
David and Mary Noguchi
Miyako Phillips
Alan and Jean Shinseki
James Spencer
Cooke and Elaine Sunoo
Mable Takenaka
Keith Umemoto
Union Church of Los Angeles
Sachiko Walker-Arpea
Women of St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

In Memory of David Miyashita

In Memory of Jeannette Kyoko Sanderson
Emily & Dan Weaver

In Memory of Chor Chai Tan
Marie Tan and Gregory Tan

Budokan of Los Angeles Donations
Ted and Tomi Akahori
Don and Lynn Akamine
Akemi Arakaki
Julian Ely
Eugene and Teresa Eng
Bronson and Jocelyn Hamada
Toshio and Toshiko Handa
Marsha, Thomas and Don Nakanishi
Craig and Judy Ida
Scott Ito and Nan Lee
Gregory Kame
Jean Kato
Reiko Kondo
Takashi and Jane Makinodan
Gary and June Masada
Morley and Sue Matsuda
Takeshi and Hiroko Matsumoto
Joe Mizuno
Fred Morisaki
Jeff and Christine Murakami
Mike Murase and June Hibino
Tad Nakashima
Glenn and Lillian Osajima
Janice Osumi
Helen H. Ota and Michael C. Palma
The Rafu Shimpo Foundation
Glenn and Donna Sanada
Masakazu Sekine
Margaret and Ken Shimada
Kayko Sonoda
George and Ruri Sugimoto
Cooke and Elaine Sunoo
Glenn Togawa
Stuart Tsujimoto
Naomi Uyeda
Gary Uyekawa
Marsha and Alvin Wakasa
Maki and Richard Wallace
Ruth Watanabe
Bill and Ruth Watanabe
Kimberly and Damon Wong
John Wright
Neal and Connie Yahata
Karen Yamamoto
Michael and Lilly Yanagita
Clement and Angela Yang
Tad Yoshimura
Gideon Young
Gay Yuen

In Honor of The Ito Family
Lisa Okamoto

In Honor of Mike Murase
Jane Nishio

In Honor of Evelyn Yoshimura
Jenni Kuida and Tony Osumi

In Memory of Janet Mitsui Brown
Roger Brown

In Memory of Hichiro and Helen Endo
The Endo Family

In Memory of Philip Ito
Anonymous
Arrowood Insurance Services
Friends of the Chinese American Museum
Far Bar
Dave and Alice Fujii
Henry Fujimoto and Dorothy Shundo-Fujimoto
Alan and Barbara Hamane
Janet Hasegawa-Chu and Cliff Chu
Mary Hatate
June and Ken Hayashi
Daniel Ho
Minako and Gerald Iseda
Jane Ishii
Lillian Ito
Toshiko Ito
Naomi Iwasaki
Japangeles
Kagawa Insurance Agency, Inc.
Judy Kam
Masashi Kamoda
Ken and Bonnie Kasamatsu
Larry Katata
Steve and Delcey Kawasaki
Evelyn Kita
Haru Kuromiya
Jeffrey Lee
Kimi Maru and David Monkawa
Michi Matsumoto
Don Matsumoto
Robert Miyatake
Richard and Patricia Mori
Shari Morita
Jane Anne Morton
Corrine Oishi and Lindley Morton
Lyle Murakami
Julie Murakami
Takako Murashige
Joanne and Junichi Nakawatase
Aileen Nishimura
Ota Insurance Agency
Robert and Masako Ozaki
Enisha and Amar Parimi
Quality Insurance Services, Inc.
Robert Sakiyabu
William and Tomoko Sato
Roderick Shingu
Wes Shundo
Catherine Shundo Young and Michael Young
Janice Soda
George and Ruri Sugimoto
Cooke and Elaine Sunoo
Grant Sunoo and Emily Maeda
Scarlet Sy and Eric Olson
Miyo Takahashi
Kay Gabriela Torres
Nancy Toyota
Robert and Mae Uchida
United Pacific Financial Services, Inc.
Emily and Dan Weaver
Simon Wu
Ron and Julia Yano and Reiko Yoshinaga
Paul and Shirli Yazaki

In Memory of Kaei Kamiya
Lisa Sugino and Jay Rosenthal

In Memory of Victor H. Shibata
Nancy Tsuboi

Vehicle Donations
Kazuhito Iwashita
Arlene Tanaka
Lanora Tom

In-kind Donations
Baby2Baby
Kevin Lee
Yoshiko Miyaji
Colleen Seto-Gee and Douglas Gee
Marsha and Gary Watanabe