Photo courtesy of Ventura County Star Newspaper. Photographer: ANTHONY PLASCENCIA

Japanese cemetery is Oxnard's latest vandalism target

We are devastated regarding the recent vandalism on June 19th, 2017, the worst that we know of since the 1980’s.

See Ventura County Star newspaper article

Eyewitness News ABC 7 article.

Follow up story by Wendy Leung of the Ventura County Star published July 4, 2017

Rafu Shimpo online story.

2nd article in the Rafu Shimpo about the historic cemetery, published on July 11, 2017

KCLU Radio’s Lance Orozco interview.

However, we are inspired and encouraged by folks like YOU who want to HELP!!!

We are restarting our efforts for donations to secure the cemetery (put in new fencing on east side) and replace broken grave markers and repair broken head stones.

Click link below to contribute to our cemetery fund:

https://www.gofundme.com/historic-oxnard-japanese-cemetery

Thanks again for your concern and caring! It helps us to know that you are partnering with us on this road to restoring the dignity of the cemetery.

We are the Ventura County Chapter of the JACL

We grant scholarships to local high school seniors in Ventura County. We also sponsor cultural and family-oriented events throughout the year:

Installation of Officers and Luncheon (past keynote speakers have been George Takei and former JACL National President Helen Kawagoe)
Japanese Cemetery Clean-up and Restoration
Oshogatsu Dinner
Booth at the Strawberry Festival
Pacific Citizen newspaper subscription

For more information, email us: venturacountyjacl@hotmail.com

Other Offices:

Pacific Southwest Office
244 San Pedro St. #406
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 626-4471
(213) 623-4282 FAX
email: psw@jacl.org

National Headquarters
1765 Sutter Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 921-5225
(415) 931-4671 FAX
email: jacl@jacl.org

National JACL website: http://www.jacl.org/

Let’s remember the American Nisei veterans on a U.S. postal stamp for what they did in service to our nation with utmost valor, in the face of so much adversity abroad and at home.

Click here to learn more about the stamp campaign.

Read the fascinating story of the Wakiji Family, from their homeland in Japan to the faraway destination of Pasadena. Written by Ray Chong, former Ventura County JACL member.

Part 1

Part 2

Take a pictorial look at what Oxnard's Japanese community looked like around 1900.

http://www.californiajapantowns.org/oxnard.html

Click here to read speech given by Patrick Hayashi, former associate president of the University of California system. This speech was given at the Honorary Degree Ceremony at UCSF on December 4, 2009, honoring those Nisei with an honorary degree since they were not able to continue their studies due to their internment.

Please click on the below link to see a 14 minute video produced by Ken Burns. The mini-documentary looks at the interconnected stories of Japanese American internment during World War II, former Manzanar Committee Chair Sue Kunitomi Embrey’s efforts to commemorate the Manzanar concentration camp, and the ongoing work of the Manzanar National Historic Site to educate visitors about civil rights. At the heart of the of the film is the site’s annual Pilgrimage and the words of Sue Embrey, who speaks movingly about protecting all citizens’ rights, especially in times of national crisis.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgmY2P-xT_Y