What JACL New York Chapter does

JACL New York Chapter is the New York regional chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL), a civil rights nonprofit organization founded in 1929 and recognized as the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States. The chapter's mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others victimized by injustice and bigotry, while preserving Japanese American history and heritage. It operates from 210 West 70th Street #310 in New York City, with board meetings held at the Japanese American Association of New York offices, and is governed by a volunteer board including Co-President George Hirose and Vice Presidents Saki Mori and Amara Hoshijo.

The chapter's core offerings center on a membership program (approximately $65/year, processed through the national JACL portal) bundled with benefits including a Pacific Citizen newspaper subscription, scholarship eligibility, and JACL Credit Union services. It also runs the Youth Delegate Program, scholarship programs, the Kakehashi cultural exchange to Japan, and the Youth Legacy Program for ages 18-25. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on the national JACL website for membership acquisition, the Pacific Citizen newspaper, local events, annual meetings featuring prominent speakers, and coalition partnerships with Pan-Asian, Muslim, and LGBTQ allies. Revenue derives from recurring membership dues and tax-deductible donations processed via PayPal or mail; no revenue figures are publicly disclosed.

The chapter is actively engaged in civic advocacy at the NYC Council level (notably the 2017 Resolution 792 hearing for Fred T. Korematsu Day), coalition solidarity work (e.g., the 2018 statement on the New Red Apple Nail Salon incident), and inter-community relationship-building with allied organizations including the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, the Asian American Federation of New York, and the National Council of Asian Pacific Americans. The organization operates with 1-10 listed personnel and a heavy reliance on volunteer board members and national JACL infrastructure for its programmatic delivery.

Name

JACL New York Chapter

Legal name

Japanese American Citizens League, New York Chapter

Website

https://jacl-ny.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1929

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

JACL New York Chapter is a nonprofit civil rights organization that advocates for Japanese Americans and allies in the NYC area. It runs a $65/year membership program with bundled benefits, youth delegate and scholarship programs, and engages in municipal advocacy and coalition-building.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: JACL NY generates revenue through annual membership dues collected from individual members. Members join through the National JACL website and can select the New York Chapter. Membership benefits include free Pacific Citizen newspaper subscription, access to scholarship programs, and JACL Credit Union services.
2. Donations: The organization accepts tax-deductible donations from supporters. Donations can be made online via PayPal or sent by mail to designated addresses. Donations support the chapter's mission of preserving Japanese-American history and protecting civil rights.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

JACL New York Chapter is a membership-based civil rights nonprofit organization whose mission is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others victimized by injustice and bigotry. The chapter sells annual individual/regular memberships valued at approximately $65 per year, which provide benefits including a free Pacific Citizen newspaper subscription, access to scholarship programs, JACL Credit Union services, and the right to participate in local chapter activities, youth delegate programs, and national conventions. It also delivers standalone programs including the Kakehashi cultural exchange program to Japan, the Youth Legacy Program on WWII incarceration history, a scholarship program, and a youth delegate program that subsidizes convention participation.

Product overview

JACL New York Chapter is a civil rights organization offering membership-based programs and services. The core offerings include membership with benefits (Pacific Citizen newspaper, scholarships, credit union access), the Kakehashi cultural exchange program for travel to Japan, Youth Legacy Programs for education about WWII history, and scholarship opportunities. The organization also organizes annual conventions, youth delegate programs, and advocacy initiatives focused on civil rights for Japanese Americans and all communities affected by injustice.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• JACL Membership Program Annual membership program for individuals priced at approximately $65 per year, providing access to civil rights advocacy, local chapter activities, cultural programs, and member benefits including a free Pacific Citizen newspaper subscription, scholarship program eligibility, and JACL Credit Union services. Members join through the National JACL website by selecting the New York Chapter or by mailing forms.
• Kakehashi Program Cultural exchange program for students and young professionals offering trips to Japan, with capacity for up to 200 participants per year. The program operates through the national JACL pipeline and is accessible to chapter members interested in Japan-related cultural and educational experiences.
• Youth Legacy Program Educational program targeted at youth aged 18-25 to learn about WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, including visits to historical sites such as Manzanar. Operated through the national JACL and accessible via the New York Chapter pipeline.
• Scholarship Program Financial scholarship program available to JACL members to support educational pursuits. Administered as a member benefit accessible through New York Chapter membership.
• Youth Delegate Program Program designed to increase youth participation and representation at the JACL National Convention, providing scholarships that cover air transportation and convention registration costs for selected youth delegates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully advocated for Civil Liberties Act of 1988 - $20,000 payments and apology to internment survivors
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• National JACLcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACL NY Chapter is part of the national Japanese American Citizens League organization founded in 1929. The national organization provides membership infrastructure, national convention coordination, policy advocacy at the federal level, and resources including the Pacific Citizen newspaper.
• Japanese American Association of New York (JAA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACL NY holds its board meetings at the JAA office located at 49 W 45th Street, 11th Floor, demonstrating an ongoing operational partnership for chapter activities.
• Fred T. Korematsu InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACL NY collaborates with the Korematsu Institute on civil liberties advocacy. Karen Korematsu, Founder and Executive Director of the Fred T. Korematsu Institute, spoke at the JACL-NY Annual Meeting in 2017 to build momentum for Fred T. Korematsu Day recognition in NYC.
• NYC Council Committee on Cultural AffairsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACL NY partnered with Council Member Daniel Dromm and the Committee on Cultural Affairs to advance Resolution 792: Fred T. Korematsu Day of Civil Liberties and the Constitution, which was heard at City Hall.
• Pan-Asian, Muslim, and LGBTQ AlliesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACL NY works with allied communities for mutual support on civil rights issues. The organization testified at the Fred T. Korematsu Day hearing with support from diverse communities.
• Smithsonian Museum of American HistoryminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJACL NY chapter board members attended the exclusive reception at the Smithsonian Museum of American History during the 2017 National Convention, centered around the 'Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II' exhibit commemorating the 75th anniversary of Executive Order 9066.
• Japanese EmbassyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConvention delegates were invited to a reception at the Japanese Ambassador's residence during the 2017 JACL National Convention in Washington, DC.
• Asian American Federation of New YorkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community resource on JACL NY Links page, representing part of the broader Asian American civil rights ecosystem in NYC.
• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a community resource on JACL NY Links page, connecting to the broader national coalition of Asian Pacific American organizations.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC: AAJC is a leading national Asian American civil rights organization focused on policy advocacy, litigation, and voter rights; it is a broader incumbent serving all Asian American communities rather than a Japanese American-specific niche.

Direct peers

• OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates: OCA is a national Asian Pacific American advocacy organization with local chapters focused on civil rights, civic engagement, and cultural identity, making it a directly comparable membership-based Asian American civil rights peer to JACL.
• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA): NCAPA is a national coalition of Asian Pacific American organizations; JACL is a member and listed as a community resource, positioning NCAPA as a coalition-level peer with shared advocacy and civil rights mission.
• Asian American Federation of New York: A pan-Asian American nonprofit serving the New York metro area with advocacy, research, and grantmaking; JACL NY lists AAF as a community resource and the two operate as peer Asian American advocacy organizations in the same NYC ecosystem.
• Japanese American Association of New York (JAA): The Japanese American Association of New York is a sister community organization serving the Japanese American population in the NYC area; JACL NY holds its board meetings at JAA's office, reflecting deep operational overlap and shared member base.
• Fred T. Korematsu Institute: The Korematsu Institute advances civil liberties education and the legacy of Fred Korematsu; JACL NY collaborated with them directly on NYC's Fred T. Korematsu Day resolution, making them a direct programmatic and mission peer.

Emerging players

• Densho: Densho is a nonprofit dedicated to preserving and educating about the WWII Japanese American incarceration experience, overlapping directly with JACL NY's Youth Legacy Program and historical preservation work.
• Stop AAPI Hate: Stop AAPI Hate is an emerging coalition tracking anti-Asian incidents and advocating for civil protections; JACL NY's anti-Asian violence monitoring work makes this a comparable, more recently formed peer in the AAPI civil rights space.
• Korean American Coalition: A Korean American advocacy organization in the Los Angeles area focused on civic engagement and civil rights; comparable to JACL NY as an ethnic-specific Asian American civil rights nonprofit operating in a major U.S. metro.
• Japanese American National Museum: JANM is the largest museum in the U.S. dedicated to preserving and sharing the Japanese American experience, including WWII incarceration history; it is comparable to JACL NY's cultural preservation and education mission.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nyjacl
• Facebookfacebook.com/JACLNY

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about JACL New York Chapter