2011 - NSU Helps Organize the JA Legacy Conference

The 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, Kei Nagao, Tony Osumi, Sean Miura, and several UCLA Nikkei Student Union students were all part of the planning committee. We were all motivated to bring awareness and action about JA activism issues in different tracks such as education, civil rights, LGBTQ, community preservation, and the recession.
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Japanese American Legacy Conference

UCLA NSU

Japanese American National Museum

2012 NSU 30th Anniversary Banquet

NSU 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."
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UCLA NSU 30th Anniversary Banquet

UCLA Ackerman Grand Ballroom

Design by Kristen Sadakane

2011 NSU's 25th Anniversary Culture Night

NSU celebrated its 25th Anniversary Culture Night, "The Last Generation: Every Generation Needs a Regeneration."
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UCLA NSU Culture Night 25th Anniversary

Design by Monica Harvancik

1996 NSU In the Community

NSU 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.
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UCLA NSU

Little Tokyo Community Service

1980s NSU begins its first Manzanar Pilgrimage

NSU 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.
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Manzanar Historical Pilgrimage Site

Nikkei Student Union April 2011

2011 - NSU Odori Hosts Its First Recital

In May 2011 NSU Odori hosted its first recital at Schoenberg Music Hall, presenting a wonderful display of eloquence, elegance, and finesse.
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UCLA NSU Odori

Schoenberg Hall

2009 - NSU Begins the Chibi-K Internship

Due 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.

1992 NSU Hosts its 20th Anniversary Banquet

NSU Celebrates 20 Years
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UCLA 20TH ANNIVERSARY BANQUET

2002 Banquet

UCLA hosts its annual End of the Year Banquet

2001 CN

NSU'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 it becomes a wonder as to how everything comes together, and we all attribute it to CN Magic -- all of our hard work comes together into one spectacular show.

2001 Zero Week (2001 Zero Week Picnic)

Zero 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 ice breakers to get prospective members to find out more about NSU.  For NSU members this is often their first official event to attend.
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2001 Zero Week Picnic

UCLA Nikkei Student Union

2001 Zero Week Picnic

1999-2000 (1999-2000 UCLA NSU)

Spending 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 up!
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1999-2000 UCLA NSU

UCLA NSU

1998-1999

From 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.
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UCLA NSU

1998 Banquet (1998 NSU at UCLA Banquet)

Banquets 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 the duties of Old Board.  For Seniors this is the final event before Finals and Graduation.
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1998 NSU at UCLA Banquet

1998 NSU End of Year Banquet at UCLA

1996 Banquet

NSU's End of the Year Banquet in 1996
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1996 End of the Year UCLA NSU Banquet

1991 Staff Retreat

NSU'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.
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1991 UCLA NSU Staff Retreat

1991 INC Basketball

Basketball 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 friends, continue playing basketball, and hone their skills.
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UCLA NSU Basketball with Intercollegiate Tournaments

1989 Don Nakanishi's Fight for Tenure

During 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

http://www.discovernikkei.org/en/journal/2009/9/23/don-nakanishi/
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UCLA NSU, Asian American Studies Center

1989 Cultural Night

The 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.
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UCLA NSU 1989 Cultural Night

1988-1989 NSU (NSU 1988-1989)

Attending 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.
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NSU 1988-1989

NSU at UCLA