NCI is an incredible program because it's done what no other program in the Japanese American community has ever done; NCI has actually created a set of next generation leaders who will probably be involved in community work for the rest of their lives.... How many programs can boast that they've created lifetime activists?

 But what is most special about what NCI does, is it really empowers its participants to envision how they want to be involved in the community.  The program also encourages them to think themselves and create new programs, events, campaigns and organizations.

I personally started working for the JACL Pacific Southwest District as a direct result of doing NCI. Community work wasn't even a consideration before doing the program. But while with the JACL, I utilized skills and empowerment gained during NCI to take part in building a cadre of programs that then spread this idea of next generation involvement to more and more people. So NCI's influence goes beyond the individual and touches the lives that those people interact with.

 Supporting NCI, means investing a future for the community. No one should be asking what NCI has done for this community.... it should be very clear, look at the community, look who's involved, and look at how far we've come. I credit that to NCI.
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NCI Alumni Craig Ishii

NCI Alumni Craig Ishii

Photo courtesy of Stacy Toyota