The JACL, along with the San Francisco Bay Area Office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations California (CAIR SFBA), and the National Park Service (NPS), are announcing the 1st annual Bridging Communities  program !   The deadline for applications has been extended to Feb. 18 , so there is still time to apply. 

Since 9/11, Muslim American communities have faced increased discrimination and hostilities due to their identity. The JACL recognizes this discrimination as that similarly faced by Japanese Americans during WWII. The collaborative effort of both communities aims to increase awareness and promote understanding through educating youth.

This program is open to Bay Area high school students of all ethnic and religious backgrounds. They will be engaged in a series of interactive sessions consisting of group activities, site visits, and workshops with discussions that allow participants to explore topics of identity, culture/religion, civil rights, and activism. Some site visits include the Japanese Cultural and Community Center of Northern California and the CAIR-SFBA office in Santa Clara.

Students will meet once or twice a month from February to June in San Francisco’s Japantown. This year, with the support of the National Park Service, students will also take a two-night, three-day trip to Tule Lake Concentration Camp and participate in an amazing service learning project .

This program has left an imprint on many of its past participants, deepening and expanding their understanding of not only the differences and similarities between the two communities, but also gaining valuable leadership skills that will prepare them for college and future endeavors. We are hoping to give more youth the same opportunity to grow and explore by launching the program in the SF Bay Area for 2011!

If any groups, schools, churches or clubs are interested in getting your high school student(s) into this program, please contact Jessica Kyo, Bridging Communities Intern, at  jkyo@jacl.org ; (415) 921-5225 or visit   http://bcsfba.wordpress.com .   Applications are due Feb. 18, 2011 .