| | | | Message from the President Last month, Uriko and I on our travels to Japan met with Mayor Horiuchi and his leadership team in Fujiyoshida, Yamanashi. On behalf of JASSC, we expressed our appreciation and honor in continuing to foster our sister city relationship. Key items from my meeting remarks were as follows: "*The bond between our two cities is something we cherish deeply. It is built on decades of friendship, mutual respect, and cultural exchange. Your ongoing interest and efforts help keep this special relationship vibrant and meaningful. *I am very happy to have the opportunity to meet you all in person. Moments like these remind us of the importance of people-to-people connections, and I look forward to continuing our exchanges—whether through educational programs, cultural visits, or other shared opportunities. *Thank you once again for your warm partnership. We are excited about the future and the many ways our communities can continue to grow together." Next, during the open dialogue session several topics were introduced. We updated Mayro Horiuchi on our progress and hopes for future initiatives between our two cities as follows: "I provided an update on the Sister City Program - Yemi Sanchez has replaced Sallie Clark. Ms. Sanchez works in the Special Projects, Economic Development Dept. We met recently and she has great energy in moving the Sister City program forward. She has a summer intern helping her and they will propose a new framework for the program going forward including funding models. Ms. Yemi will share it with us once she has had an opportunity for the mayor to weigh in. We also have a new City Council Liaison, Council member Roland Rainey from District 6, who was just elected this past April. *JASSC has been critical in driving and getting the City of Colorado Springs reengaged with Sister Cities International. I will be attending and representing JASSC and Colorado Springs at the US Japan Sister Cities Summit in Osaka this coming September. Fujiyoshida will be represented as well. *We have invited Yemi Sanchez, Mayor Yemi Mobolade, and Consul General Okajima to meet the Fujiyoshida Junior High School students in August. *Brief 2027 65th Sister City Anniversary discussion to be held in Fujiyoshida. *What can we do to engage more? JASSC would like to send High School students for homestay experience and/or young professionals who could engage with local businesses. Arrange COS tour groups to Fujiyoshida, etc. Mayor Horiuchi expressed strong interest in both of these initiatives for the future." M. Wayne Stout President of Japan America Society of Southern Colorado | | | | | Thanks, Rainy Day! Rainy Day Anime held their annual Mini-Sakura Festival in May and pledged to donate 10% of the event proceeds to JASSC. They raised over $400, and agreed that the money could go directly to the Fujiyoshida Homestay program taking place this August. We appreciate Erissa Nussbaum and her team! If you are looking for adorable and affordable anime goods, please stop by their shop at 2350 S. Academy Blvd! | | | | | Conversation over Cookies At this event, Japanese speakers will stay in place at a table with a board/card game and English speakers will jump around where they want to play. We will try to speak in Japanese as much as possible! Any level of speakers are welcome! This event usually takes place at the CreateSpace at Library 21c (1175 Chapel Hills Dr, Colorado Springs, CO 80920) Saturday, July 12, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM, CreateSpace at Library 21c Saturday, August 2, 1:30pm to 3:00pm, CreateSpace at Library 21c Saturday, September 6, 1:30pm to 3:00pm, CreateSpace at Library 21c Saturday, October 4, 1:30pm to 3:00pm, CreateSpace at Library 21c See the Events page on our website for details and to register. | | | | | Fukinagashi Craft Workshop: Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025 Did you see the colorful decorations at last year’s summer membership potluck? Those were “fukinagashi” made lovingly by Janis Couey, our resident craft expert and cultural storyteller. This year she’s hosting an exclusive workshop for JASSC members to attend before our potluck, so you can learn how to make them too! All materials will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorite old wrapping paper too! Sign up online here. | | | | | JASSC Membership Potluck & BBQ: Sunday, August 3rd, 2025 Join us this August for our annual JASSC Member Potluck and BBQ! Please remember to check your account and renew your membership if you’re overdue! For those who have never been this event before, the summer potluck is a laid-back get-together where you can relax, meet fellow members, and enjoy some good food with good company. :) Learn more and sign up here! Teaser: We will have some lucky grab-bags as a special prize for those who complete the JASSC membership survey, coming soon! Keep your eyes peeled for a separate email on that!! ~Volunteers Needed~ We could use help with set-up, decoration, and clean-up. Please email Jennifer@JapanAmerica.org if you have a bit of time before and/or after the event to lend a hand! | | | | | Save the Date! Japanese Cultural Bazaar and Festival: Saturday, October 25th, 2025 It’s decided! We are moving to the PPUW Family Success Center for the Bazaar. If you’re interested in signing up to be a volunteer, vendor, workshop host, or performer, please email bazaar@japanamerica.org to let us know! | | | Committees at Work Fujiyoshida Sister City Committee | | | (Above: Volunteers, some committee members, and Fujiyoshida students of 2024 homestay) Chair:Eric Basco Members: Shawnee Brenner, Jennifer Ishida, Kaori Katsumata, Wayne Stout, David Swanstrom Brainchild of our former intern, Lauren Boyd, this committee was formed in 2023 to handle all matters related to our sister city, Fujiyoshida Japan. The major responsibility right now is for the committee to coordinate the homestay program. This year again the government of Fujiyoshida is sending 13 junior high school students to Colorado for a one week visit. If you’d like to get involved with this committee for 2026, email info@japanamerica.org. Cultural Engagement Committee Recruiting subcommittee members for Bazaar and Membership Events | | | (Above: Part of the committee, and some other helpers after Mochitsuki) Chair: Naomi Wise Current Members: Janis Couey, Jennifer Ishida, Kaz Nagai, Uriko Stout, Wayne Stout, David Swanstrom, Laura Villagrana All the events you know and love take A LOT of work to put on. The members of this committee make sure that every detail is taken care of, handling all aspects of planning recruitment, coordination, decoration and more. This committee has also responded diligently to local requests from community centers over the last two years, coordinating cultural workshops for places like Deerfield Community Center and the Pueblo Library District. They are truly carrying out JASSC’s mission to promote increased awareness, education, and understanding between the citizens of Southern Colorado and Japan. This committee can always use a few more hands though, so please email info@japanamerica.org if you are interested in attending the next meeting or joining a sub-committee! Website Committee ️ Chair: Seiko Cammack Members: Maeve Gennett, Jennifer Ishida This committee manages the website in their free time while also working their respective full-time jobs. Maeve will be leaving soon though, as she’s accepted a position with the JET program! However, that means we will need more help! If you have even a little web-editing experience or a passion for learning and design, please let us know by emailing info@japanamerica.org! | | | | | Okinawa Cultural Experience event Date: September 20, 2025 Time: 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM MDT Location: Community College of Aurora, Student Center Rotunda, 16000 East Centretech Pkwy, Aurora, CO 80011 For more information see their website at http://www.acccolorado.org/ | | | Member Profile: Yoko Hatton
| | | I recently had tea with Yoko Hatton, also joined by Kayoko Jennings and Kaori Katsumata. Yoko is one of our longest-serving members, and remains a mainstay of our dedicated volunteer corps. Yoko and her husband, Kenneth, moved to the Pikes Peak Region in 1975 and built the house where she still lives. Ken unfortunately passed away some years ago. Yoko grew up in Kokura, Japan. Her oldest brother supported the family including two other brothers after their parents had died of illnesses (medicines were very limited and scarce back then). After World War II, when she was 21, Yoko left home to work as a typist at a US Air Force base. Her brother resisted, but as she has shown many times since, she is strong and independent and was able to support herself. While working there Yoko met Ken, a US Air Force helicopter pilot. After the base closed in 1960, Ken retired and moved to Hawaii. He bought a house there, then returned to Japan to propose to Yoko. They married and lived 13 years in Hawaii. Having grown up in a house without a mother, and only with brothers, Yoko had never learned how to cook. She had told Ken that she didn't know how, but he just thought she was modest! Ken tried briefly and unsuccessfully, so Yoko befriended a pushcart vendor and asked him how to cook rice. She leveraged that skill, along with an American cookbook, to teach herself. There were many challenges, including different names for spices in Japanese and English. Another challenge came when she learned to drive so that she could shop and get to volunteer commitments on her own. She still drives to this day. Setting herself up for her long career as a volunteer, Yoko volunteered over 1,000 hours at The Queen's Medical Center in Honolulu. Yoko and Ken then embarked on a great adventure, going to Europe and driving a VW camper van there for a year and a half. They went from northern Scotland down to Spain (and even Africa). Yoko says that was a wonderful time. Deciding to put down roots, they came to Colorado and built their home. Always looking for interesting activities, Yoko took up wood carving (see photo below for an example). Ken was always supportive, telling her, "You can do anything." In turn, Yoko supported Ken. In his last years he couldn't drive, so Yoko drove them three days to Biloxi, MS, for a reunion, followed immediately by a drive to Utah for a helicopter pilot reunion. In addition to wood carving (in which she won four competitions), Yoko has created intricately carved and decorated eggs (various sizes up to Ostrich), designed and sewed quilts, and learned knitting, crochet and embroidery. Yoko has been an important member of the Japanese exchange community, hosting both Japan Defense Forces (JDF) officers and 16 families, for which she has been awarded several medals. The hawk carving below will soon be going to Japan with a JDF general whom she met through the exchange programs. Over the past 25 years, with her consistency and determination Yoko has made an impact for JASSC and we are so grateful for everything she does for us. I encourage you to find her at the next event and say hello. Rayna Lindsey Below is one of Yoko's wood carvings, a red-tailed hawk. | | | | | New Members in June We are delighted to welcome our new members, the Harris Family: Noah, Baron and Scarlett. We look forward to welcoming you at our upcoming events! | | | | | Other Interesting Organizations Want more news? Check out these other organizations supporting Asian Americans in Colorado and beyond!
- Golden Lotus Foundation - The GLF is working hard to build a botanical garden and tea house in Colorado Springs. They are always looking for volunteers, so sign up for their newsletter if you are interested!
- NAJAS - the National Association of Japan America Societies is the hub of all other JAS in the US.
- Japan America Society of Colorado (Denver) - JASC is our closest sibling organization, with most of their happenings located in Denver. They have a community e-bulletin which they send out monthly as well.
- El Pomar Foundation - Elevating Leadership Development Program. The ELD program is run by the El Pomar foundation and creates "greater access and support for people of color in Southern Colorado to tap into their leadership potential for the benefit of community." Their quarterly meetings are free to attend and convene advisory councils for the following groups: Asian / Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic, and Native American.
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- Asian Pacific Islander Business Community of Colorado Springs - this new organization is building better connections to and awareness of Asian-led businesses in Colorado Springs. The link is to their linktree, which includes a newsletter signup.
| | | | | About JASSC JASSC web site Send us your news! Let us know what you’d like to see in the next newsletter. Please email the editor, Rayna Lindsey
rayna@japanamerica.org Did you know that you can edit your own address, phone and email information right on the japanamerica.org website? Simply enter your email and password in the upper-right corner and click Login. Don't know your password? Click Forgot Password and the website will help you out. You will also find a secure password-protected online member directory. Use it to look up names, addresses, phone numbers and emails for other members.
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