<![CDATA[GVJCI - Blog]]>

<![CDATA[GVJCI - Blog]]>Fri, 08 May 2026 16:44:53 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Kansha Connection: Volunteer Appreciation!]]>Wed, 26 Jun 2024 19:50:46 GMThttps://www.jci-gardena.org/blog/kansha-connection-volunteer-appreciationBy: Kaitlyn Ho, GVJCI Programs & Events Intern

For over 70 years, GVJCI has been hosting our annual summer Matsuri fundraiser, which not only ties together the Japanese American community in the South Bay but also raises the money necessary to provide for the numerous activities and events throughout the year.. This year, our theme is “Celebrating Community Traditions'', and what better way to do that than to celebrate the hard work of our community behind the scenes! Matsuri wouldn’t be possible without its lovely volunteers, who put so much of their time and effort into making this event as special as we all remember and know it to be.

For many, volunteering has been a way to reconnect with the community. One volunteer, Eric Nakamura, has been a shining example of this. Eric’s brother-in-law and niece grew up in Gardena and have been involved in the Japanese American community here, which is how he’s found out about volunteering at GVJCI. He’s been volunteering at the GVJCI for around a month, working once a week to help prepare for the White Elephant booth by organizing with donors, sorting and storing through the various donations, while also helping with various other tasks. He found fellow volunteers and GVJCI members “very friendly…they really joke around so it’s really nice, it’s a nice community”. Eric is also most looking forward to how the inner workings will come together for Matsuri this year.
Another new volunteer who shares the same sentiment is Alexandra Matsuda. Coming from Peru, she hasn’t had much connection to the Japanese American community, but had a lot of connection to Japanese Peruvians back home and wanted to compare and experience the differences in culture. Volunteering has been hard work, including deep cleaning of all kitchen utensils and pots, and creating big batches of somen dressing and teriyaki sauce. While the work she and the other volunteers have been putting in has been intensive, Alex talks about how both staff and fellow volunteers keep it lighthearted: “The environment is really nice, everyone’s really chill with each other…people can work and chill at the same time, there’s no pressure”.

Pictured (left to right): Volunteers Ben Nishimoto, Eric Nakamura, Joni Iwasaki, Stephanie Tasaki, and Alexandra Matsuda.

But for some, volunteering at the GVJCI is more about staying connected to the community, such as Nora Koga and Ellie Shigeta. Both have been living in Gardena for a long time, taking classes at the GVJCI, attending Obons at Gardena Buddhist Church, and staying connected through their families. They’ve both been volunteering for roughly 15 years, first starting with manually putting in donated books in catalogs in the GVJCI library space, then organizing the quarterly newsletter, and for the last few years they’ve been working on organizing the donations for the Matsuri White Elephant sale. Nora also reminisced about selling homemade cookies at previous White Elephants, saying “that’s how long I’ve been volunteering”!
The thing to most look forward to, according to these longtime volunteers, is seeing and meeting new volunteers. Ellie talks about how nice it is to meet all these different kinds of people coming from different countries, different parts of LA, different ethnicities and ages, all coming together to support such a big community event. While the dedication and time these volunteers have put in for the GVJCI deserve praise, it’s also a call for younger volunteers to also aid their community. But this year for Matsuri, we had many new faces, and would like to once again give thanks to everyone who gave a helping hand. From all of us here at the GVJCI, we hope you enjoy the 2024 Matsuri and see you next year!

]]><![CDATA[5 things to do at our 2024 Matsuri Fundraiser: “Celebrating Community Traditions”!]]>Fri, 21 Jun 2024 16:16:05 GMThttps://www.jci-gardena.org/blog/5-things-to-do-at-our-2024-matsuri-fundraiser-celebrating-community-traditions

Looking for something fun to do this weekend? You’re in luck because this Saturday, June 29th, GVJCI will be hosting its annual Matsuri Fundraiser! This time around we are celebrating over 70 years of Matsuri with the theme “Celebrating Community Traditions.” This theme encapsulates the best of our Matsuri Fundraiser, with old favorite events and new cultural activities that are sure to be a blast. Here are 5 things you can look forward to at this year’s Matsuri Fundraiser!

1. Performances

We can’t have Matsuri without an abundance of incredible cultural performances! This year we will have showcases of taiko, hula dancing, ukulele, and traditional Japanese singing, dancing, and music. Performances will be happening throughout the entire day, so be sure to stop by and appreciate the talent of all of our wonderful entertainers!

2. Demonstrations

In addition to our outdoor performing arts, we will have demonstrations of different martial arts styles and cultural arts inside our main hall and classrooms. For our martial arts, we will have demonstrations from the Gardena Judo Club and Gardena Kendo as well as classes on Naginata, traditional Japanese sword wielding, and Kyudo Renmei, Japanese archery. What’s more, we will have two new cultural arts demonstrations this year in our 2nd floor classrooms, Sangetsu Ikebana and Japanese Tea Ceremony. You don’t want to miss all of these spectacular events, so be sure to check out our Matsuri schedule to see what time each demonstration will be taking place!

3. Delicious Food

I know I’m not the only one looking forward to chowing down on some amazing food! All of our food is prepped and made by our lovely volunteers just before matsuri in order to deliver our attendees with the best freshly made dishes. Look forward to festival food like hot dogs, chili dogs, and shaved ice as well as traditional Japanese dishes such as udon, Spam musubi, Okinawa andagi, and more!

4. Games and Prizes

Fun for both kids and adults, this year we boast an astounding six Matsuri games to play and win prizes! In addition to our carnival games, we will also have bingo and a raffle that are open to all. Since our matsuri is cashless this year, a great way to prepare for all of these fantastic games is to visit the GVJCI office to purchase coupon books ahead of time. The books are $20.00 each and contain ten $2.00 scrips that can be used at all Matsuri booths. As a bonus, each coupon comes with one raffle ticket that can be used for a chance to win one of our fabulous prizes. Personally, I’ll be crossing my fingers to win our grand raffle prize of a family four pack to a 2024 Dodger game!

5. Sales

One thing I can’t resist everytime I visit Matsuri is spending lots of money! Scattered about our Matsuri Fundraiser we will have a white elephant sale, an outdoor plant sale, and a senior craft sale. Our craft sale features a variety of handiwork lovingly made by our Tomo No Kai (GVJCI’s Senior Friendship Club) crafters, and our white elephant sale holds a treasure trove of trinkets and items donated by members of our community. Plus, don’t worry if you don’t have experience caring for plants; our outdoor plant sale is run by a group of nursery experts who can answer any questions you may have about proper plant care!

We are so excited to share all of these amazing activities and more with you this Saturday, June 29th! Our staff and volunteers have been hard at work for months in order to create an experience that you won’t forget. These are just a few of the many things we have planned for our Matsuri fundraiser. Click here to view a detailed itinerary of our festival!

]]><![CDATA[My Internship Experience at GVJCI]]>Fri, 09 Sep 2022 22:26:16 GMThttps://www.jci-gardena.org/blog/my-internship-experience-at-gvjciBy: Celeste Koyama, GVJCI Marketing & Social Media Intern

Growing up as a yonsei (fourth-generation Japanese American) in Honolulu, Hawaii, I was surrounded by diversity and had a pretty strong connection to my Japanese heritage. My grandfather was the President of the Kumamoto Kenjinkai, and for a few years, my family was on the Board for the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii (JCCH). However, as we grew older, our family participated in these organizations less and less. As a result, I started to become disinterested and disconnected from Japanese culture, as many of the other interns felt. But once I attended critical race theory classes at LMU, I found a renewed interest in my Japanese heritage. That’s why when my brother, who currently lives in Gardena, told me about an internship opportunity at GVJCI, I felt that this was the perfect opportunity not only to gain experience but also to reconnect with my heritage.

It was truly an amazing experience working here at GVJCI. Up until this internship, I had only gotten a taste of the rich history and culture of the Asian and Nikkei community here in the South Bay area. This internship taught me so much about what it means to be a part of an organization that is truly passionate about serving its community and strengthening its bond with others. Everyone at GVJCI was so welcoming and friendly that it reminded me a lot of home in Hawaii. I was aware of the large Japanese-Hawaiian population in Gardena/Torrance, but it wasn’t until Matsuri that I experienced it first-hand. It was comforting to know that almost everyone I met had grown up in Hawaii or had family and friends there. As the others have mentioned, the Matsuri Bento-To-Go Fundraiser in June was the first time that all the interns could meet in-person after mostly working remotely. After reaching our goal of 1,200 bento pre-orders a week earlier than our deadline, it was amazing to see everything finally come together. Although we weren’t able to hold the full-fledged Matsuri due to COVID-19 concerns, I enjoyed listening to everyone’s favorite moments of Matsuri. This reminded me a lot of when my family volunteered at JCCH’s annual ‘Ohana Festival, which is a similar event with games, performances, and food. Knowing how hard the staff at GVJCI works to prepare for this event every year, I’m excited to come back in the future and see what Matsuri is like in full-swing.

One of my favorite parts of this internship was Tanoshii Fun Camp. This was my first time working with children, so I didn’t know what to expect at first, but it turned out to be really fun! The counselors and other interns were awesome to work with and the children were really energetic. My favorite memory from camp was the paper mache Pikachu activity, where you could really see everyone’s creative talents. While some made Pikachus, others decided to make foxes, unicorns, and other Pokémon. It was amazing to see them come out of their shells as the days went by, and it seemed like they enjoyed all of our activities.

You also may have noticed that the homepage and navigation menu for our website has a fresh new look! While at GVJCI, I noticed that some people, especially seniors, had trouble navigating our website. Since I had some experience with website design, I wanted to make their experience easier, and proposed that I redesign the home page and navigation. Originally, I had planned to make small changes to the website, but after learning of the frustrations people had, I realized there was much more we needed to change. I was nervous because the home page is often the most visited page on a website, so the changes I made were critical in telling GVJCI’s story. Thankfully, everyone was supportive and excited for the changes I planned to make. As we had a limited budget and only two weeks before the end of my internship, I learned to problem-solve, stay organized, and work efficiently. After extensive research and collaboration with Stephanie and Cathy, I was able to complete everything in time, and I am glad that I could use my skills to create a positive impact within this community. This has also sparked my passion for UX/UI design, and I have decided to pursue it as a career!
The past three months have flown by, and I sincerely thank GVJCI for an amazing experience this summer. GVJCI truly lives up to its mission to create a space to engage, share, and embrace the Nikkei experience, as they have done for me and many others.
]]><![CDATA[Day In the Life of a GVJCI Intern]]>Sat, 27 Aug 2022 08:32:13 GMThttps://www.jci-gardena.org/blog/day-in-the-life-of-a-gvjci-intern

By: Joshua Yamane, Social Media and Marketing Intern

Hello everyone! I’m Joshua Yamane and for the past three months, I have served as one of the social media and marketing interns. I first heard about the internship from my grandmother. She sent an email which surprised me because every time I saw her with a phone, she was asking someone for help. I opened the email and read through the details of the job. To my surprise, the internship was at JCI, a familiar location since I visited often for F.O.R basketball and Sansei baseball pictures. I also happened to live about five minutes away from the facilities so I passed by frequently and came for the GVJCI carnival to get the Okinawan donuts. So, hoping I would get a chance to work at such a familiar place I sent in my application and hoped for the best. To my joy and grandmother’s, I managed to get the position.

Now, what does the story about getting the internship mean? The story represents everything that GVJCI stands for and its mission. They have smartphone classes to teach the seniors how to use their phones; seniors like my grandmother. JCI’s mission is to spread the Nikkei experience and culture. Respecting and aiding elders certainly falls into that category as Japanese culture prides itself on taking care of its seniors. Being a gosei or fifth-generation Japanese-American, I only have a faint trace of my rich Japanese heritage. I cannot speak or understand Japanese. I am not particularly fond of adzuki beans, sashimi, or ume which are obviously extremely popular in Japanese cuisine. The disconnect I felt with my culture always saddened me as I wanted to proudly say I am Japanese. I was always a little envious of those who had parents or family members that spoke their native language and had strong cultural ties.

Despite my disjointed connection, the internship really helped me understand my Japanese culture and embrace it. My responsibilities included managing the social media of GVJCI, creating flyers for programs, and generating new creative ideas to increase engagement with followers. I worked entirely remotely for the first part of my internship so I could not see the fruits of my labor until the Matsuri fundraiser. Because I could not see the results of my work, I found the initial portion of the internship difficult and tedious. I could not come up with original captivating designs. With the copyright rules and proper diction that needed to be followed, the job seemed much more rigorous than I initially thought. However, thanks to the trust and feedback I constantly received from Stephanie and Cathy, they guided me and I would like to think I got the hang of it.

Everything finally started to piece together at Matsuri. Walking into the office for the first time, meeting all the staff members, and setting up the tents validated the work I was doing. On the day of Matsuri, I along with two other interns Celeste and Noah put up stories and took pictures and videos of the event. Actually obtaining the pictures that would later be used was also a ton of fun because I could fashion the photos how I wanted them. Seeing so many people come out and enjoy all the hard work that was put in was indescribably gratifying.

After Matsuri, there was around a month until the next major event; the Tanoshii Fun Camp. This was by far one of my favorite experiences as an intern. The kids were so much fun to be around and definitely made the early mornings worth it. The work felt so rewarding as I knew I was giving back to the same Japanese-American community that I was raised in.

As a business economics major, learning how to market and network is crucial to success. I had no experience with social media or marketing outside of social media use in my personal life. Thankfully, GVJCI accepted me with open arms and mentored me. Learning how to effectively relay a message clearly and concisely through social media platforms taught me so much about factors I hadn’t even considered. I don’t know what I envisioned the internship would look like, however it was so much more and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

]]><![CDATA[August 26th, 2022]]>Fri, 26 Aug 2022 17:53:32 GMThttps://www.jci-gardena.org/blog/august-26th-2022

By: Joshua Yamane, Social Media and Marketing Intern
Hello everyone! I’m Joshua Yamane and for the past three months, I have served as one of the social media and marketing interns. I first heard about the internship from my grandmother. She sent an email which surprised me because every time I saw her with a phone, she was asking someone for help. I opened the email and read through the details of the job. To my surprise, the internship was at GVJCI, a familiar location since I visited often for F.O.R basketball and Sansei baseball pictures. I also happened to live about five minutes away from the facilities so I passed by frequently and came for the GVJCI carnival to get the Okinawan donuts. So, hoping I would get a chance to work at such a familiar place I sent in my application and hoped for the best. To my joy and grandmother’s, I managed to get the position.

Now, what does the story about getting the internship mean? The story represents everything that GVJCI stands for and its mission. They have smartphone classes to teach the seniors how to use their phones; seniors like my grandmother. JCI’s mission is to spread the Nikkei experience and culture. Respecting and aiding elders certainly falls into that category as Japanese culture prides itself on taking care of its seniors. Being a gosei or fifth-generation Japanese-American, I only have a faint trace of my rich Japanese heritage. I cannot speak or understand Japanese. I am not particularly fond of adzuki beans, sashimi, or ume which are obviously extremely popular in Japanese cuisine. The disconnect I felt with my culture always saddened me as I wanted to proudly say I am Japanese. I was always a little envious of those who had parents or family members that spoke their native language and had strong cultural ties.

Despite my disjointed connection, the internship really helped me understand my Japanese culture and embrace it. My responsibilities included managing the social media of GVJCI, creating flyers for programs, and generating new creative ideas to increase engagement with followers. I worked entirely remotely for the first part of my internship so I could not see the fruits of my labor until the Matsuri fundraiser. Because I could not see the results of my work, I found the initial portion of the internship difficult and tedious. I could not come up with original captivating designs. With the copyright rules and proper diction that needed to be followed, the job seemed much more rigorous than I initially thought. However, thanks to the trust and feedback I constantly received from Stephanie and Cathy, they guided me and I would like to think I got the hang of it.

Everything finally started to piece together at Matsuri. Walking into the office for the first time, meeting all the staff members, and setting up the tents validated the work I was doing. On the day of Matsuri, I along with two other interns Celeste and Noah put up stories and took pictures and videos of the event. Actually obtaining the pictures that would later be used was also a ton of fun because I could fashion the photos how I wanted them. Seeing so many people come out and enjoy all the hard work that was put in was indescribably gratifying.
After Matsuri, there was around a month until the next major event; the Tanoshii Fun Camp. This was by far one of my favorite experiences as an intern. The kids were so much fun to be around and definitely made the early mornings worth it. The work felt so rewarding as I knew I was giving back to the same Japanese-American community that I was raised in.

As a business economics major, learning how to market and network is crucial to success. I had no experience with social media or marketing outside of social media use in my personal life. Thankfully, GVJCI accepted me with open arms and mentored me. Learning how to effectively relay a message clearly and concisely through social media platforms taught me so much about factors I hadn’t even considered. I don’t know what I envisioned the internship would look like, however it was so much more and I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

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