Community Kai

Applications Now Open!

Community Kai

Community Kai promotional flyer. The same text is presented in a formatted format below and above the image on this page.

Hosted by the Twin Cities Japanese American Citizens League (TCJACL), Community Kai aims to cultivate community connections that are rooted in relationship-based organizing, continuous improvement, collective liberation, and care. It is a sustainable and a six-month program that will focus on a small, multicultural, cohort of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) participants that will work to become active and organize across traditional boundaries and separations between cultural communities in the Twin Cities.

Together, participants will develop a practice of focusing on “how we do things” (not just what and why we do it), with a holistic, generative, and iterative approach. The Community Kai program will support participants in leadership development and skill-building through monthly virtual meetings, regular workshops, and exploration-based learning by engaging with local communities and organizations of interest in respectful and reciprocal ways. It is our hope that the communal learning space we create is accountable, supportive, transformative, and continually evolving as we embrace each new year of community in the Twin Cities.

 

Criteria for Applicants

The Community Kai program is for you if you:

  • Identify as BIPOC
  • Are part of the Twin Cities community
  • Are open, willing, and ready to share about your journey and to learn with and from others
  • Are an aspiring organizer/activist looking to get involved but don’t know where to begin or looking to connect with others, to develop more skills, to step out of your shell, and expand your networks
  • Are 18 years or older
  • Can commit to the cohort meetings (2x a month) and gatherings

 

Program Events and Key Dates

The cohort experience runs from August to December 2026. Participants should plan to participate in the following:

  • July 31 – Application Due
  • August 9 – Invitation sent to applicants
  • August 31 – Session #1 Cohort Kickoff Gathering (In person)
  • September 16 – Session #2
  • September 30 – Session #3
  • October 14 – Session #4
  • October 28 – Working Group Gathering #1
  • Oct/Nov – TCJACL Chrysanthemum Banquet
  • November 11 – Session #5
  • November 14 – JACL Midwest District in Chicago
  • November 18 – Working Group Gathering #2
  • December 2 – Session #6
  • December 19 – Session #7 – Cohort Celebration

 

Application Process and Timeline

To be considered for the cohort, complete and submit this application by Friday, July 31st, midnight. Your application will be reviewed by the Community Kai program team and you will be notified by Sunday, August 9th if you are accepted. A maximum of 10 participants will be selected to be a part of the cohort.

APPLY HERE!

If you have any questions, please contact us at communitykai@tcjacl.org. 

 

JACL Mission

The mission of the Japanese American Citizens League is to secure and maintain the civil rights of Japanese Americans and all others victimized by injustice and bigotry. The leaders and members of the JACL also work to promote cultural, educational and social values, and preserve the heritage and legacy of the Japanese American community.