The Washington, DC Chapter board members were sworn in at the Installation Lunch held January 26 at Meiwah Restaurant in Chevy Chase.

Attendees had the opportunity to hear National JACL Executive Director Priscilla Ouchida, in her keynote speech, lay out her vision for greater youth involvement in the organization. This course, Ouchida pointed out, included offering younger people roles of true leadership and responsibility. Historical icons such as Martin Luther King, Jr. earned leadership roles while in their 20s, she noted, and the same path has to be opened within JACL.

Jeff Moy, chair of JACL’s youth program and emcee for the event, reminded attendees of that younger members may approach issues from a different perspective, but that approach can produce results as powerful as their predecessors’. Moy added that just because people are young does not mean they should automatically get relegated to the technology-related tasks, especially at the expense of gaining more comprehensive roles.

Board members inducted for 2013: Janice Nakano Faden and John Tobe, co-presidents;  Leona Hiraoka, vice president; Georgette Furukawa-Martinez, secretary; Linda Sato Adams, membership chair; Jack Tobe, scholarship chair; Jeffrey Moy, youth chair/advisor; David Inoue, anti-hate liaison; Michelle Amano, district council delegate; Kaitlin Inamasu, communications liaison; Jason Hata and Amy Watanabe, program chairs; Craig Uchida, treasurer ex oficio (non-voting member). Congratulations to these officers, and may they lead the chapter through an engaging and prosperous 2013.