The leaders of the nonprofit organizations in Japantown collectively condemn the recent media attacks towards Black-led non-profit organizations in San Francisco. We stand with the Black community and the organizations which have and continue to provide critical services and resources. The indiscriminate singling-out of Black organizations by the media is unacceptable and we will not tolerate the insinuation that the missteps of some grants permission to cast dispersion on all of the positive outcomes of the Dream Keeper Initiative.

The Japantown and Black communities share a long and proud history of allyship and mutual respect. We will not stay silent while dangerous insinuations of community-wide mismanagement threaten future resources and services for the Black community. We believe in accountability at all levels including for those who generalize the acts of a few to an entire community. The Japantown community knows all too well the consequences that result from the targeting of communities. We demand an end to the dangerous rhetoric and sweeping accusations that diminish the critical role of Black-led nonprofits and their immeasurable contributions to the City of San Francisco.

Rich Hashimoto, Japantown Merchants Association/Golden Gate Institute
Grace Horikiri, Japantown Community Benefit District/Nihonmachi Street Fair
Steve Ishii, Kimochi
Susie Kagami, KOHO
Alice Kawahatsu, We Are One
Dawn Mokuau, Nihonmachi Little Friends
Emily Murase, Japantown Task Force
Jon Osaki, JCYC
Paul Osaki, JCCCNC
Shinichi Seino, Kinmon Gakuen
Dean Ito Taylor, API Legal Outreach
Rosalyn Tonai, NJAHS
Patty Wada, JACL NCWNP
Judy Hamaguchi, SF JACL