Generational Discussion Groups

JAMP hosts online meetings of Japanese Americans from the third, fourth, and fifth generations where participants discuss topics such as identity, history, and memory. As opposed to in-person pilgrimages, these virtual discussions allow Japanese Americans to connect without the expense and inconvenience of travel.

Generational Discussion Group Signup

Click the signup button below for the group you would like to join.

Click the arrow next to each name to read more about that group.

  • We are all people who self-identify as "Sansei." We acknowledge that these generational identities are not hard and fast, but are a guidepost for discussion. We meet monthly to discuss topics we have decided upon as a group and to have free conversation. Some topics we have discussed include: identity and our childhood, what it means to be Japanese American, pilgrimages and healing, No No Girl film with director Paul Goodman, multigenerational trauma, response to violence, and the model minority myth and our complicity. We've had guest speakers, watched videos, and just talked. Please join us for meaningful and supportive conversation. We're all on a journey! Julie Abo, a Sansei/Yonsei and Paula Fujiwara, a Sansei, are currently leading the group.

  • At these socials you'll be able to meet other Yonsei and make new friends. Plus, with no set topic, you'll be free to talk about anything you're comfortable with! We can't wait to see you, so be sure to signup below.  Kimiko Marr, a Yonsei, is currently leading this group.

  • Our Gosei groups are on a brief hiatus but should be starting up again soon! Please signup and we’ll contact you once they begin. If you are interested in leading the group, please say so in the comments.

  • "Yonsei Meet Up is like the best part of a family reunion, when the talk gets real, the stories go deep, and everyone—from family you know well, to family you’ve just met—starts sharing the most beautiful parts of themselves. It is listening and learning and the most welcoming affirmation of the past, present and future of Nikkei identity."

    Brandon Shimoda

  • "The Yonsei Meetup is a vital, safe space to explore what it means to be in the fourth generation (of the Japanese diaspora) amid a myriad of lived experiences. It’s where I've learned to embrace vulnerability and lean into community. We unpack our intergenerational traumas and follow the reverberations, all the while tapping into the resilience of our ancestors. We share, listen, laugh, heal, and dream. And who knows, you might even find a long-lost relative!"

    Yoshiko Yeto

  • 🌿The Sansei meet-up group has been an unexpected healing gift in my life. Though I am relatively new to the group, I feel very much at home, and have felt that way from the very first meeting I attended. Having grown up, and lived most of my life in 97% white and/or white presenting communities, "belonging" has always been an issue for me. In stark, and very welcomed contrast, our shared experiences in the group; from intergenerational trauma, to "onigiri," and everything in between (racialized trauma and daily microaggressions), create a sense of safety, camaraderie, comfort and ease that I have only experienced in family gatherings. I am also observing the impact this is having on me as I navigate being in groups that are mostly white; I am feeling stronger, more confident, and able to simply be myself.

    Suzu Kawamoto

  • "JAMP's Yonsei Meet Up Group is one of the highlights of the month for me as it is a space for yonsei to share the unique experiences of being part of this generation while also allowing us to explore the continued effects of the incarceration on our lives and culture. I really enjoy not only listening and sharing but also gathering in community with other yonsei."

    Ian Martyn