The Pan American Nikkei Association, otherwise known as PANA, will have their COPANI convention hosted by San Francisco this September from the 20th through the 22nd.

The Berkeley JACL will be awarding scholarships to those interested in attending the convention but do not have the financial means to do so. Berkeley JACL youth and young adult members (age 35 and under) will be given priority but all applications are welcome.

This year’s COPANI convention will be the 20th biennial convention since the inaugural convention organized by Mexican Nikkei and hosted by Mexico City in 1981. The COPANI convention’s vision is to “Foster a socially, technologically, and commercially well-connected Pan American Nikkei community moving toward the future,” per the organization’s website. The convention will be a unique opportunity for Japanese Americans of Japanese Latin American and Non-Japanese Latin American descent to connect with Nikkei outside of the U.S. to foster relationships and collaborate with the greater Japanese diasporic community.

Please email berkeleyjacl@gmail.com for more information.