In celebration of AAPI month, the JICC will be hosting the following cultural programs at various DC Public Library locations throughout the month of May to give local children and adults an opportunity to engage with Japanese culture. Spots are limited and will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Registration for the events can be found here. Please contact your nearest participating location for more details.
Staff from the JICC will read “Mottainai Grandma” by SHINJU Mariko to teach children the importance of zero-waste. The reading will be followed by an origami activity where kids will make a samurai hat (kabuto) out of recycled newspaper. Mottainai, is a Japanese phrase used to describe a sense of regret over waste and is a guiding principle for many Japanese people. This program is geared towards younger children (1st-3rd grade) and has a maximum capacity of 20 participants (not including legal guardians).
Staff from the JICC will lead a Japanese calligraphy workshop. Japanese calligraphy, or shodo, is an esteemed cultural art that is still heavily practiced today. This workshop will introduce a brief history of shodo, its technique, and give participants the opportunity to try writing Japanese with a fude (brush) and sumi (ink). This program is recommended for 4th grade and up and has a maximum capacity of 20 participants (not including legal guardians).
Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library
Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library
Northwest One Neighborhood Library
Parklands-Turner Neighborhood Library
Shepherd Park Neighborhood Library
Tenley-Friendship Neighborhood Library
The JICC Pop-Up at DC public libraries is free and open to the public.
The JICC reserves the right to use any photograph/video taken at any event sponsored by JICC without the express written permission of those included within the photograph/video.