Our Crowdfunding Groups
Hello! Thank you for visiting our page! We are UCLA Nikkei Student Union’s Cultural Night team! Our team is responsible for planning and organizing the 37th annual Cultural Night production. We have been working since July to create a performance that celebrates Japanese American heritage, educates the community on Japanese American history, and honors our ancestors who immigrated to the US and struggled, so that we could thrive. Cultural Night has been a wonderful journey, and we can not wait to share this experience with you!
Cultural Night (CN) is our largest event of the year, usually drawing in an audience of over 1,000 students, staff, alumni, and community members. CN began back in February of 1986 with the Week of Remembrance, an on-campus event created to commemorate the signing of Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the unconstitutional incarceration of over 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. Since then, CN has evolved to showcase talented performers and feature experiences and issues relevant to the Japanese American community. This year, our show will be held on February 18, 2023 from 7:00-9:30 PM in UCLA’s very own Royce Hall. The production will feature performances from NSU Odori, NSU Modern, Kyodo Taiko, and our very own drama cast. Last year, our Cultural Night was the first student-run production held in Royce Hall since the Covid-19 pandemic. Please consider supporting CN to make sure that our long-held tradition can continue!
In the past, our drama performances have covered topics such as Japanese American identity, gentrification, mental health, and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. This year, our drama performance is centered around Japanese American incarceration during WWII. The play will highlight assimilation, mental health, identity, gender roles, generational gaps, and the events leading up to and the aftermath incarceration. By following one family, we hope to emphasize the universality of this experience among the Japanese American community and the similarities between us and other communities of color.
Traditionally, NSU’s CN has always been free and open to the public. In order to keep our show accessible and welcoming for all, we rely heavily on outside funding sources to make CN possible. Our primary source of funds are UCLA and community grants, as well as contributions from local businesses and organizations. However, in previous years small-dollar donations from our friends and family have been a major part of our budget.
As a result, we are reaching out to you to help us reach our goal of $8,000, which would be spent in the following areas:
Our costs are continuing to rise due to inflation, pandemic recovery, and increasing venue costs, so any amount that you’re able to donate can help us fund this program! If monetary donations are not possible at this time, there are other ways you can show your support. We would love to spread the word across as many networks as possible. If you could simply share the SPARK campaign link on social media or via email, that would tremendously helpful!
CN has been a unique opportunity for us as students. From performing in the historic Royce Hall to working behind the scenes on the writing, directing, and production of a large-scale program, CN has allowed us to make invaluable memories and form a deeper understanding of the Japanese American experience. We strongly value the impact that our program has had on us and all of the student groups involved, as well as the audience and the communities around us. Previous SPARK campaigns have enabled us to continue putting on CN for the past 36 years, and we are deeply committed to continuing this tradition. With your help, we would love to make our 37th production one of our best shows yet!
CLICK HERE TO READ THE UCLA FOUNDATION'S DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS FOR DONORS
Should this fund reach the campus minimum required for the establishment of an endowment or quasi-endowment, The UCLA Foundation reserves the right to convert this fund to an endowment or quasi-endowment. Please click here to learn more about how the UCLA Foundation invests and manages its endowments.
As a thank you for your donation, we will list your name on our donations page in the program. Any donation above this amount will also be listed in the program! (Fully Tax Deductible)
As a thank you for your $25 donation, we will send you CN 2023 stickers! (Tax Deductible Gift of $22)
As a thank you for your $50 donation, we will send you CN 2023 chopsticks! (Tax Deductible Gift of $44).
As a thank you for your $100 donation, we will send you a CN 2023 T-Shirt! (Tax Deductible Gift of $85).
As a thank you for your $250 donation, we will send you a CN 2023 Merch Bundle (shot glass, tote, pair of chopsticks, and stickers)! (Tax Deductible Gift of $225).
As a thank you for your $500 donation, we will send you a CN 2023 Merch Bundle (shot glass, tote, pair of chopsticks, and stickers) and you will receive reserved seating for the show! (Tax Deductible Gift of $475).