​https://mailchi.mp/c735f562bc53/march-newsletter?e=9408bfc1cd

US WOMEN'S CAUCUS AT THE UN 
WE ARE US WOMEN AND US ORGANIZATIONS ORGANIZING TO
PROMOTE AND COLLABORATE ON THE UN WOMEN'S AGENDA AND ADVOCATE FOR GENDER EQUALITY WITH WOMEN OF EVERY CLASS, RACE, CULTURE, CREED, SEXUAL ORIENTATION, AND GENDER IDENTITY.

​일본군 ‘위안부’ 운동, 그 중심의 사람들:전시 성폭력이 반복되지 않을 때까지
​(Key People in the "Comfort Women" Movement: No More Sexual Violence)

For the March issue, the Seoul National University Journal interviewed three activists, including Sung Sohn. In this interview--일본군 ‘위안부’ 운동, 그 중심의 사람들:전시 성폭력이 반복되지 않을 때까지 (Key People in the "Comfort Women" Movement: No More Sexual Violence)--Sung discussed the significance of countering sexual violence using historical lessons learned from the dark history of the Japanese military’s sexual slavery system before and during WWII, the impact of collective effort, and women’s empowerment. You can find the interview in Korean here. ​

​Marking our fifth consecutive year of support, ESJF held a student art contest at Chiba Korean Elementary and Middle School in Japan. Three students’ paintings were selected--Act of Drawing, Moving Forward with Unity, and Overcoming Obstacles. Like many Korean schools in Japan, this school has been experiencing state-sanctioned educational injustices based on ethnicity. To learn about Chiba Korean Elementary and Middle School, click here.

On March 18, the California State Board of Education voted unanimously to adopt a statewide ethnic studies curriculum. For more information on this historic adoption, click here. ​

​ESJF held the webinar Using Historical Lessons to Address Sexual Violence to discuss the causes and consequences of the Japanese military sexual slavery system before and during WWII and to demonstrate the ongoing efforts of educators who have taken the chilling historical lessons from Japanese military sexual slavery, which the UN defines as a crime against humanity, into their classrooms.

NGO CSW/NY organizes the civil society side of the UN CSW for two weeks in March, engaging and inspiring grassroots efforts and advocacy needed to empower women and girls. The NGO CSW Forum runs parallel to the events occurring within the UN Headquarters.

Click this NGO CSW65 link for the recorded session. ESJF thanks Sung Sohn for leading the session, Christina Tang for modeling a lesson, Professor Ga Young Chung for discussing multiple reasons to incorporate “comfort women” history and issues into the field of ethnic studies, and Carrie Seidler for conducting a word cloud survey and moderating. ESJF also thanks Elleanna Brancoveanu for her empowering musical performance of “You Raise Me Up.” As a UNA-USA delegate to the NGO CSW65, Sung participated in several sessions where many lively discussions took place to advance women and girls’ rights and empowerment.

ESJF extends great appreciation to this year’s NGO CSW65 organizing committee for organizing two-week-long parallel events online.

​On March 10, Sung Sohn, co-founder and executive director of ESJF, presented at the webinar Mistruth and Consequences held in response to the firestorm surrounding Harvard legal professor J. Mark Ramsesyer’s recent article on the Japanese military sexual slavery system. At the event, panelists also discussed the remarkable transnational grassroots activism, including feminist and pedagogical initiatives, for reparative justice. Sung focused on academic activism and grassroots efforts to preserve “comfort women” history.

Hosted by the Center for Racial Justice at UCSC and co-sponsored by the Korea Policy Institute, the webinar featured three other panelists: Professors Alex Dudden, Jinah Kim, and Kei Fischer. Christine Hong, professor and co-director at the Center for Racial Justice at UC Santa Cruz, moderated the discussion. You can find a YouTube recording of the event here.