The NCI Program
The Nikkei Community Internship (NCI) is a paid eight-week program designed to foster and connect young leaders to the San Jose, San Francisco and Los Angeles Japantown communities. The NCI program promotes awareness of the three remaining Japantowns and to get youth more involved in the Japanese-American community.
The San Jose NCI program is structured into three phases. During phase one the interns have an opportunity to meet various community leaders within the San Jose Japantown. The second phase, they meet partners who support the community from the San Jose City Council, Assembly, Senate, Congress, the Mayor’s office and the neighborhood association. The last phase the intern is matched with one of the community organizations where they will spend the majority of time working with the organization, the organizations include the Japanese American Museum of San Jose (JAMsj), Yu Ai Kai (Senior Center), and Nikkei West (Community Paper). For more information about the organizations and potential activities, click here.
One day a week is reserved for leadership training, during which all of the Norcal interns gather for workshops and meetings with community leaders. Interns also attend three statewide retreats, one in each Japantown, during which both the Southern California and Northern California interns meet and work together.
If you are a College, University or recent graduate and interested in applying please submit your application no later than Friday, April 4, 2025. The program will run between June 16 through August 8, 2025.
2025 NCI Program Information
Program Dates: June 16 – August 8, 2025
Program Locations: San Francisco, San Jose, Los Angeles
Program Application for all locations can be found here.
Application Deadline: Friday, April 4, 2025
“NCI has been an amazing opportunity to get more involved in Japantown, build professional connections, and learn from experienced community leaders”
“NCI has offered me valuable opportunities I wouldn’t find anywhere else! I was able to build my professional skills while also making meaningful change in the San Jose Japantown community.”
“NCI is truly a unique program that has given me the opportunity to grow professionally as well as learn more about the community around me.”
“I am truly grateful for the NCI Program because it was the perfect opportunity for me, who had never known the Japantown and JA community, to start getting involved.”
“NCI has helped me understand how I can use my personal skill set to make a difference in the community. ”
“NCI has been one of the best experiences we’ve had. We’ve had a lot of fun throughout this internship, but more importantly, we’ve come to realize that San Jose Japantown is a place we can come back to and call home.”