The Janet Aiko Sekiguchi Foundation

Honoring Janet's legacy by investing in communities and causes consistent with her passions and her struggles.

The Janet Aiko Sekiguchi Foundation offers a grant to schools and community organizations whose missions align with ours. The grant is for a maximum amount of $10,000 per year for a total of 3 years. The funds may be used to support one program, a few smaller projects initiated by organizational staff or students, or a combination of both. (Note: Applicants do not need to apply for the full amount available, as we will consider awarding multiple grants for proposals from several organizations). Grant funds may also be used to enhance an existing program. We envision our grant serving as seed funding for either a new program or an expansion of a current program, with the aim of enabling the program to attract additional sources of funding.

Applications are not being accepted at this time. We expect the next grant cycle to open in late 2027.

Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) is an organization founded in 2000 in the San Francisco Bay Area that focuses on empowering youth at risk of being involved in the juvenile justice system. FLY serves more than 2,000 youth ages 11-25 each year through programs in five Bay Area counties. FLY's mission is to partner with youth to unlock their potential, disrupt the pipeline to prison, and advance justice in California and beyond. FLY envisions a country where all kids grow up valued and supported, and the pipeline to prison is replaced with meaningful opportunities for kids to live healthy, free, and productive lives that make stronger, safer, and more vibrant communities for us all.

The Peer Point program is a pilot restorative justice model that operates directly in schools as an alternative to suspension or expulsion. Peer Point is a restorative, peer-led alternative to punitive systems of response to youth behavior at school and in the community. Peer Point works with schools and police departments to divert youth from suspension, expulsion, and arrest by addressing root causes and facilitating peer circles for healing, community-building, and accountability. This diversion program allows youth to address the root causes of probation, expulsion, and suspension by participating in peer circles for healing, community-building, and accountability. Some youth receive more intensive support from FLY’s Peer Point staff through the implementation of individualized restorative plans

Entrepreneur High School (eHigh) was established in 2018 as an applied entrepreneurship charter school designed to be both inquiry-based and student-centered. The school serves a culturally and academically diverse population of students, representative of California's Inland Empire communities of Highland and San Bernardino. The curriculum engages students in meaningful and relevant learning experiences that foster innovation, creativity, and an entrepreneurial spirit. eHigh is focused on merging academics with real-world skills in order to ensure students have the skillset to thrive in their post-secondary journey. While the level of academics is college-prep, students also choose one of four pathways that prepare them for future careers: Design, Visual and Media Arts, Professional Sales and Entrepreneurship, Food Service and Hospitality, or Software and Systems Development. The school also provides students with opportunities for hands-on business experience such as running a student store where they sell clothing they create and catering school events.

Inspiring a Young Entrepreneur Program. With the grant from the foundation, eHigh created a program called "Inspiring a Young Entrepreneur." The goal of the program is to inspire students to apply the skills they learn in their coursework to develop their own businesses. In November 2022, students attended DesignerCon, a large art and design convention in Anaheim, California that encompasses all forms of art and design including print media, one-of-a-kind art pieces, vinyl figures and apparel. The intent of attending DesignerCon was to give students exposure to the world of design and provide inspiration to create their own designs that are then produced in eHigh's own student-run print shop. Under this program, students establish and develop their businesses, culminating at the eHigh Expo in May 2023, where students set up a booth and sell their services and the products they have created. Funds from the JASF grant cover the cost of attending the conference, the resources the students need to launch their businesses, and the expenses associated with putting on the eHigh Expo.