Despite Trump funding cuts, Japanese American National Museum continues DEI work

The Japanese American National Museum has lost more than $1 million in federal funding after declining to end its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs under a Trump administration executive order issued in January last year. Museum leaders said the decision reflected a core commitment to preserving Japanese American history and standing with other communities facing discrimination. The funding cut comes as the museum undergoes renovations in downtown Los Angeles and prepares to reopen in November.

Leaders at the Japanese American National Museum told Spectrum News that complying with the federal directive would have required changing language and programs central to its mission. The museum holds the largest collection of Japanese American material culture in the world and documents the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and its lasting civil rights implications.

“We want to make sure that history isn’t forgotten, that the artifacts are preserved, that the stories are preserved,” said Ann Burroughs, the museum’s president and CEO. “But it wasn’t just for the sake of history. It was also important to ensure what happened to Japanese Americans would not happen to anybody else.”

Burroughs said the museum’s position was shaped by current conditions in Los Angeles, including increased immigration enforcement affecting multiple communities. “Nobody stood up for Japanese Americans. Very, very few people did,” she said. “So, for us at the museum, it’s really a point of principle that we’re able to stand up for other communities.”

A Trump administration official said the funding changes were intended to enforce the executive order and prevent federal dollars from supporting DEI initiatives the administration considers discriminatory or politically divisive at cultural institutions.

Bill Fujioka, chair of the museum’s board of trustees, said the decision not to remove DEI language from exhibits or the museum’s website was made collectively. “I am appalled by what happened with some of these major law firms, and other universities who capitulated very, very quickly,” he said. “And that was all about money, and not the honor of their institution.”

After the funding loss, community members and organizations stepped in with donations, including a $20 million gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, according to the museum. JANM remains closed during renovations and plans to reopen in November, with leaders saying the return will allow it to continue serving as a community hub.