What made you decide to volunteer for Discover Nikkei?

I love Japanese culture. I grew up watching anime as a child. Then as I got older, I developed an interest in Japanese arts. I fell in love with ukiyo-e, sumi-e, and classic Japanese literature. When the opportunity came to volunteer with Discover Nikkei, I couldn’t be more excited. Learning about the Nikkei experience and how Japanese people have integrated into different cultures around the world has been very enriching for me. I’m eager to connect with the Discover Nikkei community, and I look forward to keeping illustrating many more exciting topics for them.

Where do you get your ideas for your illustrations?

My main source of inspiration is my childhood memories. I grew up with my mom and grandparents in Merida, a tiny mountain town in Venezuela. My hometown is full of colors, flavors, and music, which I carry around everywhere I go. Those experiences have become an endless source of inspiration for me. The smell of hot guarapo—a delicious drink made out of cane sugar—and the colors of the Frailejon flowers fill my soul with beautiful images. They keep me drawing and writing with the desire to share those memories with lots and lots of people.

Check out her illustrations for Discover Nikkei >>

[EN]
What do you like about Discover Nikkei?

A lot of Nikkei who live abroad experience things that they would never face in Japan. Those things come in many different forms, as some may be experiencing them at this very moment, and others see them as hardships or accomplishments of the past. What’s great about Discover Nikkei is that visitors to the site can enjoy intriguing stories based on such valuable experiences.

What compelled you to write about Japanese radio programs in other countries?

To put it in simple words, it’s because very few people are looking into Japanese radio programs. As a hobby, I look for and receive shortwave radio programs. I used to go after radio waves from distant stations. These days, my target has changed from being geographical to chronological. I’ve started looking into the history of radio from long ago. Getting not-so-well-known information about Japanese radio programs gives me the same kind of pleasure as finding new radio stations. It’s been said that many people in the Nikkei community looked forward to and eagerly waited for Japanese radio programs. As a radio fan, I hope to tell more people about Japanese radio programs and those involved in them.

Read his articles >> (Japanese only)

[JA]
Q. ディスカバーニッケイの好きなところは何ですか？

海外で生活する日系人の多くが日本では決して遭遇することのない興味深い出来事を経験している。現在進行形であったり、過去の苦難や偉業であったり、その内容は様々である。ディスカバーニッケイでは、このような貴重な体験に根差した魅力的なストーリーを楽しむことができるところが素晴らしい。

Q. 他の国の日本語ラジオ放送について書く魅力は何ですか？

一言でいえば、日本語放送について調べている人がほとんど誰もいないから、というのがその理由である。私は短波のラジオ放送を受信するという趣味を持っている。以前は遠くのラジオ局の電波を追い求めていた。最近はその対象が地理的なものから、時間的なものに変化してきた。つまり、遠い昔からのラジオの歴史を調べるようになった。あまり知られていない日本語放送の情報を得ることは、新しいラジオ局を受信する喜びに通じるところがある。日系社会では日本語放送の時間が来るのを心待ちにしていた人が数多くいたと伝えられている。一人のラジオ好きとして、日本語放送およびその担当者について、もっと多くの人に知ってもらいたいと思っている。

ストーリーを読む >>

What do you like about Discover Nikkei?

I think what I love the most about Discover Nikkei is the work it does to show the depths of Japanese culture, both in Japan and its Nikkei communities, to readers all around the world regardless of ancestral or personal connections to Japan.

When most people think of Japan, their thoughts turn to Japanese entertainment (i.e. anime and video games), food, and on occasion the language or art. Many people don’t know about Nikkei communities; nor do they understand how Nikkei communities play a role in the greater Japanese culture and identity, or even the culture of countries where these communities are found.

When I was younger, I was mainly focused on my various Nintendo games, reading manga, or watching anime. While I still enjoy these things, as I have gotten older, I have had a drive to learn more about Japan through learning the language, reading countless books or articles on the country and its culture, watching documentaries or videos about Japan, and visiting local Japanese cultural events or organizations like my local Japanese Friendship Garden. All of these actions throughout my life have allowed me to see how culturally rich and unique Japan is as a country. Since becoming involved with Discover Nikkei, I have been able to see another side of the Japanese culture and its communities, that I never really knew about previously in my own journey to learn more about Japan.

What do you like most about volunteering with Discover Nikkei?

My enjoyment of volunteering with Discover Nikkei is twofold.

1. I love that as I do research, write my articles, and conduct my interviews, I get to learn so much about the topics at hand and the people who were involved with making those things a reality. For instance, I really enjoyed the time I spent on creating my article “An Interview with Roy Wesley on His Book, His Father, and Sharing His Family’s Story.” This article was my first look into the Japanese American community and a family’s personal experience in America during and after World War II, from a first-hand account. I got to learn so much about the author, Roy Wesley, his father, and about the development of contact lenses (a product I have used before). In my article where I interviewed Katie Yamasaki on her book Shapes, Lines, and Light, my understanding and appreciation for the Nikkei community, especially here in the U.S. where I grew up, was nurtured even more. I really look forward to learning more about different Nikkei communities, experiences, and stories as I write more articles for Discover Nikkei.

2. As much as I love learning about Nikkei communities, I truly enjoy being able to share these stories with others around this world. I enjoy the fact that I get to highlight narratives and experiences of wonderful people to audiences that might not have gotten the chance to learn about them; all of which plays into my passion in creating a more understanding world that all can enjoy. I am very thankful that my work with Discover Nikkei allows me to do my part to bring people together.

Read her stories >>