Monday, July 18
We kicked off week 5 by meeting with Reiko Iwanaga, one of the directors of CATS, the Contemporary Asian Theatre Scene, and our supervisor for the week. Reiko took us to the Wesley United Methodist Church to meet with Reverend Keith Inouye and visit their week-long Bible Camp, Pandamania. After giving us a tour of the church and summer camp, we talked to Reverend Keith about the church's importance to the Japantown community.
Tuesday, July 19
Wednesday, July 20
Today was another short day, which we started off by visiting the Mexican Heritage Plaza. The Mexican Heritage Plaza (MHP) is a beautiful community building that has been in operation for 12 years. It has classroom facilities, a beautiful garden and pond, as well as its own theater. We met with Tamara Alvarado, the director of the Multicultural Arts Leadership Initiative. She gave us a tour of the MHP, while explaining its history of poor leadership and disappointment to the community. However, under new leadership, it is finally turning its reputation around. The new mission of the Mexican Heritage Plaza is to benefit the children of the community. During our visit, we were honored to have several scenes from Les Miserables performed to us by one of the programs offered at the MHP.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Week 4: Business
Monday, July 11
Today, Kyle and I interviewed Peter and Kim Delevett about the businesses in Japantown, talking a lot about what they would like to see move into the empty spaces. Peter told us that the businesses bring people into the community, and serve as a supporting pillar for the survival of Japantown. Kim explained to us that the variety of businesses reflects the multi-ethnic community that has become evident as a result of changing times. According to the Delevetts, a cultural center, a hotel/Japanese-style bath house, a bookstore, or a grill would make a great addition to the business association, as these are things missing in the current Japantown. Talking to the Delevetts gave me a much needed perspective from people who actually live in the Japantown.
Tuesday, July 12
Wednesday, July 13
Thursday, July 14
Today, Kyle and I went to San Francisco again for intern day. It was great to see the rest of the Norcal gang. When we arrived in SF, we met with Kenji Taguma
Friday, July 15
On Friday, Kyle and I spent our day at Kathy's office, working on the website and redoing the change sheet in the Japantown flyer.
Today, Kyle and I interviewed Peter and Kim Delevett about the businesses in Japantown, talking a lot about what they would like to see move into the empty spaces. Peter told us that the businesses bring people into the community, and serve as a supporting pillar for the survival of Japantown. Kim explained to us that the variety of businesses reflects the multi-ethnic community that has become evident as a result of changing times. According to the Delevetts, a cultural center, a hotel/Japanese-style bath house, a bookstore, or a grill would make a great addition to the business association, as these are things missing in the current Japantown. Talking to the Delevetts gave me a much needed perspective from people who actually live in the Japantown.
Tuesday, July 12
Wednesday, July 13
Thursday, July 14
Today, Kyle and I went to San Francisco again for intern day. It was great to see the rest of the Norcal gang. When we arrived in SF, we met with Kenji Taguma
Friday, July 15
On Friday, Kyle and I spent our day at Kathy's office, working on the website and redoing the change sheet in the Japantown flyer.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Week 3: Education
Tuesday, July 5
On Tuesday, Kyle and I started off the day at the Akiyama Wellness Center, asset tagging all of the furniture and objects in the building. It was my first time doing something like this, and it was a good experience for me. We then moved over to the Methodist Church for a meeting with Mary Katagama, the president of Suzume No Gakko.
Suzume No Gakko was started 35 years ago by a group of parents who felt their children were losing opportunities to learn about their cultural roots. It is a three week program that aims to spread awareness of Japanese and Japanese-American culture, as well as an appreciation for the San Jose Japantown community. The school has 1st thru 6th grade classes, each class focusing on a different aspect of JA culture. For example, the 1st grade theme is rice, while the 3rd grade theme is bamboo. In each grade, Nikkei heritage and culture is taught through various means: field trips to the tofu and manju shops, learning odori dancing, interviewing internees, or cooking common JA foods, such as spam musubi. Other ways of passing down Japanese culture include making miniature Japanese gardens, ikebana, and learning Japanese phrases. In addition to teaching about Nikkei heritage and culture, the Suzume No Gakko program also serves to instill a sense of community in the youth. Trips to the Yu-Ai Kai senior center are taken, during which the children give hand-made gifts to the seniors. The children also take a tour around Japantown, witnessing the behind-the-scenes workings of the manju shop and watching San Jose Taiko perform. Suzume No Gakko has become an important aspect of Japantown, and many of its students become greatly involved in the community.
Wednesday, July 6
Today was particularly interesting because we spent the day at DeAnza Community College. We met with Tom Izu, the director of the California Historical Center, and Dr. Mae Lee, an Asian American Studies professor. Dr. Lee told us that Asian American studies is the exploration of who is/what it means to be Asian American. The program has its roots in 1968, being born out of the San Francisco State student strikes. She went on to explain that community college is best suited for AA studies, because its students are rooted in the community.
After spending time with Tom and Dr. Lee, Kyle and I were fortunate enough to visit the APALI program. Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute, or APALI, is a program that aims to advance civic leadership education and to create a civic leadership pipeline from underrepresented communities.
Thursday, July 7
Today there was no set plan to meet with anyone, so Kyle and I painted the front railing of the Issei Memorial Building. Previously, there were splotches of paint on several spots of the railing. After finishing, the front looked much nicer and cleaner than before. Before heading out, we went upstairs to help the San Jose Taiko interns, Patty and Andrew, make uchiwa for the taiko conference.
On Tuesday, Kyle and I started off the day at the Akiyama Wellness Center, asset tagging all of the furniture and objects in the building. It was my first time doing something like this, and it was a good experience for me. We then moved over to the Methodist Church for a meeting with Mary Katagama, the president of Suzume No Gakko.
Suzume No Gakko was started 35 years ago by a group of parents who felt their children were losing opportunities to learn about their cultural roots. It is a three week program that aims to spread awareness of Japanese and Japanese-American culture, as well as an appreciation for the San Jose Japantown community. The school has 1st thru 6th grade classes, each class focusing on a different aspect of JA culture. For example, the 1st grade theme is rice, while the 3rd grade theme is bamboo. In each grade, Nikkei heritage and culture is taught through various means: field trips to the tofu and manju shops, learning odori dancing, interviewing internees, or cooking common JA foods, such as spam musubi. Other ways of passing down Japanese culture include making miniature Japanese gardens, ikebana, and learning Japanese phrases. In addition to teaching about Nikkei heritage and culture, the Suzume No Gakko program also serves to instill a sense of community in the youth. Trips to the Yu-Ai Kai senior center are taken, during which the children give hand-made gifts to the seniors. The children also take a tour around Japantown, witnessing the behind-the-scenes workings of the manju shop and watching San Jose Taiko perform. Suzume No Gakko has become an important aspect of Japantown, and many of its students become greatly involved in the community.
Wednesday, July 6
Today was particularly interesting because we spent the day at DeAnza Community College. We met with Tom Izu, the director of the California Historical Center, and Dr. Mae Lee, an Asian American Studies professor. Dr. Lee told us that Asian American studies is the exploration of who is/what it means to be Asian American. The program has its roots in 1968, being born out of the San Francisco State student strikes. She went on to explain that community college is best suited for AA studies, because its students are rooted in the community.
After spending time with Tom and Dr. Lee, Kyle and I were fortunate enough to visit the APALI program. Asian Pacific American Leadership Institute, or APALI, is a program that aims to advance civic leadership education and to create a civic leadership pipeline from underrepresented communities.
Thursday, July 7
Today there was no set plan to meet with anyone, so Kyle and I painted the front railing of the Issei Memorial Building. Previously, there were splotches of paint on several spots of the railing. After finishing, the front looked much nicer and cleaner than before. Before heading out, we went upstairs to help the San Jose Taiko interns, Patty and Andrew, make uchiwa for the taiko conference.
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