2. PEOPLE
work for free, as well as someone who started to help peers as well as health programs. We are also excit- ships with professional American teachers and coop-
when they saw me working alone. This touched me ed about bringing 20 students from Harlem Children’s erating with American educational groups. There are
greatly, and at that moment I thought that I would Zone to Japan next May. It will not just be a trip to certain things Americans can do and certain things
like to create a group of volunteers with “Volunteer” Japan, but serve as a learning opportunity volunteer- Japanese can do, and finding people who can fill these
on their backs so that everyone could appreciate the ing is one part of the education. needs will be a great help.
small bravery of each individual.
You’ve received awards from NYC numer- How do you envision the future of NYdV?
But it wasn’t until later that your organiza- ous times. We incorporated Tokyo de Volunteer in 2004, and even
tion was actually formed? In May of 2007 I was selected as one of five Asian though we are divided location-wise it has been go-
That’s right. First I was in school and then worked in community leaders to commemorate Asian Heritage ing quite well. With the Great East Japan Earthquake
the field of IT, where I experienced several companies Month, and I also received Volunteer of the Year from last year and our active presence, communication be-
going under. Before I knew it 10 years had passed and the NYC Parks and Recreation Department in both tween Japanese and Americans has increased and I
another company I had worked at went bankrupt. Be- 2010 and 2011. There actually was an incident that would like to further advance this flow via both of our
cause I didn’t have a job I could do as I liked, so I made occurred the second year, where one of our volunteers organizations.
a list of all the things I wanted to do. At that point I who was being harassed on the way to volunteering
remembered my desire to volunteer, and I shared my was injured after having a rock thrown at her and had Non profit management is a more advanced industry in
Coney Island anecdote at a party. Several people said to be taken to the hospital. We surprised NYC by the States than in Japan, and because I work between
that they were also interested, so I made a press re- remaining in that area despite their expectation that Japan and America I would like to pass on my Non
lease which said, “I was inspired to organize a beauti- we would abandon it. When we actually discussed profit management experience and knowledge to the
fication activity on such and such a day. Won’t you join whether to stay or not, half of the people in our or- Japanese non profit world. Whenever I go to Japan I
us?” I received responses from 100 people, and this ganization wanted to leave as they were scared. But give lectures and am often asked to teach at universi-
led to the group’s launch. the other half said that if we left, we would be losing ties, so in this way I would like to do more in coopera-
sight of why we were carrying out the program. We tion with Japan going forward.
And it then went as far as programs in con- decided to continue because the child who threw the
junction with New York City… rock was not one of our students, and we didn’t want One more thing I’m passionate about is our new pro-
Our first original program was the Japanese Spa Day to punish good kids for the bad behavior of others in gram called the Global Leadership Study Tour, which
in 2004, and after that we started a clean-up project their community. The Parks Department staff was brings young Japanese to America for training. It’s
with NYC. They were so impressed with our work very appreciative of the samurai-like commitment of wonderful that universities have begun this global
that they asked us to submit an official proposal for our members. competence program, and I think these young people
an After School Program (ASP) that would introduce will become involved with NYdV as well as American
Japanese culture. We formulated a 3-page proposal What are some of the issues you are current- organizations someday. I think that this idea of volun-
and were selected on our first try! ly dealing with? teering not only for the purpose of having fun, but also
We are receiving an increasing amount of requests as education that connects to human resource devel-
I heard that due to the tough economic envi- from a variety of places regarding the ASP. Since it opment, is a great one.
ronment the ASP might be cut. Will you be has become a part of a class, we have to provide aca-
able to do it next year? demic results. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen ---------- Interview by Noriko Komura,
We’re not sure. The actual ASP itself has closed due to the program right away. We have entered a period Translation by Stacy Smith
a lack of funding. Up until now we’ve mainly worked where we have to raise our level by forming partner-
with the Parks and Recreation Department, but be-
cause their budget is limited we are currently in the
process of negotiating with other places like the cul-
NY de Volunteer on a Mission!
tural unit of the NYC Department of Education. Last
year we newly entered a public school in Brooklyn,
and over the summer we worked at the school Harlem
Children’s Zone as part of a Japanese language edu-
The language program at Harlem Children’s
cation program. We did activities like calligraphy, ori-
Zone this summer was very successful. NYdV
gami and karaoke, and it was extremely well received. is looking to partner with other educational
We were asked to come back this fall. In addition, 100 professionals.
Students learn simple Japanese words at NYC’s
children will come from Japan this November, so we After School Programs. NYdV members provide make-up, mani-
cures, and hair styling services to senior citizens
will organize exchange activities with their American
at nursing homes on Japanese Spa Day
CHOPSTICKS NY | vol. 066 | Oct 2012 | www.chopsticksny.com 3
