David – My JA Experience
July 1, 2008 Unlike some of the other interns in this year's program, I have not
always been involved in the Japanese American community my entire
life. Previous to my college career, I had only been able to have a
3rd person perspective inside the community even though I yearned for
it. Growing up, I didn't have any JA friends and did not grow up in
an Asian community. Furthermore, my parents were fully assimilated
in the "American" lifestyle and did not associate much with the JA
community. It is because of my lack of JA experiences that I had a
feeling of emptiness and distance between me and the JA community.
The only sense of JA culture that I could experience was through
Japanese food and the occasional visits to L.A.'s Little Tokyo. And
although I looked like and essentially was the same ethnicity as the
peers around me in J-town, I felt as if I was an alien. It is
because of this that I decided to become much more active and visible
in the JA community when I went to UC Berkeley.
By coming to Berkeley, I have been able to fill my emptiness with the
long lost culture, tradition, and heritage that the JA community
contains. By being very active in my school's NSU and by taking
Japanese language courses, I have been able to interact with other
JA's like me and become a part of JA events instead of being on the
other side of the glass. Through my continual involvement in my
school's NSU, I have grown a broader concern and inclination to
become more involved with the JA community outside of Berkeley. It
is because of this that I plan on becoming a more essential part of
the community through this internship. I believe that this
internship will help me grow my leadership and involvement in the JA
community and hope that my active involvement will leave a positive
and lasting impression on the JA communities.
I can definitely relate about not really growing up with a lot of JA friends. I think for me, it was mainly through family and family friends that I interacted with other JAs. Even then, I only got to see them during vacations. Also, it’s great that the Nikkei Student Union helps to not only tie people together culturally, but to be sort of a place for yonsei like myself, and perhaps yourself, better understand our history and become more involved in the JA community.
David!
I love what you said about growing a broader concern for the JA community, outside of school and home. I can definitely empathize with that feeling. Until I started this internship, I didn’t really think of even the other j-towns, let alone the JA community at large! Now it’s like an explosion of questions and ways to get involved! It’s so exciting.
Hope everything is going welll dude!
I appreciate the way you recount forming your own connection to the JA community. There’s an awful lot there, and it must be pretty challenging to essentially redefine your identity on your own terms. I’m especially intrigued that it’s the Berkeley NSU that was able to bring about this change for you. I think you may have inspired me to join and participate in NSU myself.
It’s amazing what a strong role NSU’s play for many college students. Like with many other posts, NSU’s have helped us learn more about ourselves as we take on responsibilities and start living on our own. Have you been to SF J-town or participated in any of their events, while you’ve been at Berkeley?
Hey David! I enjoyed reading your post and learning a little about your journey in the Japanese American community. I never would have guessed that you previously felt “emptiness and distance” between yourself and the JA community, because at this point I feel like I see you having such a strong JA ethnic and culture identity. In any case, I’m glad that we both found NSU and I’m really looking forward to working with you next year!
Hey David, I also didnt get a chance to become involved with the JA community until college and NSU, so I really understand that feeling of wanting to get more involved. Im glad we’ve been able to connect and have a more active role in our community. It’s really cool to be working with you at the JCC, hopefully Berkeley and UCLA can do some NSU stuff together.
I’m glad that NSU has been able to provide you with the experiences and opportunities you were looking for!! I had no idea that you grew up without much of an association w/the JA community. I think I always assume that when people are from places like LA and SF, they have more of an opportunity to interact w/all sorts of cultures, including the JA community. Anyways, I am super excited to be working with you this summer and next year!