NHK video of JETAA NY Fundraiser
Cultural Outreach, Earthquake Tsunami, Events, Fundraising, JETAA Chapters, JETs in the News, Networking, Roland Kelts, Video 
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Thanks to Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99) for sharing the link to this NHK video on Tuesday night’s JETAANY Japan Fundraiser:
http://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/jishin0311/movie/chapter_66.html
Roland Kelts helps launch debut issue of “MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan” with April/May events in NYC
Books, Celebrity, Cultural Outreach, Events, Fundraising, JETs in the News, Notable JET Alums, Roland Kelts, Translating/Interpreting, Writers Comments Off on Roland Kelts helps launch debut issue of “MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan” with April/May events in NYC
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Via Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica and the contributing editor for MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan:
A Letter from A Public Space (Brooklyn-based literary publication):
A Public Space Literary Projects announces the debut issue of MONKEY BUSINESS: New Voices from Japan, with April/May launch events in New York City.
New York City, New York, April 4, 2011—A Public Space (APS) announces publication of the first annual English language edition of Monkey Business: New Voices from Japan (MB), supported by a generous grant from the Nippon Foundation. Three launch programs in New York City in late April and early May will bring together authors, translators and editors from Japan and the US for this first-of-its-kind trans-cultural literary event. Twenty-five percent of all MB sales will go toward the Nippon Foundation/CANPAN Northeastern Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund.
Monkey Business is a Tokyo-based Japanese literary magazine founded in 2008 by award-winning translator, scholar, editor and author Motoyuki Shibata. One of Japan’s best known and most highly regarded translators of American fiction, Shibata has won numerous accolades, most recently the 2010 Japan Translation Cultural Prize for his translation of Thomas Pynchon’s Mason & Dixon, and has introduced to Japanese readers works by Paul Auster, Steven Millhauser, Rebecca Brown, Stuart Dybek and Steve Erickson, among others.
Shibata, who was interviewed in the first issue of APS, modeled MB in part on the Brooklyn literary journal. Founded in 2006 by editor Brigid Hughes, A Public Space is devoted to cutting-edge literature—not just from American contributors, but by writers and artists spanning the globe. Each issue presents a portfolio that explores an international literary scene. The debut issue of APS featured a portfolio from Japan, curated and edited by author Roland Kelts (Japanamerica) and MB founder Shibata, and featuring contributions from Haruki Murakami, Yoko Ogawa, Kazushige Abe and others. Issue 1 was praised by readers in the US and Japan and has long been sold out.”
Read More
Update: Here’s a clip from NHK TV about the JETAANY Fundraiser including some interviews with JET alums.
JETAA NY’s Fundraiser for Japan was held last night at Slate (50 W. 21st St) and drew over 300 people while raising over $10,000 for the JETAA USA Fund. The event also drew significant Japanese media coverage and included a table run by NY-based Japanese volunteer organization NY de Volunteer to give people an opportunity to write messages of support back to Japan.
Photos to come.
Did your JETAA chapter hold a fundraiser or engage in earthquake/tsunami relief activities? Email jetwit [at] jetwit.com with details and photos.
The Anchorage Daily News has an article reporting that the body of Rikuzentakata JET Montgomery “Monty” Dickson has been found. This is very sad news but also not unexpected at this point. From the article, it sounds like Monty’s family is relieved to finally know.
Thoughts and prayers and lots of warmth to Monty’s family and friends from JETwit and the JET and JET alumni communities. You will be missed by many, including those of us who never had a chance to meet you.
MTV’s Act Blog: ‘Smile Kids Japan’ Turns Spotlight On Orphans Affected By Disaster
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Here’s a recent article on MTV’s Act Blog about collaboration amongst Smile Kids Japan (founded by Fukui JET Mike Maher-King), and Tokyo-based non-profit livingdreams.jp to form an effort called Smiles & Dreams: The Tohoku Kids Project aimed at providing “immediate and long-term support to orphanages in Tohoku and other areas that were affected by the devastating earthquake and tsunami.”.
To learn more or to make a donation, go to their Global Giving page: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-orphans-in-japan-rebuild-lives-post-tsunami/
Deadline Extended: Survey of American Alumni of the JET Program
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Just received word from JET alum Emily Metzgar, Assistant Professor at Indiana University’s School of Journalism that given everything going on with the earthquake/tsunami in Japan, the deadline for the Survey of American Alumni of the JET Program has been extended to April 8 up until midnight. (Here’s the original post for the full explanation.) If you haven’t completed it yet, it would be greatly appreciated if you could as this info will have an impact on the future of the JET Program.
AMERICAN JET ALUMNI SURVEY
(URL: http://iujournalism.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_5hFAK01YxHtzqfO)
Event: JET alum author Roland Kelts to speak in London April 14
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Attention JETAA UK! Join Roland Kelts (Osaka-shi, 1998-99), author of Japanamerica, at The Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation in London on Thursday, April 14 for a talk on “Pop culture from a Multipolar Japan.” Talk is 4-5 pm followed by drinks reception to 6pm.
Note: If you plan on attending, please register for the event at http://www.dajf.org.uk/events/booking-form
Has your JETAA chapter had its hanami gathering yet? If so, please send a couple photos (or link to photos) to Gail Meadows at gail [at] jetwit.com so we can start sharing some of them with the alumni community on JETwit.
Yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
JET Prefecture Round-up 04.04.11: Volunteer information by prefecture
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AJET has posted a very helpful chart with links to “Volunteer,” “Donations” and “Events” info by prefecture.
http://ajet.net/lang/en/2011/04/04/volunteer-donation-information-by-prefecture/
Also, here’s a link to all AJET posts concerning earthquake/tsunami relief.
Taylor Anderson memorial service in Richmond, VA
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The below was sent by JETAA DC to its members via its chapter yahoogroup:
We have extended the deadline for messages in Taylor Anderson’s condolence book until Friday, April 1 at 12 pm. It doesn’t matter if your message is long or short, profound or emotional, we encourage you to send it to jetaadc.311relief [at] gmail.com. Members of the JETAADC Board will present the condolence book to Taylor’s family at a service to be held in Richmond on Saturday.
For more information on Taylor’s life, her experiences on JET, and Saturday’s service, please visit the website of the Richmond-Times Dispatch<http://www.legacy. com/obituaries/ timesdispatch/ obituary. aspx?n=taylor- anderson& pid=149794411>.
The family asks that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Taylor Anderson Memorial Fund for the purpose of rebuilding schools in Ishinomaki City. Donation information is available here: http://www.st. catherines. org/tayloranders on.
Regards,
Leigh Ann Mastrini
Outreach Chair, JETAADC
Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) Update: 03.30-03.31.11
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The Japan Center for International Exchange (JCIE/USA) has been an excellent source of updates via the earthquake section of its website as well as its Facebook page. The kind of info you’re likely not getting from CNN or network news. Notably, JET alum James Gannon (Ehime-ken, 1992-94) is the Director of JCIE/USA’s New York office. Here’s the latest update:
March 30 – 31 Fund Update: http://www.jcie.org/earthquakeupdate.html
- Increasing signs of mental health issues from stress to ‘survivors guilt’.
- Also, Peace Winds through its partner organization – Mercy Corps – reports on the attention and care being provided to children.
CLAIR 2011 “JET Streams Newsletter”
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Via CLAIR Tokyo:
Dear JET alumni,
- Here’s a link to the online version of this year’s JET Streams newsletter: http://www.jetprogramme.org/e/former/jetstreams.html
- Here’s a link directly to the PDF: http://www.jetprogramme.org/documents/pubs/JET%20STREAMS2011.pdf
JET Streams is distributed once a year to all JET alumni who request it and have registered their email address with CLAIR. Be sure to keep your email address updated so that you keep receiving JET Streams.
CLAIR would like to thank all the JETAA chapters and current/former JETs who contributed articles for this year’s JET Streams.
Table of Contents
- Greetings from Yoko Kimura, Chairperson of the Board of Directors
- JETAA Singapore: The New Kid on the Block
- JETAA Tokyo: A Closer Look
- JET Alumni Voices:
- Lorelei Cortez (Hyogo-ken, Santo-shi, 2004-07) of JETAA Northern California
- “Better Than a Thousand Days of Diligent Study” – Cristy Burne (Hyogo-ken, 1998-00) of JETAA Western Australia (Perth)
- “Shashinka – A Cultural and Visual Inspiration” – Stirling Elmendorf (Tokushima-ken, 2001-04) of JETAA Northern California
- Current JET Perspectives: “JET Island Life: Photographic Perspectives”
- JETAA International Meeting in Scotland
- Introduction of 2011-12 JETAA International Executive Committee
- Setting Up a JETAA Chapter
- From CLAIR Department of JET Program Management
- JETAA Chapter Representatives/Information
- Cartoon: “Final Thoughts” by David Namisato (CIR Aomori-ken, Ajigasawa-machi)
- “Words from the Editor” by Christian Tsuji
Anthony Bianchi back in Brooklyn for “Xaverian High School Japan Benefit Concert” tonight
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Just heard from JET alum, Brooklyn native and current Inuyama City Councilman Anthony Bianchi (Aichi-ken, Inuyama-shi) that he’s back in New York for a very short stay in order to attend his alma mater Xaverian High School‘s “Japan Benefit Concert” tonight (Thursday, March 31).
Anthony notes that any JET alums around are welcome to come. [Ed. Note: Sorry for the short notice. I wasn’t able to post this until 4:21 pm and it starts at 7:00 pm.]
Start time: 7:00 pm
Location: Xaverian High School, 71st St & Shore Road in Brooklyn
Cost: $10
Minamisanriku JET Kathryn Oi shares her experience of the earthquake and tsunami
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Kathryn Oi (Miyagi-ken, Minamisanriku-shi) has shared a deeply personal description of her experience in the midst of one of the hardest hit towns by the earthquake and tsunami–Minamisanriku, which has lost approximately half of its 18,000 residents. The link below to the written piece which appears on the Claremon-McKenna College website where Kathryn went to college also includes a slideshow of before-and-after photos taken by Kathryn.
http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/news/japan2011.php
Katie Oi ’10 was teaching at a junior high school in Japan when the earthquake and tsunami hit the island. She offers the following firsthand account of the week following the disaster and her journey to safety. Katie is now back at home in Seattle, WA.
After a two hour nap or even a night’s long rest, I wake up suddenly feeling uneasy with a feeling like I had a bad dream somewhere deep within my slumber. It takes me even a few seconds to process where I am—back home in the comfort of my own bed—when it was just two weeks ago I was pinned in the heart of Mother Nature’s deadliest attack on Japan. I have to keep telling myself that the past two weeks were not a dream. What I witnessed was real: the devastation from a M9.0 earthquake and 30-meter tsunami, but also the perseverance to rise up as a people and continue to live in spite of all that.
CLICK HERE to read the full piece on the Claremont-McKenna College website.
Correction 3/31/11: Katie e-mailed to point out that she incorrectly mentioned the tsunami as 30 meters a couple times in her piece. The actual reported height, she says, was 16 meters.
Fundraising: Instructions for donating directly to Iwate prefectural government
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The following information was shared by JET alum Susan Pickett (Iwate-ken, Miyako-shi) who helped gather information for anyone who would like to donate directly to the Iwate prefectural government. The information is also available via the Facebook group “Grassroots Aide for Iwate“ (which I believe was set up by a JET alum, but not sure).
Note: JETwit.com does not advocate for or recommend any one particular charity or relief effort. This is just one more helpful example of JET alums helping to facilitate donations to Japan.
What Can I do?
I spent a year teaching English in Iwate Prefecture (Miyako) in the Tohoku Region- (northern Japan), and ever since the earthquake, I have been asking myself what can I do to help the people of Iwate and in particular those in the coastal towns severely hit by the tsunami.
Iwate Prefecture has set up a Disaster Relief Fund for the citizens affected by the earthquake and tsunami.
The Iwate Prefectural Site in Japanese is here: http://www.pref.iwate.jp/index.rbz Information on Iwate and the Great Tohoku Earthquake
Wikipedia info on the earthquake: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_T%C5%8Dhoku_earthquake_and_tsunami#Japan
Charity information on the Iwate Prefecture site (English) (PDF): http://sv032.office.pref.iwate.jp/~bousai/taioujoukyou/gienkin_kaigai2.pdf
Charity Donations for the Great Tohoku Earthquake Disaster
Those who want to make a direct contribution to Iwate Prefectural victims and affected areas from overseas can make a bank transfer to the following location. The government of Iwate has a committee to decide how to distribute the funds. Those who want to make a direct contribution to Iwate Prefectural victims and affected areas from overseas can make a bank transfer to the following location.
1 Bank Transfer Account Information
- Bank (JPN: 銀行名)
- The Bank of Iwate, Ltd(JPN: 岩手銀行)
- SWIFT Code
- SWIFT: BAIWJPJT
- Branch: Kencho Branch(JPN: 県庁支店)
- Branch No: 009
- Account No. :009-2016634
- Beneficiary’s Name (JPN: 口座名義):Iwate Prefecture Disaster Relief Charity Committee (JPN: 岩手県災害義援金募集委員会)
- Beneficiary’s Address/Telephone Number (JPN: 住所/電話番号): Japan, Iwate-ken, Morioka-shi, Uchimaru 10-1 Office of Health and Welfare Planning Iwate Prefectural Government Tel :019-629-5408
*(Note: Please remember that there may be bank charges involved with transferring money overseas)
2 Issuances of Receipts
- For those that require a receipt for their charitable donation, please download the following form : http://sv032.office.pref.iwate.jp/~bousai/taioujoukyou/gienkin_kaigai2_yousiki.pdf
- Fill out your address, name, transfer account information, and amount of money donated. Then send that form by mail, fax, or email to the Office of Health and Welfare Planning of the Iwate Government (the address is written below).
3 Distribution of Charitable Donations
A separate committee will be formed to decide how to distribute charity funds.
- < Iwate Prefecture Disaster Relief Charity Committee >
- 〒020-8570 Iwate-ken, Morioka-shi, Uchimaru 10-1
- Office of Health and Welfare Planning
- Iwate Prefectural Government
- TEL 019-629-5408 FAX 019-629-5419 Email AD0001 [at] pref.iwate.jp
