Wave of Support

By Fukiko Shibahara, Summer 2011

The earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March took the lives of almost 14,000 people and resulted in close to 14,000 missing persons, according to the Japanese National Police Agency. The disaster swept away the normality of communal living for many individuals. In addition to the lives lost, more than 286,000 homes were damaged and many survivors continue to experience immense stress, living in temporary shelters and facing a potentially life-threatening radiation hazard due to the damaging of a nuclear power plant. There is no telling how many years it will take the Japanese to recover from such vast and traumatic losses.

A number of the students, staff, faculty, and alumni are from Japan and were deeply affected by the disaster. Many of these people, including myself, faced prolonged fear and emotional ambiguity until they were able to confirm the safety of their loved ones. In reflection of the shared grief, love, and sympathy the Alliant community expressed for their colleagues directly affected by the tragedy in Japan, I would like to share some of the many disaster relief efforts initiated in the Alliant international community (in chronological order).

The International Community Initiative (ICI), I-MERIT, and SGA sponsored and held a relief fundraiser table on campus
during SGA's Multicultural, International, and Global Week. A total of 11 students and faculty volunteered to sit at the donation table and many other individuals supported the efforts including: planning and exchanging feedback, creating advertising, making outreach handouts,handling monetary donations, making origami cranes, and baking yummy snacks. During the fundraiser, more than 75 members of Alliant came to the relief table and made a contribution. Consequently, we collaboratively raised $1,510 in 10 days. The donation was given to both the American and the Japanese Red Cross on the first day of April. The Japanese Red Cross reported that in response to the disaster, more than one billion dollars had been donated as of April 3. Sayuri Wada is a researcher in the Bay Area who also teaches at Alliant's clinical psychology program in Japan. I would not be able to directly support victims even if I were in Japan. I am happy to find a way to support people in Japan with Flamenco, something I could, in SF Bay Area communities, Sayuri said.

In collaboration with the Consulate General of Japan, she initiated a charity event called Flamenco Por Japan, held at La Peña Cultural Center on April 14. The event strengthened the cross- cultural bond between the Bay Area Flamenco community and Japan and featured flyers stating. Everywhere I go the Japanese support Flamenco. Now the Flamenco community in the Bay Area can support a good cause. Among the performers, many were Japanese and presented Flamenco as well as Indian dances.Our proceeds are not big, but [they are] filled with our friends' and families'thoughts for Japan, Sayuri said. As their fundraising effort continues, it is expected that they will raise over $1,000 for the Consulate General of Japan and Japanese Red Cross.

Another unique aid effort seen in our community was the Alliant Green Committee's Paper Crane Making initiative. There is an old Japanese myth that anyone who folds 1,000 paper cranes will be granted a wish. Furthermore, each origami crane that was made was matched with $2 donated by the Bezos Family Foundation. Though the initiative didn't quite make it to 1,000, 302 paper cranes were donated to help provide aid to survivors in Japan.

Dr. Nahoko Nishizawa, who is a CSPP alum and faculty member of Alliant's Tokyo campus, stressed the importance of fostering the network of the Japanese community living far from their home country. One of the first actions she took was reaching out to members of the Japanese community in the Bay Area by reviving the Japanese Mental Health Net (JMHN). JMHN was co-founded by Dr. Nishizawa several years ago to promote Japanese interactions with a multidisciplinary team of mental health clinicians. She also hopes to help Japanese students living in the Bay Area process their emotions about the natural disaster.

These relief efforts, to my eyes, seem to have strengthened the bond between the Japanese and local communities. In the passage of uncontrollable tragedy, reciprocal acknowledgment of deep gratitude, compassion, and sincere support seemed to have blossomed.

In facing the ongoing struggle, our psychological resiliency may be challenged. I believe that every thought, prayer, and initiation will give birth to stronger hopes and resiliency. Likewise, in the Japanese legend of 1,000 cranes, may every bit of our thoughts, efforts, and wishes cross the Pacific Ocean and be granted for the survivors and their wounded communities. On a final note, I would like to thank you all for reading this article and supporting our international community and their home.