 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Interview with Kana Yoshida2 November, 2008
Recently Kana Yoshida, a UC Berkeley junior majoring in Peace & Conflict Studies and Japanese Language Studies with a minor in French, sat down with Communications Manager Mariko Terazaki for an interview. Mariko: Kana, thank you for accepting to do a small interview for our website. It’s always exciting for our readers to get to know our Fellows. Could you tell us in a few words what your background is? Kana: I am a Japanese national, but I was born in Los Angels. I lived there for 10 years, then moved to Vancouver, B.C. for several years, before coming back to California. Currently, I am a third year student at UC Berkeley. Mariko: How did you become a Service and Peace Fellow? Kana: The fellowship is a joint partnership between SEF and UC Berkeley's Cal Corps. I went to a resource fair and learned about the Fellowship at the Cal Corps table. A few weeks later I was contacted by Meghan Voorhees, the Director of Cal Corps, and when I met with her the Fellowship sounded like the perfect fit; a dream come true. I couldn't believe that an opportunity like this could happen so simply and seem so right for me. Mariko: What do you do as a Fellow under this program? Kana: I work for the Shinnyo-en Foundation helping with various peace-building initiatives such as the Six Billion Paths to Peace, and I also act as a liaison between the Shinnyo-en Foundation and the UC Berkeley campus where I facilitate SEF sponsored workshops, and work at the Cal Corps office on Foundation sponsored programs such as Soul Food for the Student Activist Retreat. Also, one of my projects will be to introduce faculty members from UC Berkeley's Peace and Conflict Studies program to SEF in order to foster a partnership that will result in a "Six Billion Paths to Peace" curriculum for the UC Berkeley campus. Mariko: What has been your relationship with service and community building? Kana: Much of the service that I was involved in while growing up is very much in line with the foundation’s Six Billion Paths to Peace philosophy, whereby my everyday actions of helping and supporting my family, especially in bringing up my four younger brothers, was a large part of my life. In terms of volunteering I helped at the Jewish home for the Ageing in LA where I worked with the elderly in the Special Nursing and Alzheimer's Unit. In church, the youth group I belonged to was involved in church centered acts of service by cleaning, helping with cooking, and holding fundraisers. In high school I mentored elementary school children in an after school program. Mariko: Why did you choose to study Peace & Conflict at university? Kana: I applied to college hoping to study something along the lines of International Relations. When I saw that Berkeley offered a Peace & Conflict major, I was thrilled. I have always been interested in the nature of conflict and methods of conflict resolution. It probably grew out of my family environment being surrounded by five male siblings and, being the older sister, my role as mediator just came with the territory. My concentration within the Peace & Conflict Studies major is "Cultures and Identity: Northeast Asia." I am interested specifically in Japan's role in Northeast Asia, especially in the aftermath of World War II. Considering my Japanese background, and coming from a family of social servants, it seemed natural that this was an area that I wanted to explore. The combination of peace and conflict studies with the Japanese language gives me a more holistic understanding of the culture, language, and politics of Japan. Mariko: What are your aspirations for the future? Kana: I have many aspirations! After I graduate from UC Berkeley, I hope to go to Japan and do a graduate program. I am interested in continuing to study Japan’s role and impact on Northeast Asia historically and in the present. I hope with that I will be able to find my place in both Japan and America where I can work as a global citizen to bring greater cultural understanding between the people of this world. I would love to work in the UN or other international/ transnational organizations endeavoring to find resolutions to conflicts all over the world. As I work more closely with the Shinnyo-en Foundation and their Six Billion Paths to Peace initiative, I feel that I have found a place where I can really learn what it means to realize peace in this world, while at the same time looking inward at my own life and how I contribute to peace through smaller, everyday actions. Mariko: How long have you lived in the Bay area? Kana: This is my third year in Berkeley and I never want to leave! Berkeley has given me so much over the last few years and nurtured my academic career, and taught me so much about life that I couldn't have learned anywhere else. Not to mention the wonderful food as well as the unique Berkeley culture, I can't imagine being anywhere else. It's also nice to be able to hop on the BART and be in San Francisco in just 20 minutes. Mariko: What do you like to do in your free time? Kana: Actually, I don’t have a lot free time at the moment because I work as a resident assistant in the University’s residence. This means I live in the dorm and act as a resource, mediator, counselor, and community builder for the incoming freshman and junior transfer students. I also work in the graduate office of the University's Math department as an assistant. But whenever I do have some free time, I enjoy eating good food and finding new restaurants in Berkeley to try. Mariko: So what is your favorite restaurant in Berkeley that you would recommend? Kana: There is a Japanese restaurant called Kirala that has the best Japanese food in Berkeley. I definitely recommend it! Also, a more interesting choice would be Cha-ya, a vegan Japanese cuisine inspired by Zen Buddhist cooking. Mariko: What have you enjoyed most about becoming a Shinnyo-en Foundation Fellow? Kana: The reason I like being a Fellow here is because my work enables me to be more conscious about my spirituality and also the interconnected spirits that lie in each of us. It helps me to intentionally explore what it means to serve, to help people, to contribute to peace. The Foundation has given me a wonderful opportunity to reach out to a bigger community and have a bigger impact than I would have on my own. It has also taught me about people's hearts and why service naturally results in peace. I am interested in continuing my work here and strengthening my spiritual core so that I may transform my own life into a life of service without feeling overwhelmed, discouraged, or burnt out. Mariko: Lastly but not least, what is your path to peace? Kana: I think my path to peace, at least for now, is dealing sincerely with myself so that I can be more authentic in my interactions with people and give more of myself to those I love, such as my family and friends.
|
 |
