Areas of Interest
Indigenous Seed Sovereignty, Traditional Ecological Knowledge, Native Foodways, Political Ecology, Political Economy
Current Projects
- Revival of traditional millet and associated knowledge, foodways and ceremonies in Okinawa
- Analysis of policies and legal frameworks that supports indigenous food / seed sovereignty, and protection of bio-cultural diversity
- Creation of seed libraries and community seed networks in Japan
Education and Qualifications
Erasmus Univeristy of Rotterdam, Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2013-2014. MA in Development Studies, Agrarian and Environmental Studies (AES). GPA: 3.3. Class Representative.
University of Tokyo, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 2009-2012. MA in Interdisciplinary Studies. GPA: 3.83
Keio University, Shonan Fujisawa Campus (SFC), 2005-2009. BA in Policy Management GPA: 3.60. Full Scholarship (awarded to top 20 students). President of Students’ Union.
University of Arts London, Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, 2007-2008.
Study Abroad Experience: Aspect College, Edinburgh, UK, Autumn, 2005; KATHO-Hantal University, Kortrijk, Belgium, Spring 2006; Harvard University, Massachusetts, USA, Spring 2007.
Other education: Seed School Online, Rocky Mountain Seed Alliance, 2016.
Awards and Honors
Honjo International Scholarship Foundation, 2013-2014. Received 3,200,000 Yen (Approx. $30,000.00) Fellowship.
ISS Scholarship Fund for Excellent Students, Erasmus Univeristy of Rotterdam, Institute of Social Studies, 2013-2014. Received 5400.00 Euros (Approx. $6,430.00) Fellowship.
Keio University Shona Fujisawa Campus Scholarship for Outstanding Student, 2005-2010. Received 5,765,100 Yen (Approx. $53,000.00) Fellowship.
Work Experience / Activities
Seed from Earth, Berkeley, CA. 2019- Educator.
Aedan Fermented, San Francisco, CA. 2018-. Vendor at San Francisco Ferry Building Farmers Market on Saturdays. Website management, SNS marketing, and communications.
Other: Translator and interpretor, Researcher, Writer, Gardener, Consultant (on starting / running seed libraries, community gardens, seed projects).
Volunteered/worked for numerous IGO/NGO/NPOs, including: Edible Schoolyard Japan, Office for TICAD V, UN University, etc.
Academic Publications
海外農業投資における日本の役割 ―モザンビーク・プロサバンナ計画の事例を通して The Role of Japan in Overseas Agricultural Investment: Case of ProSAVANA Project in Mozambique (2016)
The role of Japan in Overseas Agricultural Investment: Case of ProSAVANA project in Mozambique (2015)
Editor of the peer-reviewed “Perspectives in Development: Best Student Essays of 2013/2014”, International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands. (2014)
“Role of Japan in Overseas Development Investment”, in “Perspectives in Development: Best Student Essays of 2013/2014”, International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, Netherlands. (2014)
Analysis of Japanese Agricultural/Food Policy within the Global Food System in the Post-WWII Period (2013)
Book Translation
「国境を越える農民運動 世界を変える草の根のダイナミクス」 ICAS日本語シリーズ監修チーム 監修 マーク・エデルマン、サトゥルニーノ・ボラス・Jr． 著 (2018)
(Original title: "Political Dynamics of Transnational Agrarian Movement." Agrarian Change & Peasant Studies, Book 5, By Marc Edelman & Saturnino M. Borras Jr., 2016).
Conference Presentations
JASID Conference 2017. “海外農業投資における日本の役割 ―モザンビーク・プロサバンナ計画の事例を通して The Role of Japan in Overseas Agricultural Investment: Case of ProSAVANA Project in Mozambique” Hiroshima, Japan.
Resilience Conference 2014. Poster presentation “Role of Japan in Overseas Agricultural Investment ”Montpellier, France.
Public Lectures, Community Engagements and Performances
Over 50 talks, workshops, film screenings and performances in the past 5 years, on topics surrounding seed saving, seed politics, bioculturaldiversity, food sovereignty, urban farming, agroecology, traditional knowledge. (*details to be updated)
Actively involved in community organizing and event organizing in Bay Area for the past 5 years. (talks, workshops, and film screenings on political/environmental/art topics)
Served as interpreter (simultaneous/consecutive) on food/farming/environment/education topics, for tours, workshops for Edible Schoolyard Japan, academic conferences and beyond.
Served as interpreter for Indigenous Movements including official meeting between Water Protectors (Digital Smoke Signals) and MUFG Bank Headquarter in Tokyo (the investor for Dakota access pipeline).
Organized performances of traditional ceremonies at public venues, including Live Performance of Okinawa Ceremonial Dance at San Francisco International Arts Festival 2019.
Supporting youth environmental activists via online courses.
::::
Online Seed Class (quarterly/monthly) 2020- / Yama to Machi Academy 2020 / Online Hemp Fest 2020- / Musashino University Online Seed Class 2020 / Okinawa Kenjin-kai --sanshin performance 2020/ Fridays for Future – online course for youth under 18, on environmental issues & activism (every Fridays) 2019 / ECOPOCA @SF 2019 / Radio Programs 2019/ Speaces @University of Tokyo, Japan 2017 / Agroecology Conference @Kokugakuin University, 2017 / More Talks, lectures, workshops in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Okinawa, Tokushima, Kochi, etc. 2017-
My talks on Youtube channel and videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC88hnrcG2oV2vRS4N6K8k6g
Media Appearances
Interview on THE BIG ISSUE Japan Vol.400, 2020.
Featured Article "Hope amidst Pandemic - Reports from UK, US, and Germany" - "Increasing Home/Local Gardeners - Online Seed Class Becoming a Global Network; From California, US"
https://www.bigissue.jp/backnumber/400/
Radio Interview "Cultural Fest" Earth Day Edition April, 2020
Interview on BaySpo Issue 4/3. 2020
"Cherishing Diversity of Seeds - Reciprocal Relationships with All Beings"
http://www.bayspo.com/cgi-bayspo/kurasu/kurasu.cgi?k=289&w=
Web Radio and Podcast Interview "Oishi! Holistic! Radio" Episode 11, 2018
"Guerilla Gardening and Seed Issues in the Bay Area."
Radio Interview, "World of Great Healers", 2018
"Thinking about Food and Life: GMO, Genome Editing, Seed Saving."
Interview on Web Media “To Think About Food is to Think About Society - Urban Farms in San Francisco” 2018.
Featured on Japan Daily News – The Mainichi (national newspaper) 毎日新聞 November, 2018
Additional Skills
・Languages: Fluent in English and Japanese.
・IT Skills: Wordpress, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Photoshop, Video Editing, Social Media (Facebook Business, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube).
・Other skills: photography, facilitation, event organizing, community organizing, project management, intercultural communication
Interests
・ Traveled extensively in Europe, Africa, North/South America, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Pacific Islands. Spent early childhood in USA. Enjoys gardening and playing Sanshin, a traditional music instrument of Okinawa.
References Available upon request
