Rhea Teranishi
I am a yon-sei, born in Winnipeg Manitoba, and during my childhood I grew up attending various events held at the center like the children’s Christmas party, Japanese Picnic, Folklorama and Japanese bonspiel. In my adolescence and early twenties, I was less involved in the community, but during my later twenties I found myself looking to reconnect with the JCAM community and started volunteering again for various events and started taking advantage of the programs through the Center specifically the Japanese Language school and Adult Odori dancing.
Being a mixed race, Japanese Canadian I want my representation on the board show others of mixed-race ethnicity that there is a place for them in the JCAM community, and it is welcoming to all people of Japanese ethnicity and to those interested in Japanese culture.
With a background working in the non-profit and academic sectors I have a strong skill set with applying for grant funding that I believe I could apply as a board member.
I am also eager to become more involved in the JCAM community and see this as an opportunity to serve and support JCAM.
As a granddaughter of two internment survivors, I feel a level of responsibility to ensure the history and stories of the Japanese Internment are preserved and shared beyond the Centre. Particularly with elementary and high school students, my goal would be every Manitoban has a learned about the Internment and the impact on the Japanese community.