Mark your calendars! J-Talks Webinar Series returns to highlight the 70th anniversary of Godzilla & a new partnership with the Japanese American Citizens League - Midwest District Council (JACL MDC)
This year’s J-Talk webinars are a series of interviews that center around the themes of Care & Consumption in relation to the King of the Monsters origins, history, and cultural impact. Join us as we connect with JET alumni and members of the US-Japan community about how we interact with Japanese culture and how our perception evolves over time.
Our first webinar will happen on Thursday, October 24th, 2024 at 7:00pm CT with Derrick Fields (pronouns: they/them), Founder of Waking Oni Games and President of the Japanese Arts Foundation.
The 2024 J-Talks Webinar Series - Godzilla Edition is supported in partnership with the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) - Young Professionals Caucus (YPC) of the Midwest District Council (MDC).
RSVP Required. More information and registration details via JETAA Chicago's Guestlist page: https://guestli.st/787404
This online event is open to the public including our fellow JET Alumni, JACL members, community partners, and our Friends of JET/JACL (FOJ).
Meet our Speaker, Derrick Fields (pronouns: they/them)
Derrick Fields (pronouns: they/them) is a game designer, professor, and illustrator in Chicago, Illinois. As the founder of Waking Oni Studios, Derrick is dedicated to creating engaging entertainment experiences alongside a talented team of creators and exploring the intersection between Black and Japanese culture. Through their work, they seek to push forward efforts to increase representation so that burgeoning creators can see themselves reflected within the industry and feel empowered to create new disruptions. They believe as new definitions are designed for interactive entertainment, they are valuable for education, inspiration, and change.
Derrick actively supports esteemed non-profits and academia, providing a curriculum centered on game development, 3D modeling, and anime. They serve on the board of The Japanese Arts Foundation and Black Voices in Gaming and as Assistant Professor of Instruction at Northwestern University.
Throughout all of their work, Derrick is committed to fostering inclusive creative spaces that uplift underrepresented voices in the gaming and digital arts industry. Their dedication is fueled by a passion for ensuring culturally rich entertainment is brought to life.
J-Talks: Godzilla Edition - Care & Consumption was inspired by the Cultural Appreciation online series: Appreciation vs. Appropriation – a nuanced discussion on cultural ownership that was a collaboration between TCJACL (Twin Cities Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League) Social Justice Committee & Made By Yuki. Learn more, watch and listen to series on TCJACL's website: https://www.tcjacl.org/events/cultural-appreciation-discussion-series/
About the J-Talks Series:
The J-Talks: Strengthening Ties Through Dialogue webinar series centers around the themes of identity, social issues, cultural understanding and leadership, as experienced by JET alumni and individuals with meaningful connections to Japan. Launched in 2020, the JETAA Chicago J-Talks webinars have highlighted topics such as Black Lives Matter Kansai, A Look Back to Move Forward: The Modern Day Importance of Hiroshima & Nagasaki, Finding Japan in the Midwest and Mixed Multitudes: Mixed Race Identity in the US-Japan Community, Exploring Cultural Differences through Professional Wrestling, and more.
About our Partners
Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) Young Professionals Caucus (YPC) of the Midwest District Council (MDC)
The JACL Midwest District Council (MDC) is a multigenerational gathering of Japanese American leaders from across the Midwest that organize community action, share resources and knowledge to advocate for civil and human rights of all those affected by injustice and bigotry. It is also the first district to officially sponsor and have an officer of the JACL Young Professionals Caucus (YPC). The MDC is the largest district region of the JACL covering 20 states with chapters in Illinois (Chicago), Ohio (Cleveland & Cincinnati), Michigan (Detroit), Indiana (Hoosier), Texas (Houston), Nebraska (Omaha), Missouri (St. Louis), Minnesota (Twin Cities) and Wisconsin (Milwaukee). Follow the JACL MDC instagram page @mdcjacl and JACL YPC @jaclypc
Founded in 1929, the JACL is the oldest and largest Asian American civil rights/social justice organization in the USA. The JACL has seven regional districts and is composed of over 100 chapters – including in Japan! Learn more about JACL National www.jacl.org
We hope to that you'll tune-in on Thursday, Oct. 24th!