Adam Moriwaki

Reflection from Adam Moriwaki (ELP ’13)

Greetings from New York! It has been eight months since I participated in the Emerging Leaders Program and I am happy to report that our class and other ELP alumni have been staying in close touch.  Recently, a number of us attended the Japanese American Association Annual Gala as well as the Japan-America Student Conference Alumni Event at the Japanese Ambassador’s residence in New York City (coordinated by my ELP classmate, Yuuki Shinomiya). The USJC and ELP programs have inspired me to become even more active in the Japanese American community.  This June, I attended the Japanese American Association Annual Scholarship Dinner, mingled with high school and grad students and enjoyed the talk given by the evening’s keynote speaker, Bobby Valentine.

The U.S.-Japan Council and Emerging Leaders Program have also significantly enhanced my professional network and given me access to mentors who I hope will help me in pursuit of a career in public service. I look forward to continuing these relationships and to strengthening the bonds between the United States and Japan across all sectors.

I’d like to promote an upcoming USJC Culinary Diplomacy event that will take place this fall in New York. Led by ELP alumni and USJC Associate Members, we are planning a culturally-significant, interactive and fun evening where we will display how Japanese cuisine breaks down borders. It will be at a cool venue, open to current and prospective USJC members, featuring well-known and up-and-coming chefs and restaurateurs. Although this event will occur in New York City, we encourage USJC Members, staff, friends, family and anyone interested in Japanese culinary arts to attend. Please let a USJC staff member know if you have any comments or suggestions about USJC’s Culinary Diplomacy programming.

We are also quite busy organizing a collaborative golf fundraiser that will take place at the Montclair Golf Club in Montclair, New Jersey on September 8.  Stay tuned for further details and start practicing!

As we approach the 2014 ELP application deadline, I would like to wish all of the ELP applicants the best of luck and encourage those who are not accepted this year to apply again next year as the ELP is truly an amazing program. Few other programs that I have been associated with create such a tight-knit group of people based on common bonds, as well as grant you the ability to learn from and connect with the substantial and influential network that the USJC provides.

-Adam Moriwaki