TOMODACHI Generation: Jonathan Abbott
Jonathan Abbott is a part of the TOMODACHI Emerging Leader Program 2014. Born and raised in California, Jonathan’s mother is Japanese-American and his Father is an American of Eastern European decent. He founded KidArt International, a nonprofit that teaches Japanese students to explore new ways of self-expression through art.
Standing a little over 5 feet, 5 inches (160cm) with thin-rimmed glasses and a neutral expression, one never suspects that Jonathan, after a brief introduction, has a humorous personality. There’s no hint of irony in his tone or facial expression, and he often doesn’t clue you in on having missed a cue either. It’s only when you engage him in a longer conversation that you begin to notice his sense of humor. And it’s not surprising, especially when you learn that this TOMODACHI Emerging Leader founded a nonprofit that teaches Japanese students how to have fun in the classroom.
His nonprofit, KidArt International, invites students to explore new ways of self-expression through art – like playing music or cooking new kinds of foods from different countries – and encourages them to be creative and try new things. He believes children learn better when they are having fun. Through KidArt International, he is “spreading creativity, imagination and international communication through art” by featuring professional American artists he invites to Japan.
Before starting KidArt International, Jonathan taught in public schools in Japan. He tried various ways to get kids more active and creative in the classroom while using the lessons required by Japan’s board of education. When he tried to get high school students to think up a fun school event, almost all the students chose to organize a BBQ; “98% of the students in four different classes created the exact same thing” he emphasizes with deadpan seriousness. He was fascinated that young people could only imagine one thing that would be “fun.” So he began thinking of ways to encourage students to be more creative.
Born and raised in California, Jonathan comes from a multi-cultural family. He inherited his looks from his Japanese-American Mother, and his Anglo Saxon name from his Eastern European-American Father. His mother’s family immigrated to Hawaii in the late 1800’s and to California in the early 20th century. His family carries the complex history of the Japanese-American and Japanese experience. Both of his maternal sides were caught between the two countries’ conflict during WWII.
His English-speaking maternal, great uncle, who returned to Japan prior to the war, was conscripted to translate for the Japanese military court in American POW trials and was declared a traitor for serving in the Japanese Army by the United States after the war ended. His grandmother’s family, still living in California, was interned in Heart Mountain, Wyoming. His mother was 5 or 6 years old at the time, and left when she was 10 years old.
Jonathan grew up in a household that didn’t ignore their Japanese-American heritage, but didn’t emphasize it either. His parents did not require that he and his twin brother take Japanese language classes, but they ate traditional Japanese foods like ozoni. His appreciation for Japan developed over time. Initially he was interested in becoming better acquainted with his grandmother and her extended family in Japan. But increasingly his interests extended to working and living in Japan. In 2009, he decided to leave California and move to Japan.
At first, he had a difficult time securing his visa in Japan, which limited his job search. But another factor colored his employability. “When firms called me for an interview, people expected to see a Caucasian – you know, with a name like Jonathan Abbott,” he recounts, “so when they saw me, they turned me down for the job. That took some getting used to.” Eventually, he found a flexible, full-time job that allowed him to apply his English speaking skills while exploring the country.
In 2014, Jonathan was accepted into the TOMODACHI Emerging Leaders Program, originally established through U.S.-Japan Council (USJC) that selected Japanese-American young professionals across the United States to attend the USJC Annual Conference with parallel Emerging Leaders programming throughout. Since 2013, the program was renamed TOMODACHI Emerging Leaders, and thus far, comprises over 50 alumni.
When asked what motivated him to start KidArt International, he explains, “When I first explored teaching English among my foreign friends who were teachers in Japanese schools, many stated that they were expected to only teach grammar although they felt they should teach conversational English and things the students could not learn from a textbook. I felt teaching like that was not the best use of my time or the best use of a good resource by the Japanese educational system.”
He pauses, and then adds thoughtfully, “At the Annual Conference, people spoke of how international Japan is: “there are so many people from different countries” they would say. That may be true, but I think the majority of people in Japan don’t see the diversity – many of the students who took part in KidArt International’s events were afraid of meeting people who were not like them. Their images and mind changed after interacting and talking with different people. It’s not hatred or dislike that prevents Japanese from interacting with people from other countries. Many don’t have the chance and are just not used to it,” he explains.
Jonathan doesn’t see himself living in Japan forever, but it’s also not completely out of his realm of possibilities. “I’d like to see more Japanese young people have the chance to meet and interact with people from other cultures and for people from other countries to have the opportunity to see Japan and its great people.”
You can go to www.kidartinternational.org to learn more about Jonathan’s work.
