When you’re in a conversation about architecture, your brain immediately goes to metals, stones, or other generic foundation materials. Nobody expects to hear that someone is using paper tubes and cardboard to create living spaces. Going to the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) on July 10 was very eye opening. The speaker during the first part of our program was Gabrielle Headly, who we had met earlier in the program, and who now guided us through the exhibit and shared the history behind Shigeru Ban and his peculiar building ideas.
Ban’s style of architecture was an interesting one, beginning back in 1986 with experimentation, and humanitarian aid beginning in 1995. During that time, he worked on his first major project: designing low cost, easy to build houses out of paper tubes for Japanese disaster victims following the Kobe, Japan earthquake. These homes, despite being built of a widely known fragile material, were very sturdy, and allowed for sustainable living.
Ban’s style is a very intriguing one to me, because who thought one man could put together a whole organization solely for disaster aid, let alone with paper and cardboard?? Shigeru Ban is a huge inspiration for me to innovate and be more creative with my works, and I’d love to research more about him.
Something I’d like to briefly talk about is his Paper Partition System, used in Noto, Japan following their earthquake in 2024. The Paper Partition System provided privacy and homes for families who were victims of the earthquake. These systems were deployed all over workplaces, gyms, and community centers, allowing many people to be guaranteed to have a safe place to live while dealing with their circumstances.
Being an extension of Ban’s already innovative paper log houses, the PPS was already majorly impressive, garnering respect from not only the citizens of Japan, but many humanitarian aid organizations as well. Shigeru Ban was and still is an impressive architect, and his influence is still around today, you just have to look for it.
Today, July 7th, former Japanese American Veterans Association (JAVA) President Gerald Yamada shared his story on Japanese American exclusion. Many believe that the discrimination against Japanese and Japanese American individuals began with the bombing of Pearl Harbor, but this just isn’t the case. In fact, the discrimination dates all the way back to the early 1800s, when Japanese immigration began. The year 1942, after Pearl Harbor, was when it got bad. During this time, incarceration camps were established. At the same time, interestingly, a military unit for Japanese Americans, the 442nd, was formed. This regiment is famously the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the history of the US military. After the end of World War II, and the 442nd’s service, incarceration camps were closed down and the Japanese were allowed to go home, but weren’t fully integrated.
Mr. Yamada’s presentation was very insightful. I learned many things I previously hadn’t known. One thing I hadn’t known was how far back Japanese American discrimination had dated, which both intrigued and frightened me. I encourage everyone to research about the War Relocation Authority (WRA) camps and the history behind the discrimination of Japanese Americans. Additionally, I was surprised by the amount of awards the previously mentioned battalion, the 442nd, was given. Their awards consist of 4,000 Purple Hearts, the Congressional Gold Medal, 21 Medals of Honor, and many more.
Note from the Program Director: It was the morning of July 1 at Howard University’s Ralph Bunche International Affairs Center. Gabrielle Headly, Exhibition Coordinator at the Embassy of Japan’s JICC (Japan Information and Culture Center), was our first guest presenter of the summer 2026 Japan in DC Program. She was the perfect choice – informative, engaging, personal, and open. Our students found much to relate to and be inspired by in her life story – from her visit to Okinawa as a child, to her time at Howard University and study abroad, her experience as a JET in Japan, her interest and training in the arts, and her current work at the Embassy of the Japan. She introduced the concept of “thinking globally” and the benefits of international travel and exchange – important messages as we kick off the summer program. Our students had a lot to reflect on. They were excited to see Gabby again the following week when we visited the JICC.
Madisen: Gabrielle’s exposure to Japan began during her childhood watching animes on television. From then on she began studying Japanese on her own because her school did not offer Japanese. When she visited Okinawa in 2015, she fell in love with the culture and close knit communities the residents had. Therefore, she studied abroad in Osaka in 2017 and was able to experience how Japan sees the Western world, and explore more of Japan. She then went to apply for the JET program and stayed in a mountain valley to continue pottery and teach English. She quit the program to live there for an additional 1 year but eventually moved back to America where she talks about Japan and exposes Americans to Japan through the Japan Information and Culture Center (JICC) and the Embassy of Japan. What stuck out to me was how she described how Japanese natives viewed Americans. Gabrielle expressed great frustration in having to argue against stereotypes of Americans, as well as comment about her naturally curly hair.
Christian: Gabby really pointed out the idea of exchanging cultures and ideas to expand/build new and better ones. Also she spoke about the Black experience/Identity that she found in Japan along with the American one. I also got a great sense of possible people who are interested in East Asia and Black!
Demetris: I learned mainly that Ms. Gabby’s love of Japanese culture was because it was different from her culture and of course because of anime. Her time in Japan in the JET program was in a small village and she ended up meeting a lot of people because of that. Something that I learned but kind of knew was the problem with black people’s hair and the misunderstanding about where black people come from, since it is shown that blacks are expected to be from Africa or the USA, not expecting them to be from Europe or South America too. Afro hair/fluffy is seen as really messy.
Jaylen: I learned that making your interests known, and being outgoing can result in some things that benefit you for the better. The most interesting thing I learned was that Japan is so long that it can go from a cold place to a nice warm tropical beachy area. Something that stuck out to me was that African Americans in Japan can appear very alien, and curly hair is seen as unkempt or messy, and people had no idea that curly hair could be natural. Life lesson: This presentation showed me how taking risks, and putting yourself out there can be very rewarding.
Blessing: The thing that struck me about what she said was that she had a safe feeling in Japan more than when she was in the US. The Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program seems very interesting and important for someone who would like to live in Japan, that would prepare them and at the same time help people. I like the way the program put her in a good place where she got to learn something about art in Japan. And I like the way people out their changed her view of life with people like how to make people feel when you are with them.
Zaevior: Some things that really stuck with me during the presentation was the JET Program. It’s something that I may be interested in after I finish college. From this presentation, I learned that some areas of Japan, “bens” like Osaka, have accents or that change how some words are said. The most interesting part of the presentation to me was her display of the Yokai exhibit that will be coming to the JICC.
Aston: The experience that she shared that stuck out to me the most was her stay at the military base in Okinawa, since it was a piece of America that was planted in Okinawa that had retained the American culture. Another experience that interested me was her time studying in Osaka where she was able to study art and film and then compare the Japanese culture of art and film to the rest of the world.
Morgan: From Gabrielle’s presentation, I learned more about the worldview of Japan. They are very welcoming, as shown from the elders that “adopted” her and welcomed her into their pottery studio, but they also have a limited understanding of Black people. They believe that all black people are either from Africa or America, and that hair like ours is seen as messy, or can only be achieved through a perming process. I’ve also learned about potential opportunities that could take me to Japan after college, like the JET program, and that would allow me to teach others while also exploring the country.
Kamaya: I’ve learned more about the JET Program and more about her life. I’m more interested in it cause I’ve always wanted to live there. Her experience there was unique and priceless and I wanna have the same experience. I have visited but that’s different from living there. What stuck out to me was that there was a ceramics place that basically adopted her. Her whole story is interesting overall.
Pippa: I knew about the JET program but I didn’t know there were other types of jobs than just language teaching. I learned that Japan has unique communities like art villages and counter-culture groups that even foreigners can connect with. I learned that you can have a Japan-related job without living there.
Liam: Okinawa is an island in Japan, but it has its own distinct culture and people. I thought it was just part of Japan, like any other city. Japan is much more diverse than I thought, and were very welcoming based on Gabrielle’s story. I’m very interested in that Japanese architecture exhibit.
