As the room fills up, the air seems to start to vibrate. People are talking, a constant drumming comes from somewhere behind the plywood walls, and the occasional burst of laughter peals through the space. They compliment each others’ clothes, ask about their work, and really listen to the answers. Everyone seems excited to be here, to be involved in this project—Black Gold.

The prestigious ‘George Busbee Award’ was presented to a key advocate of Georgia-Japan relationship, JET alum, Jessica Cork (Hiroshima, 1997 - 2000), Vice President of Community Engagement and Corporate Communication at YKK Corporation of America.⁠

Sonia Narang is a JET alum (Gifu 2003-2004) and a multimedia journalist who covers climate change and the environment, global health, music and culture, and immigration issues.

She has produced and reported stories for PRI’s The World, the BBC, The New York Times, GlobalPost, PBS NewsHour, FRONTLINE/World, Time.com, and NBC News.

Our inaugural article in the Senpai Spotlight series, features Justin Urso, Director of the McMillon Innovation Studio at the University of Arkansas, serial entrepreneur, and owner of Big Box Karaoke a popular eater-tainment concept in Fayetteville, Arkansas.