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.

What is the Black Gold project?

Black Gold was conceived with the goal of celebrating Black creatives in Japan whose success stories often go unheard, creating a stronger relationship between the Japanese and Black communities, and eventually increasing the amount of Black students who study abroad.

In partnership with Japan Society of Boston, USJETAA is proud to share the JSB Meets JET Alumni interview series which explores the JET experience across Japan.

This month, Japan Society of Boston got to know Monica Narang (Osaka, 2008 - 2011 and 2016 - 2022).

In partnership with Japan Society of Boston, USJETAA is proud to share the JSB Meets JET Alumni interview series which explores the JET experience across Japan.

This month, Japan Society of Boston got to know Justin Bussies (Kagawa, 2010-2013).

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.⁠

Recruiter statistics show that anywhere from 70 to 87% of employers use LinkedIn in vetting job candidates. Learn how to optimize your LinkedIn profile with JET alum and LinkedIn Chief of Staff for Growth, Performance, and Operations (GPO), Cerell Rivera.

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.

A CONNECT Magazine interview with JET Alum turned model Kayla Beyer (Niigata 2019-2022)