Tokyo Speaks

Episode 98: Lia Camargo, Global Business Manager for Fermata Inc., joins the podcast to talk about the company's three-day Femtech conference in Tokyo which centers on women's health and wellness. This women’s health innovation conference, titled Femtech Fes! 2021, is the first in Asia at this scale with a specific focus on emerging companies, showcasing the latest developments in direct-to-consumer products and medical devices that aim to improve the health conditions of women in various stages of their lives. Tokyo Speak's guest host for this episode is Ingrid Saito Maciel. Ingrid is an educator at Ashinaga Foundation, youth ambassador at the Health and Global Policy Institute, and an activist for Internal Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP).   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   Learn more about Fermata Inc.  For more information on the upcoming Femtech Fes! (October 22-24) click here   Follow Lia Camargo on Instagram   Follow Ingrid Saito Maciel on Instagram

Episode 97: In this episode, we feature Yuuki Nakao and Mahi Patki of WomEnpowered International (WE Int.). Yuuki, Co-founder of WE Int., and member Mahi, talk to us about the following: The mission and vision of WE Int. Their affiliation with University of Tokyo Awareness of gender disparity in Japan The group's bottom-up management style We Int.'s six-part event series on menstruation (virtual) This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   Learn more at https://www.womenpoweredint.org/   Guest host: Seralyn Campbell   [Support Tokyo Speaks via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks  

Episode 96: Kani Munidasa is CEO & Co-Founder of Code Chrysalis. Along with CTO & Co-Founder, Yan Fan, the pair founded this startup with a mission to not only change the way Japan trains software engineers, but to help people acquire the necessary soft skills (or what they call “success skills”) to be leaders in their respective careers. We discuss the following: The need for more software engineers in Japan Challenges of founding a startup in Japan Code Chrysalis courses and admission process What kind of people attend Code Chrysalis Coding bootcamps vs self-studying The Butterfly Fund Scholarship Part-time Immersive Bootcamp  This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   [Support Tokyo Speaks via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 95: Yuna Maekawa is founder and CEO of kelluna. which is a fitness apparel made in Sri Lanka for Japanese women. Yuna shares the brand's story and how it bridges two cultures with a foundation of self-love. We discuss the following: The women of Sri Lanka who inspired her to launch a fitness apparel   Beauty standards in Japan and the power of self-love Her personal struggles with her body and weight Adapting to Sri Lankan culture The future of kelluna. This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   Learn more at kelluna.com   [Support Tokyo Speaks via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 94: Dr. Jackie F. Steele (PhD) is a trilingual political scientist, author, and CEO & founder of consulting firm Enjoi D&I Consulting. In her practitioner-consultant role, she supports seniors leaders in Japan with high level D&I (Diversity and Innovation) business strategies on diverse talent mobilization and cutting edge corporate policy designs that drive innovation, competitive edge and inclusive corporate cultures. In this episode, we discuss the following: Enjoi D&I Consulting's mission and services Growing up with supportive parents Her introduction to Japanese culture Experiences in academia and public policy Working with local government in Nagano, Japan Empowering men and women in Japan This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   Learn more at en-joi.com   [Support Tokyo Speaks via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 93: Menya Hinga is Founder & CEO of MH Health Coaching and Co-Founder of SOGO Fitness and Co-Fit Movement. After 18 months of working as an English teaching assistant in Nagoya, Japan, Menya moved to Tokyo and transitioned to a career in fitness.  In this episode, we chat about Menya co-founding one of the biggest fitness communities in Tokyo, and his passion to help people from all over the world learn the skills and develop the habits necessary to achieve their fitness goals and create sustainable health. This is the last episode of this year - more to come in 2021!    This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   menyahinga.com SOGO Fitness   [Follow Tokyo Speaks] Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 92: Amina Sugimoto is co-founder and CEO of fermata, Inc. Amina leads a community and start-up support ecosystem aimed to accelerate the access to knowledge and technologies developed for diversifying and liberating women's wellness. In this episode, we delve into the following topics: fermata's vision/mission Taboos related to women's health An emerging, global Femtech market  Growing up in Tanzania/being educated abroad Health policy in Japan fermata's future goals & new store in Tokyo   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!   Featured guest: Amina Sugimoto (Co-founder/CEO of fermata Inc.) fermata, Inc.   Guest host: Yan Fan (Co-founder/CTO of Code Chrysalis) @yanarchy   [Follow Tokyo Speaks] Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 91: Married couple, Henry Moreland Seals and Sasha Lee Hague-Seals, met in Tokyo and are longtime residents of Japan. Henry is a HR professional and recently became the first foreign-born member of the Human Rights Commission in Nagareyama city. Sasha's home-based food company, Yumm Cupcakery, makes cupcakes, cakes, cookies and now cake mix products that you can easily enjoy with your family. In this episode, we learn how these two lovebirds met and all about their love for helping others and building community.    This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!     Follow Sasha's yummcupcakery Follow Henry Moreland Seals on LinkedIn and check out his book "Making It In Japan: An Insider's Journey to Success"    [Follow Tokyo Speaks] Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 90: Quynh Trang Ho Thi (Campus Director) and Emoh Justina (Trainers and Judges Coordinator) serve on the Hult Prize Organization Committee at Waseda University. The Hult Prize is an annual and global student competition with a focus on social entreprenuership and social impact. This year's theme is "Food For Good." In this episode, Trang and Justina talk about their upcoming event for the 2021 Hult Prize Challenge. Trang and Justina also tell us why they decided to study in Japan and what sparked their interest in sustainable development and tackling social issues.   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!     Quynh Trang Ho Thi @bq.trang Emoh Justina @emoh_justina Hult Prize at Waseda University   [Follow Tokyo Speaks] Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks  

Episode 89: Singer Crystal Kay released her debut single "Eternal Memories" at 13 years old and went on to make nine top-10 albums (including compilations) over the span of two decades. July of this year marked her 21st Anniversary in the music industry and Crystal joins us on Tokyo Speaks to talk about her life and career, as well as her goals going forward. We discuss the following topics: Starting her music career at 13 years old Collaborations with Japanese Hip Hop group, M-Flo Pursuing a music career in the U.S.   Finding herself in NYC & returning to Japan  Interviewing Alicia Keys & Janet Jackson Black Lives Matter Tokyo & Naomi Osaka   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!     [Crystal Kay] @crystalkayofficial Check out music by Crystal Kay here   [Guest host: J'Nique Nicole]  Check out music by J'Nique Nicole here   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 88: Angela Ortiz is the founder of the volunteer-led nonprofit, Place to Grow, and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Senior Manager at Adidas Japan. In this episode, we discuss the following topics with Angela: Growing up in Japan's countryside as a Colombian-American with her parents and 10 siblings Becoming a mother at 19 years old Finding impetus in the aftermath of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of March 11, 2011. Pursuing a career in social impact Creating her nonprofit Place to Grow Writing her first book on social impact   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!     [Place to Grow] https://placetogrow-ngo.org/   Place to Grow: 8 principles that will make you an effective leader in social impact by Angela Ortiz   [Guest host: Oulimata Gueye]  @lasenegarujin   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 87: In 2016, Arthell Isom and his twin brother, Darnell Isom, founded D'ART Shtajio Inc. - the first foreign-owned anime studio in Japan. Arthell and his studio has worked on projects for Netflix, Grammy Award-winning music artist, The Weeknd, and was recently featured in Pharrell and Jay-Z's "Entrepreneur" music video. In this episode we discuss the following topics: Arthell's love for illustration and background painting for anime Studying at the Academy of Arts University in San Francisco Black culture & anime Working on projects for The Weeknd Being featured in Pharrell and Jay-Z's music video Working for Ghost in the Shell Art Director, Hiromasa Ogura Founding in his own anime studio in Japan   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!     [Follow D'ART Shtajio] https://dartshtajio.com/   [Guest host: Danté Carver]  @dantecarverofficial   [Guest host: Mega Robinson] @megadesu_   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 86: Sibyl Kane (lawyer), Christopher Key (engineer), and Elisa Ovalles (student) share their personal stories of how they were affected by Japan's COVID-19 travel ban.    [Follow Elisa Ovalles] @simplekyotolife Read Trapped in Japan by Elisa Ovalles   This episode is sponsored by Code Chrysalis - change your life and learn how to code!     [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 85: Sierra Todd and Jaime Smith are organizers of the Black Lives Matter Tokyo Peaceful March. On June 14, 2020, Sierra and Jaime—along with the rest of their team—put on Tokyo's largest Black Lives Matter event, which drew more than 2,000 attendees. In this episode, we discuss the follow topics: How Black Lives Matter Tokyo started Preparing for the peaceful march Post-march reflections (challenges and lessons learned) Sierra and Jaime's backgrounds  Being Black and Queer   [Follow Black Lives Matter Tokyo] https://blacklivesmattertokyo.carrd.co/   [Follow Sierra Todd] @frokyo   [Follow Jaime Smith] @jaime.in.japan   [Guest host: Thalia Harris] @ladyscribe21   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks  

Episode 84: Marina Yoshimura is the Founder and President of PERIOD@Tokyo, which is a chapter of the parent organization PERIOD. In this episode, Marina tells us why she decided to start a chapter of PERIOD in Japan. We'll also discuss various aspects of menstruation (periods) such as deep-rooted stigma, education, health, first-time experiences, and accessibility of period products.  Guest host, Chalice Davis (also known as singer/songwriter Afrodyty), gives this episode another level of depth by sharing a horrific menstrual experience and condition that undermined her health in 2019.  PERIOD@Tokyo recently partnered with Japan Association for Refugees (JAR) and launched a campaign called #GiveLove to donate period products to asylum seekers and refugees in Japan.    [Listen to Afrodyty's Music]  Apple Music Spotify   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 83: Steffie Harner is a Software Engineer at Code Chrysalis; Co-Founder of Startup Lady Japan; and Cyberpunk content creator/influencer. Steffie came to Japan simply to fulfill her childhood dreams, but a series of events led her to co-founding a nonprofit organization for female entrepreneurs and a new career in software engineering. In this episode, we chat with Steffie about the following: Co-founding Startup Lady Japan Becoming a software engineer Her life and career in Silicon Valley Her love for Cyberpunk and digital content creation   [Follow Steffie Harner] steffieharner.com   [Guest host: Yan Fan]  @yanarchy (Twitter)  @yanarchy (Instagram)   [Code Chrysalis] https://www.codechrysalis.io/ Want to learn how to code? Sign up for Code Chrysalis' Foundations course by August 31 and mention "Tokyo Speaks" for a 15% discount!   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 82: Returning guests, Robin Lewis, Kayoko Hirano, and Yan Fan, join Tokyo Speaks remotely to talk about how they're adjusting to this new reality caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19). Although we all are dealing with a global pandemic that has impacted every aspect of our lives, Robin, Kayako, and Yan share some ways that we can still be productive, healthy, and helpful to others in their time of need.   Read these helpful blog posts by Robin, Kayoko, and Yan on Medium: 10 Ways to Support Coronavirus Relief in Japan by Robin Lewis (Co-Founder of Social Innovation Japan & mymizu)   5 Ways to Support Your Immune System During the Pandemic by Kayoko Hirano (Certified Obesity Prevention Health Coach)   Job Hunting in a Global Pandemic and Recession by Yan Fan (Co-Founder and CTO of Code Chrysalis)   [Special Shout Outs] Thanks to Guidable for featuring Tokyo Speaks! Check out Guidable Jobs and Guidable Media.  Episode 82 background music by Rhyming Gaijin    [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks

Episode 81: Amber Chook is Co-founder of Zebra Global and Founder of TEDxRoppongi (an independently-organized TEDx event in Tokyo). Amber moved to Mie, Japan from Harbin, China at the age of 15, and she was placed in a high school that had low expectations for its graduates. Instead of following the standard path for women in the area, getting married and becoming a housewife, Amber pushed aside her high school responsibilities and religiously studied English on her own; then eventually pursued her college education at Hosei University in Tokyo.  In this episode, we discuss topics such as: Growing up in China and Japan Her interest and career in Blockchain technology Women empowerment in the tech/fin-tech sector Her passion for social impact   [Follow Amber Chook] Facebook | LinkedIn   [Amber Chook's Book Recommendations] The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People  The Alchemist   [Co-host] Jasmine Griner a.k.a Enlightize - @enlightize   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks    

Episode 80: The featured guests are Machine Learning Tokyo (MLT) members Suzana Ilić (co-founder), Dimitris Katsios, and Asir Saeed. MLT is a Tokyo-based nonprofit organization dedicated to democratizing Machine Learning (ML). They are a team of engineers and researchers--now with a community of 5,000 people--and the winner of the Rakuten Technology & Innovation Silver Award 2019.  In this episode, we discuss the following topics:  What is Machine Learning   What kind of knowledge base is needed to excel in Machine Learning How to participate in MLT study sessions and events Diversity, inclusion and ethics in Machine Learning Future career opportunities    [Guests' Social Links] Machine Learning Tokyo - MLT Website | Facebook | Meetup.com | Twitter   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [News] Tokyo Speaks was recently featured on the Guidable Japan website! Also check out Guidable Jobs for jobs in Japan.   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks          

Episode 79: Ebony Norwood-Brown and Barbara Kobayashi are teachers and moms residing in Tokyo. This episode is all about their experiences of motherhood - more specifically, motherhood from the perspective of two foreign (American) women. We discuss topics such as: Prenatal care in Japan Family/spousal relationships Work-life balance Japanese traditions related to pregnancy and birth Raising biracial and multiracial kids in a homogenous society   [Resource] Tokyo Mothers Group     [Special thanks]    Monica, Nydia, and Tara   [Social Links & RSS] RSS Feed: https://www.tokyospeaks.com/feed.xml Instagram: @tokyospeaks_ Twitter: @tokyospeaks_   [Support via Ko-fi] https://ko-fi.com/tokyospeaks