Behind the Women
Check out our COMMUNITY BLOG!Read personal reflections and journal entries by members and alumni of The Genki Spark. www.genkispeak.wordpress.com |
At the core of our mission lies the belief in equity, justice, and respect for all.Our underlying message is ‘Be Genki’ – Genki is Japanese word that means ‘healthy, happy, and energetic .... full of life!’ For us, this means truly valuing all of who we are.
A 2007 study by the US Department of Health and Human Services found that nationally, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) women between the ages of 15 to 24 have the highest rates of suicide among women in that age group, and AAPI women over 65 have the highest rates of suicide among all races of that age. [1] While this might come as a shock to some this does not surprise us. Many Asian women have grown up with cultural values of being humble, quiet, and to think of others before herself. Like most women, we have been conditioned to think our primary role is to be supportive of others and that our minds, opinions, and needs come second. Familial and cultural pressure to excel academically and professionally—to embody the “model minority”—and also be the perfect daughter, wife, and mother is also thought to be a significant factor in the high rates of depression among these young women and girls.1,[2] Now more than ever, Asian American young women desperately need to see models of Asian women being visible leaders and speaking out. The Genki Spark strives to create a safe, open, and supportive environment for Asian women through performance arts and developing an unshakable sisterhood. |
Kumiko Yamamoto and Mayuko Yamamoto
Meet Kumiko and Mayuko, our mother and daughter members. Neither one imagined that they would ever be part of a taiko group together and never thought they would ever have the ability to share their experiences with each other or other people.
When Kumiko left Japan with her children years ago to live in the United States, she did not leave under normal circumstances. She was making a choice to remove herself and her children from an abusive family environment. After years of hardship that damaged her self-confidence, she has finally emerged from the experience with the strength to tell her story. After keeping this experience to herself for so long, The Genki Spark and the art of taiko drumming has empowered Kumiko to speak out and advocate for herself and other women.
As a young woman, Mayuko has had her own battles with self confidence and acceptance. She never expected that joining a taiko group would have such a huge impact on her life. Being involved with The Genki Spark together has also strengthened the communication and relationship between mother and daughter. This is just the beginning of their new journey together. The positive change and self empowerment that Kumiko and Mayuko have experienced is just an example of what a supportive environment created by the art of taiko drumming and sisterhood can do.
1. How has your life changed since you join The Genki Spark?
Kumiko: I have had many chances to meet many active and motivated people through the taiko. The people I have met are trying to better people’s lives, they are strong minded and do what they believe is right. The Genki sisters are my family. I don't have any relatives in this country, so they are really my family. I am not alone! I am now able to share my story and they are always very supportive.
Mayuko: After I joined the Genki Spark my life got more exciting and more social. I didn't really used to associate with people a lot before and I never put myself out there or even try to talk to someone I didn't know. The Genki Spark opened a door for me that I don't think ever would have been opened if I never joined. Now I know more people than I can count and I'm more social and outgoing than I was before.
2. How has being a part of the group empowered you as a woman?
Kumiko: I feel like it is okay to be strong and speak up even if we are told not to as women. As a woman I have the responsibility and ability to send an important message.
Mayuko: I've come to believe in myself a lot more than I used before I joined the group. I didn't think I would ever have the courage to be up on stage performing and even talking in front of crowds of people. I was able to find the courage to be able to share my life with other people and have my own voice instead of being influenced by other people. Now I'm able to give my own opinions about things without worrying about what other people would think of me. If I have something to say, I don't ever think that my opinion isn't important anymore.
3. How has being a part of the group helped you with your voice to speak out about your past experiences?
Kumiko: I was struggling and having a hard time for many years as a victim of domestic violence. My ex-husband constantly abused me and my three children both physically and verbally. At that time I couldn't tell anybody and I also couldn’t stand up to him. He was always hitting my children and saying that he needed to hit them because I was not teaching them anything and was not a good mother. One day my son asked me while crying why I didn't save him. It was a terrible experience and I always felt guilty. I was very afraid to say anything to my ex-husband because I knew he would become angrier and do more. I couldn't ask anybody for help so I knew I needed to change my life for myself and also for my children. I couldn't get out of the terrible situation for many years because I couldn't speak up and did not believe in myself. When Mayuko was one, we had a chance to live in United States for three years because of my ex-husband’s job and that experience changed my life. I started to feel that it was okay to be different, to be strong, and to speak up. So after we went back to Japan, I decided to come back to United States with just my children. My self confidence and self esteem was very low so I think that is why I made so many mistakes in my life. I really hope that nobody has to suffer because of domestic violence. I am telling my story because I really want to women to have the confidence and power to speak up.
Mayuko: I was always scared of telling people about my past since it really scared me to think that other people would find out and judge me about my family, so I always kept to myself. I never thought that I would ever talk to other people about how my father abused my brothers and growing up watching him hit them just for not studying. Of course I don't really tell this information to other people other than my Genki sisters; it's still very difficult for me to be able to talk about it without getting upset. But when I first shared the information about my past with other members of The Genki Spark, I felt like a giant weight was lifted from my shoulders and I knew that I didn't have to internalize all my emotions about things I have difficulty in handling by myself.
4. What hardships have you overcome or have been able to move past since you joined The Genki Spark?
Kumiko: I have Genki sisters to share my life with and accept who I am. The Genki sisters and the people whom I meet through taiko are proud and are not afraid to be different. I feel like I don't have to be ashamed of my past and now I am confident to be different. There is nothing hard about being a part of The Genki Spark. I can even feel better about myself and am hopeful when I am having hard time with something else.
Mayuko: I've been able to overcome my own insecurities. I never really liked how my body looked. I always compared myself to my friends who were skinnier than me and were more involved. I was never able to look past all of it so I just ignored everything. Every so often and whenever I liked someone I always told myself I wasn't good enough. The Genki Spark made me realize that there isn't anything wrong with how I look and how I am. I just have my own unique spark that defines who I am and everyone has a different spark to them that makes them special. It was really hard for me to be able to get over the appearance of my body since my dad would always point out the flaws in my body and made me feel like I'm not good enough. After joining The Genki Spark I learned that it doesn't matter what other people think and the only thing that matters is if I like my body the way it is now.
5. How does it feel to be loud and proud?
Kumiko: It is very hard to be loud because I am a traditional Japanese woman, but I am trying very hard to show other Japanese and Asian women that it is okay to be loud. I want them to be loud and be proud of themselves. If I believe in myself and am proud of myself, I can be loud!
Mayuko: It feels good. The only time I was ever loud was when I was with my guy friends and playing a sport. I'm one of those people in the class who doesn't say anything so I'm used to being very quiet. Because of that I grew to become very shy and maybe socially awkward but The Genki Spark made me realize that I do have a voice of my own that can be heard if I use it.
6. What is it like for you to be a part of this group with your Mother/Daughter?
Kumiko: It is a super special experience and I always feel how lucky I am to be able to do this with my daughter. We went through a very hard time together and I really want to show my daughter that it is okay to be different and it is okay to speak up. I really enjoy watching the changes in her since she joined The Genki spark. I am really happy to see her build up her self confidence since she was putting herself down because of the relationship with her father. I have a special trust for the Genki sisters so I am so happy and proud of her for being able to open up to the other members. I am so glad that she could do this because she didn’t want to tell me some things so I would not worry about her.
Mayuko: It's great! I don't think I have ever spent this much time with my mom since I was very little and she had to be with me. Since my mom was an only parent I've never been able to spend so much time with her and get to know her in many different ways. She was always busy so my brothers normally took care of me while she worked. I never would have thought that we would be doing the same thing none the less be in the same group. I grew up with friends who don't like their parents and always complained about them, but I never complained about my mother. I don't know if it's because my mom was just really nice and sweet to me or it's because I just didn't spend a lot of time with my mom so there was nothing for me to complain about since we barely talked. But it's great now that I get to spend so much time with her and that she's able to do something that she likes for once in her life.
7. Has being on the group strengthened your relationship with each other?
Kumiko: Yes. I think I know her better and she shares more about her concerns so we can work with on them together. I think and hope that she understands me more. I feel like we are learning and growing together. Also it is nice that we can go through this positive experience together rather than a difficult time. We are starting this new life together.
Mayuko: Yes, now I talk to her more about my problems rather than just internalizing them and just plastering a fake smile so no one would ask me what's wrong. It's still pretty hard to be able to talk to her about my problems since I don't like making her worry about anything in my life. She has so much to think about already. I know she wants to know my problems but she also has her own problems to think about so I never thought that it was appropriate to tell her my problems to make myself feel better while she still had things on her mind. I thought that telling her my problems would seem like I was saying that I'm not happy with the life that we live and make her depressed. But now I know that she wants to hear about my life so she can help me and she knows that whenever she has problems she can tell me or anyone else in The Genki Spark.
8. Anything else you want to add?
Kumiko: I am so lucky to be able to be a part of The Genki Spark because I can send a message to many people through taiko. I tried to change my life for myself and for my children and I am still in the process but I believe that if you believe in yourself, you can change something and nothing is impossible. Learn from my experience. In taiko, if the players trust each other, together they can make beautiful harmony and music. That is what The Genki spark does. Even though we are still beginners, we have a special and strong community relationship.
Mayuko: I'm very happy that I was able to join such an amazing group like The Genki Spark. Everyone in the group has given me such strength and it makes me feel like I can do anything. I've never been surrounded with so many people who care about me. Every day I feel so spoiled by all the love that is given to me by the wonderfully powerful women who I have the privilege of knowing and playing taiko with.
When Kumiko left Japan with her children years ago to live in the United States, she did not leave under normal circumstances. She was making a choice to remove herself and her children from an abusive family environment. After years of hardship that damaged her self-confidence, she has finally emerged from the experience with the strength to tell her story. After keeping this experience to herself for so long, The Genki Spark and the art of taiko drumming has empowered Kumiko to speak out and advocate for herself and other women.
As a young woman, Mayuko has had her own battles with self confidence and acceptance. She never expected that joining a taiko group would have such a huge impact on her life. Being involved with The Genki Spark together has also strengthened the communication and relationship between mother and daughter. This is just the beginning of their new journey together. The positive change and self empowerment that Kumiko and Mayuko have experienced is just an example of what a supportive environment created by the art of taiko drumming and sisterhood can do.
1. How has your life changed since you join The Genki Spark?
Kumiko: I have had many chances to meet many active and motivated people through the taiko. The people I have met are trying to better people’s lives, they are strong minded and do what they believe is right. The Genki sisters are my family. I don't have any relatives in this country, so they are really my family. I am not alone! I am now able to share my story and they are always very supportive.
Mayuko: After I joined the Genki Spark my life got more exciting and more social. I didn't really used to associate with people a lot before and I never put myself out there or even try to talk to someone I didn't know. The Genki Spark opened a door for me that I don't think ever would have been opened if I never joined. Now I know more people than I can count and I'm more social and outgoing than I was before.
2. How has being a part of the group empowered you as a woman?
Kumiko: I feel like it is okay to be strong and speak up even if we are told not to as women. As a woman I have the responsibility and ability to send an important message.
Mayuko: I've come to believe in myself a lot more than I used before I joined the group. I didn't think I would ever have the courage to be up on stage performing and even talking in front of crowds of people. I was able to find the courage to be able to share my life with other people and have my own voice instead of being influenced by other people. Now I'm able to give my own opinions about things without worrying about what other people would think of me. If I have something to say, I don't ever think that my opinion isn't important anymore.
3. How has being a part of the group helped you with your voice to speak out about your past experiences?
Kumiko: I was struggling and having a hard time for many years as a victim of domestic violence. My ex-husband constantly abused me and my three children both physically and verbally. At that time I couldn't tell anybody and I also couldn’t stand up to him. He was always hitting my children and saying that he needed to hit them because I was not teaching them anything and was not a good mother. One day my son asked me while crying why I didn't save him. It was a terrible experience and I always felt guilty. I was very afraid to say anything to my ex-husband because I knew he would become angrier and do more. I couldn't ask anybody for help so I knew I needed to change my life for myself and also for my children. I couldn't get out of the terrible situation for many years because I couldn't speak up and did not believe in myself. When Mayuko was one, we had a chance to live in United States for three years because of my ex-husband’s job and that experience changed my life. I started to feel that it was okay to be different, to be strong, and to speak up. So after we went back to Japan, I decided to come back to United States with just my children. My self confidence and self esteem was very low so I think that is why I made so many mistakes in my life. I really hope that nobody has to suffer because of domestic violence. I am telling my story because I really want to women to have the confidence and power to speak up.
Mayuko: I was always scared of telling people about my past since it really scared me to think that other people would find out and judge me about my family, so I always kept to myself. I never thought that I would ever talk to other people about how my father abused my brothers and growing up watching him hit them just for not studying. Of course I don't really tell this information to other people other than my Genki sisters; it's still very difficult for me to be able to talk about it without getting upset. But when I first shared the information about my past with other members of The Genki Spark, I felt like a giant weight was lifted from my shoulders and I knew that I didn't have to internalize all my emotions about things I have difficulty in handling by myself.
4. What hardships have you overcome or have been able to move past since you joined The Genki Spark?
Kumiko: I have Genki sisters to share my life with and accept who I am. The Genki sisters and the people whom I meet through taiko are proud and are not afraid to be different. I feel like I don't have to be ashamed of my past and now I am confident to be different. There is nothing hard about being a part of The Genki Spark. I can even feel better about myself and am hopeful when I am having hard time with something else.
Mayuko: I've been able to overcome my own insecurities. I never really liked how my body looked. I always compared myself to my friends who were skinnier than me and were more involved. I was never able to look past all of it so I just ignored everything. Every so often and whenever I liked someone I always told myself I wasn't good enough. The Genki Spark made me realize that there isn't anything wrong with how I look and how I am. I just have my own unique spark that defines who I am and everyone has a different spark to them that makes them special. It was really hard for me to be able to get over the appearance of my body since my dad would always point out the flaws in my body and made me feel like I'm not good enough. After joining The Genki Spark I learned that it doesn't matter what other people think and the only thing that matters is if I like my body the way it is now.
5. How does it feel to be loud and proud?
Kumiko: It is very hard to be loud because I am a traditional Japanese woman, but I am trying very hard to show other Japanese and Asian women that it is okay to be loud. I want them to be loud and be proud of themselves. If I believe in myself and am proud of myself, I can be loud!
Mayuko: It feels good. The only time I was ever loud was when I was with my guy friends and playing a sport. I'm one of those people in the class who doesn't say anything so I'm used to being very quiet. Because of that I grew to become very shy and maybe socially awkward but The Genki Spark made me realize that I do have a voice of my own that can be heard if I use it.
6. What is it like for you to be a part of this group with your Mother/Daughter?
Kumiko: It is a super special experience and I always feel how lucky I am to be able to do this with my daughter. We went through a very hard time together and I really want to show my daughter that it is okay to be different and it is okay to speak up. I really enjoy watching the changes in her since she joined The Genki spark. I am really happy to see her build up her self confidence since she was putting herself down because of the relationship with her father. I have a special trust for the Genki sisters so I am so happy and proud of her for being able to open up to the other members. I am so glad that she could do this because she didn’t want to tell me some things so I would not worry about her.
Mayuko: It's great! I don't think I have ever spent this much time with my mom since I was very little and she had to be with me. Since my mom was an only parent I've never been able to spend so much time with her and get to know her in many different ways. She was always busy so my brothers normally took care of me while she worked. I never would have thought that we would be doing the same thing none the less be in the same group. I grew up with friends who don't like their parents and always complained about them, but I never complained about my mother. I don't know if it's because my mom was just really nice and sweet to me or it's because I just didn't spend a lot of time with my mom so there was nothing for me to complain about since we barely talked. But it's great now that I get to spend so much time with her and that she's able to do something that she likes for once in her life.
7. Has being on the group strengthened your relationship with each other?
Kumiko: Yes. I think I know her better and she shares more about her concerns so we can work with on them together. I think and hope that she understands me more. I feel like we are learning and growing together. Also it is nice that we can go through this positive experience together rather than a difficult time. We are starting this new life together.
Mayuko: Yes, now I talk to her more about my problems rather than just internalizing them and just plastering a fake smile so no one would ask me what's wrong. It's still pretty hard to be able to talk to her about my problems since I don't like making her worry about anything in my life. She has so much to think about already. I know she wants to know my problems but she also has her own problems to think about so I never thought that it was appropriate to tell her my problems to make myself feel better while she still had things on her mind. I thought that telling her my problems would seem like I was saying that I'm not happy with the life that we live and make her depressed. But now I know that she wants to hear about my life so she can help me and she knows that whenever she has problems she can tell me or anyone else in The Genki Spark.
8. Anything else you want to add?
Kumiko: I am so lucky to be able to be a part of The Genki Spark because I can send a message to many people through taiko. I tried to change my life for myself and for my children and I am still in the process but I believe that if you believe in yourself, you can change something and nothing is impossible. Learn from my experience. In taiko, if the players trust each other, together they can make beautiful harmony and music. That is what The Genki spark does. Even though we are still beginners, we have a special and strong community relationship.
Mayuko: I'm very happy that I was able to join such an amazing group like The Genki Spark. Everyone in the group has given me such strength and it makes me feel like I can do anything. I've never been surrounded with so many people who care about me. Every day I feel so spoiled by all the love that is given to me by the wonderfully powerful women who I have the privilege of knowing and playing taiko with.