Who Are We?
What Do We Do?
NAGOYA ACTION HEROES
Started 2017
We, Nagoya Action Heroes, are a service action group at Nagoya International School. We are located in Nagoya, Japan. Our club is affiliated with Blank Noise, an organization based in India. While we attempt to remove the culture of victim-blaming & break down the patriarchy, to help make public spaces safe & inclusive for all, we are going beyond in collaborating with the school & local community to spark conversations around themes of gender, sexuality, identity, & privilege. We facilitate a dialogue to question the notion of shame, we make efforts to be allies to those who are fighting these battles alone on the ground, & introduce our communities to new & challenging perspectives on gender & sexuality through an intersectional, rights-based approach. Our club started off fairly small with only four committed heroes to start off with, but now, we have grown so much. We continue to try to make a difference in our communities and help support others working to make a difference in communities all around the world.
AT NAGOYA ACTION HEROES, WE MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
Meet the Heroes
Our club has been growing, and we want to showcase all our amazing heroes who are working to make a difference.
Sasha Takoo
12th Grade
I joined Nagoya Action Heroes when it was first made at Nagoya International School. This club was a very new experience for me because I learned a lot about the experiences of others in the community as well as becoming more aware of my privilege in society.
Emily Blakely
12th Grade
I'm Emily from Minnesota, USA and am currently in the 11th grade at NIS. I joined Nagoya Action Heroes during its first year in the hopes that I would develop more knowledge about some of the topics surrounding sexual harassment and create a safer, more inclusive environment at our school. So far I am very proud of what the club has achieved so far and I can't wait to see what we do in the following years.
Anna Takasugi
12th Grade
I'm Anna from Japan. I joined this club because I did not know much about LGBTQ and I wanted to learn more about the issues of LGBTQ, sexual harassment, and such other communities. I was very happy that NAH is one of the clubs in NIS and stands up as the ally that inspires the community.
R.U.
12th Grade
I joined this club because I had no information about LGBTQIA, consent and sexual harassment. One of the reason is that I didn't have proper education about these topics and I wanted to learn more about these topics. I am an ally and would like to inspire the whole community about being an ally and how to support the community by being an ally.
Serena Ikai
12th Grade
I joined Nagoya Action Heroes because I was inspired by my friends' work in the club and I decided that I wanted to join to take action with them. I saw NAH being very successful throughout the school years, and I have been very happy in this club because of the difference that we made at our school and the community.
Risa Isobe
12th Grade
I joined the Nagoya Action Heroes a year after the creation of the club. I was interested in the club and was amazed by the wide range of success this club has achieved in only a year. This had appealed for me, making me wonder about wanting to make such a change. I decided to join the club in the hope to learn more about sexuality and consent. Although I am still learning, I know that identity expression and knowledge on concent and sexuality are very low especially in Japan. With the influence of this club, I hope to grow as a person to prepare myself in the future.
Wakana Kitamura
12th Grade
I first joined this club back in 2018 because I was inspired by my fellow classmates leading me to have interest in spreading awareness about the LGBTQIA community. Throughout the club, I learned about the LGBTQIA community and extended my knowledge about it. This allowed me to be more confident about myself along with extending my understanding and support towards the community. From the experience I had in this club, I believe I can inspire and impact Japanese society even further.
Desmond Pearlz
12th Grade
I joined at the start of this school year when I came to NIS. I joined the club because I wanted to have a place where I could voice my feelings and opinions: specifically, about the LGBTQIA++ community and other issues. We help solve problems that we see around the school and in our community. Overall I have had a fantastic time in this club and I am so excited to see what opportunities we have in the future.
Ms. Tulika
Club Supervisor
I started the Nagoya Action Heroes club at Nagoya International School in 2017. I remember standing behind a booth, alone, with a signup sheet hoping that young people will take interest in being a part of a safe space where they can be vulnerable, learn compassion, and have open conversations about topics related to gender. As someone who has survived abusive relationships and has been a victim of child sexual abuse and trauma, I understand and know from experience, how important it is for young people to learn about consent, friendships, relationships, romance, and sexuality through an intersectional lens.
Lisa Haimowitz
9th Grade
I joined this club because I didn't know much about the LGBTQ community and wanted to know more about it. I have seen what changes this club has done to our school and want to know more and help with the activities.
Zoha Afreen
9th Grade
My name is Zoha and I joined Nagoya Action Heroes because I wanted to learn more about gender and sexuality and also wanted to spread awareness about these topics in school and other places. I was interested in this club and decided to try it. A lot of changes have been made for the school community and we are learning more about these topics and spreading awareness, helping the community.
Grace Lennartson
12th Grade
My name is Grace and since moving from the USA, I wish to bring along some of the same benefiting qualities that were present in my previous school communities. Among them were the inclusiveness of all students, largely in respect to the LGBTQ+ community, which motivates me to encourage the same at NIS and globally as well. This greatly promoted connections of diverse students and advocating for each other's rights, allowing my beginning years of high school to be a much friendlier experience as for many others also. Additionally, I hope to learn more about gender, sexuality, identity, privilege, and overall how to remove cultural stigmas, in order to promote a wholesome society.
Emmett Pearlz
10th Grade
My name is Emmett Pearlz, and I'm 13 years old. I joined NAH because I think my school's students and employees need to be informed about important issues such as LGBTQ+ rights, sexual education, and many more. I'm excited to learn more about how to be active in my community.
Chika Takase
9th grade
I joined this club because I wanted to know more about what the LGBTQ community is and how I can be involved and take action towards it. Because I have stayed in this school for a long time, I have seen changes made because of this club. Every year this club tries to raise awareness with other people in our community and get other members involved. But because they're fewer people who know about this community we have fewer people who joined this club because people are scared to take action towards this. That's why I joined this club not just to sit there and do nothing but to take action and share awareness.
Christopher Reid
Club supervisor
I wanted to be involved with Nagoya Action Heroes to raise my awareness and those around me in our school and community. There are so many voices that are not heard throughout the world and people who may not feel as though they belong, and we should be able to provide a safe space for them in any capacity. The group has done outstanding work throughout the years, and I am excited to join the team and be a part of their history!
Lilly Park
9th grade
I joined NAH to support the communities that need help to spread awareness. It is important to be accepting and supportive of others and I felt that joining the club was a way to take that extra step in doing so. It's also a new opportunity to learn about new things and and getting that opportunity to share the importance with others.