My DEI Story: Lisa Arafune

““Ganbare!”*

By Lisa Arafune, Director, Forge Policy Solutions

* Ganbaru, also romanized as gambaru, is a ubiquitous Japanese word, which roughly means to slog on tenaciously through tough times. The word Ganbaru is often translated to mean "doing one’s best", but in practice, it means doing more than one's best. The word emphasizes "working with perseverance" or "toughing it out.” (definition from the University of Illinois, Japan House https://japanhouse.illinois.edu/support/ganbaru-day-of-giving)

I was going to write My DEI Story about my personal ethnicity of being Japanese and American, but recent events made me say to myself, “Self, ganbare!!”  

Being of mixed cultures has it’s pros and cons. My favorite pro is knowing more than one culture intimately, from birth; I understand many of the unspoken rules, the facial cues, the silences that are special to each culture.  My least favorite con is the lack of acceptance in either culture; I’ve been an outsider in each culture because I’m not “of” that culture.  Sometimes, it’s knowing that people are whispering because they can tell you look different.  Sometimes, they ask you right up front, where are you from?  

Being sheltered at home the last year has prevented those problems for now.  

Now, I’m tired of other things.   

I’m tired of the pandemic.  I’m tired of people who live in a world with no pandemic.  I’m tired of wiping down my groceries.  I’m tired of my kids not being able to go to school.  And the list goes on.  

Today, I’m tired of being persistent, the one in the room, the one at the table, to say, “Hey, isn’t that a manel?” (Manel is an all-male panel) Or, “We need to include some women.”  Or, “We need to include minorities."  Or, “Any chance that this recommended speaker is a woman?”  

I spend a lot of time working with the science and technology community helping them to conceive and convene productive workshops and meetings.  You are probably aware that there is a serious challenge with diversity within this community.  This challenge with lack of diversity leads to many other problems with inclusivity and equity.  I’ve been fortunate to always be surrounded by white males within this community that are aware of the issue of diversity, and they do genuinely care about the issue, but are also rarely aware of what to do about it on a daily basis.  

So one very simple thing I do in my role is to point out when they have formed a manel for their panel.  Sure, I try to head it off as the idea for the panel is coming together, but it is always my job to point out, “We should try to find a woman speaker to include on this panel.”  “Are there any speakers that might be more diverse?” 

I’m tired.  

And what really made me feel tired today was when I had to say those words, I knew that I had been saying them for years, and I’m not saying them any less today than I was saying them 5 or 10 years ago.  

But I can’t quit.  And neither can you.  Because it is important.  My daughter is watching, and she is listening, and that makes it more important than my being tired.  

So...  

Ganbare!  Keep up the good work, you can do it! 

The WGR “My DEI Story” Blogs are featured monthly, highlighting the story of a DEI Committee Member or supporting ally. These blogs are designed to shine a light on the amazing diversity that exists within our community, and to recognize that EVERYONE has a DEI Story. Interested in having your story featured? Please send an email to dei.wgr@gmail.com.