{"id":155,"date":"2021-09-23T22:12:07","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T04:12:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/autodesk-foundation\/?p=155"},"modified":"2025-02-14T11:48:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-14T18:48:52","slug":"connecting-community-culture-and-creativity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.autodesk.com\/autodesk-foundation\/2021\/09\/23\/connecting-community-culture-and-creativity\/","title":{"rendered":"Connecting community, culture, and creativity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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How one employee’s leadership is building intergenerational bonds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

UPDATE: We are honored to receive a 2022 Bronze Anthem Award<\/a> for Most Impactful Corporate Initiative for the partnership between Kimochi, Autodesk Asian Network, Autodesk, and the Autodesk Foundation<\/em> on this project. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This year, Autodesk embraced its unique opportunity to accelerate positive outcomes through a company-wide impact strategy<\/a> that positions Autodesk to take action as a business, in partnership with customers, and to support its industries and the communities it serves. Autodesk employees engage with impact both within their roles and through volunteer, pro bono, and giving, which is facilitated by Autodesk and the Autodesk Foundation.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gail Tanaka, Global Integrated Marketing Lead for AEX and Global Lead of Autodesk Asian Network<\/a>, has been deeply involved in the Japanese American community of the San Francisco Bay Area for years. As a fourth-generation Japanese American, she volunteered for the nonprofit organization Kimochi<\/a> as a young adult, serving nutritious Japanese meals to community seniors. She experienced firsthand how important intergenerational relationships are to both the individual and community flourishing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gail Tanaka, Global Integrated Marketing Lead for AEX and Global Head of Autodesk Asian Network <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Creating together, remotely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Years later, after joining the Kimochi board of directors, Gail looked for ways to leverage Autodesk resources to support Kimochi\u2019s mission of helping seniors preserve their dignity and independence through culturally sensitive programs and services. In the past, many of Kimochi\u2019s programs involved tactile projects, like making origami. In response to the challenge of physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, Gail proposed that Kimochi teach seniors and youth how to use Autodesk\u00ae Tinkercad\u00ae<\/a> a simple,  web app for 3D design, electronics, and coding, as a way to continue creating Japanese American cultural items together, remotely.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kimochi jumped at the opportunity and, because of the Autodesk Foundation’s 2:1 donation match for employees serving on nonprofit boards, Gail\u2019s financial donation to Kimochi was enough to purchase a 3D printer, so the seniors and youth could create physical objects together like cherry blossoms and torii gates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe seniors had a lot of fun,\u201d says Grant Eshima, Program Specialist at Kimochi. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cBeing able to use a mouse and keyboard and change things that they perceive in their minds is definitely a new experience for them. It’s a great creative outlet for the seniors to impart their knowledge and their wisdom in a very engaging way.\u201d <\/p>\nGrant Eshima, Program Specialist, Kimochi <\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Grant Eshima Program Specialist at Kimochi shows 3D printed torii gates to a group of seniors and children<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Grant Eshima Program Specialist at Kimochi, children, and senior collaborate in Tinkercad<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Creating a sense of belonging<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For the youth, the program was an opportunity to learn about Japanese American culture from elders through the kind of technological medium they were already familiar with. \u201cThe children learned about not only Tinkercad, but also about our Japanese American culture,\u201d says Gail, \u201cand one day they’re going to be the senior, and they will be passing on our Japanese American culture to the next generation.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Gail Tanaka, children, and seniors admire 3D printed cherry blossoms at Kimochi<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Watch the video<\/h2>\n\n\n
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