Rising Stars: Meet Michelle Chan

Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Chan.

Hi Michelle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was born in San Francisco and practically grew up in Japantown. Being involved and giving back to my community was something that was instilled in me at an early age. From working as a camp counselor to volunteering at events to leading our youth group, I really enjoyed helping others. As a college student at UC Riverside, I found myself not only taking on leadership roles for the clubs and teams I was a part of but planning their events. I loved the feeling of organizing something for others to enjoy, and this sparked my interest to work in events.

While finding my way into the event industry, I got a job working at Little Tokyo Service Center in their Child Development department. I was thrilled to do community work again and for the chance to contribute something meaningful. After a couple of years working at LTSC, I left to pursue a job in the events industry and began working as a wedding coordinator. It was a fast-paced industry, and I learned a lot.

Fast forward to 2019, I got an opportunity to help Little Tokyo Service Center open their new facility, Terasaki Budokan, a multi-purpose sports and activities center. Apart from having a gymnasium, the center would also have multiple event spaces. I had heard about the project many years ago and recognized how important this center would be to the Little Tokyo community. Not only would I be able to work events at the center, but I would get the chance to contribute to the community, two things that I was very passionate about.

Here I am four years later, with the privilege to still do what I love and work amongst an amazing team. Over the past four years, I’ve watched Terasaki Budokan flourish and grow beyond anything I could have imagined. It has become more than a place of work, a multi-purpose center, an event space. It has become my home and a home to many others. It is a place where friends get together every week to play basketball after work, where folks learn new skills in martial arts, where seniors get to play table tennis and socialize, and where children and families can come to an event and create memories. I am so grateful to be a part of something that means so much to the Little Tokyo community.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We knew that opening the facility would be a monumental challenge. However, we never anticipated having to open in the middle of a worldwide pandemic. We expected to face some issues with a brand new building, learning how everything operates, making sure everything is working properly, testing out equipment, and troubleshooting. Amongst those things, we needed to develop our operations, build and train our team, all while navigating the ever-changing health requirements. We needed to do our part to ensure that we were serving our community but also keeping them safe. To do this, we needed to be proactive and adapt quickly so that things like senior activities and youth sports could be held at our facility. We came up with creative and safe ways for people to connect, like outdoor exercise classes and outdoor events. We also responded to the needs of the community, such as working with clinics to administer vaccines and holding self-defense classes for seniors.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the Events Manager at Terasaki Budokan. I plan and organize our fundraisers and community events. What I enjoy most about planning our events is seeing everyone having a good time. I’m most proud of the community that has been built at the facility. I love saying hi to our regular visitors, instructors, and program participants and seeing them develop relationships with each other. It’s great seeing our visitors trying the different programs we offer, hanging out after class, and attending our community events. I have a strong commitment to the vision of Terasaki Budokan and its continued growth. Because of this, I work really hard and contribute in any way I can to ensure that it continues to fulfill its purpose to the community.

Our next community event is our Haunted Little Tokyo Scavenger Hunt which will be taking place on Saturday, October 28th from 1-5pm. The event is in partnership with the Little Tokyo Community Council and Go Little Tokyo. The scavenger hunt will guide participants throughout Little Tokyo to learn more about its rich culture and history and get treats along the way. It then will end at Terasaki Budokan where there will be games, activities, music, and more fun for families to enjoy. The event is free with an RSVP on our website. We are looking forward to hosting this community event and seeing everyone in costume!

Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I think that risks are very important for both business as well as personal growth. I would say that I often make more calculated decisions rather than taking a lot of risks simply because every risk is different in its own way. I approach each situation by carefully evaluating all the factors, whether I need to do further research on the matter, confide in those around me, or weigh out the pros and cons. I want to be prepared for all possible outcomes and have back up plans in place before moving forward with my final decision. Looking back at my career, one of the biggest risks that I took involved resigning from my position at LTSC to primarily focus on the event industry. I believe the decision I made worked out in my favor. Not only did I enjoy working for LTSC, but I also created great relationships with a lot of amazing people. When I received the opportunity to come back to LTSC to join the Terasaki Budokan team, I realized the risk was definitely worth taking because of how much I learned throughout my time away and how I could apply my knowledge to benefit the organization. Taking that risk gave me the opportunity to be able to create memorable events and play a part in serving our community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.terasakibudokan.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/terasaki.budokan/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Terasaki.Budokan/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/TerasakiBudokan
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LittleTokyoServiceCenter
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/terasaki-budokan-los-angeles
• Other: https://www.ltsc.org/

Image Credits
Jessica Millete Dale Castro Sharon Kamegai-Cocita Lianna Gutierrez