Hi, I'm Anika.
I'm a 29-year-old, bilingual (EN | JP) producer and writer with a passion for storytelling and people, bridging cultures, and facilitating great content production processes and amazing, inclusive teams.
I began my media career in newspaper journalism in the United States, working solo almost every day throughout the COVID era. Since then though, I've expanded into work that bridges commercial and editorial, always with a people and culture-centered mindset.
That's the career gist, but please see below for the more personal stuff.🫰
About Me
At 27, I moved to Japan. Why? I get that question all the time.
Until then, I was on a path that felt just good enough.
I had graduated from an Ivy League university—one my father once dreamed of attending himself—then earned a graduate degree in multimedia journalism. I navigated the pandemic halfway through my program and eventually landed a job working a local newspaper reporter and writer in Nashville, Tennessee.
Newspaper writing wasn't my dream. I'd focused on video in graduate school. Still, I loved to write and it was the pandemic, so I went with the best offer I'd gotten.
I found deep fulfillment in that role. As my first job in media, it gave me a wonderful platform to tell real stories and connect with incredible people across Nashville and Tennessee —experiences I'll cherish forever. But something was missing. I didn’t quite feel like myself.
It wasn’t until I somewhat blindly applied for a newspaper job in Japan, got it, and then told my coworkers I was moving overseas for a new job that someone asked, “Why? That feels so out of left field!”
But to me, it didn’t feel out of left field.
My father is Black, with deep roots in the American South. My mother is Japanese, from Yokohama, Japan. Although I was born and raised in the U.S., I grew up immersed in both cultures.
Each parent spoke to me in their native tongue. My mother, who stayed at home with me most days, filled our household with Japanese meals, songs, TV shows, and a close-knit circles of Japanese family friends. Care packages from my grandmother in Yokohama arrived year-round, filled with my favorite snacks, magazines, and CDs.
On Saturday's in the U.S., from age 4 to 18, I attended Japanese School, surrounded by friends and teachers who were long-term Japanese expats. And every summer, my mother and I returned to Japan (Yokohama to be exact) where I spent weeks living with my grandparents, attending local public schools, and playing with neighborhood kids.
Even though my father’s military career had us moving every three years in the States, Japan remained my constant.
Every time I stepped into my grandparents’ home, I was greeted with: "Okaeri!" or “Welcome home!”
So, when I was told my decision to move to Japan was unexpected, I realized I had unintentionally made it seem that way. But inside, it felt completely natural. Because Japan is my home, too.
These experiences shaped who I am: Black and Asian, American and Japanese. They continue to shape how I approach storytelling and working with people -- always driven by a passion for humans, everyone's unique background, and cross-cultural bridges. Because we all have spaces, communities and experiences where we feel most like ourselves, and those stories are worth telling.
So, that’s my answer. That's why I'm here and want to build my career here.
I can’t wait to see where this journey takes me next.
When I’m not working, you’ll find me exploring Tokyo, Yokohama, and beyond with the most amazing loved ones—hunting down story-rich, shops, restaurants and cafes, wandering through lesser-known neighborhoods and towns, or rewatching Jordan Peele films for the umpteenth time.
Please feel free to reach out with absolutely anything!
大崎エクサム杏仁花と申します。
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
With gratitude,
Anika