“I am 52 years old, and for a very long time I thought that I would never meet another Japanese Jewish queer person in my lifetime. I have spent so much time thinking about what it means to be mixed race, what Jewish tradition and culture teaches about nonwhite Jews, and why my queerness is informed by my Judaism, but not my Japanese family. Which is all to say, I am totally behind your project!”

— Sara Sarahson, Jewpanese community member, Berkeley

“May I just say that Carmel Tanaka is force of good. Singlehandedly ensuring that the Jewish Queer and Trans community in Vancouver and surrounding areas are getting seen and heard. Providing cultural programs, aging and health care information and a myriad of programming that speaks to a bit of a niche group.”

— Marc Gelmon, JQT community member, Vancouver

“Carmel was a consultant for our film 'Seagrass' which deals with sensitive racial material relating to the history of Japanese Canadians. We asked Carmel to facilitate a discussion with the cast and crew of the film so that there was open dialogue and learning around this subject matter. The cast and crew all come from different backgrounds but it was clear that the discussion that Carmel facilitated was meaningful for everyone who took part in it. She presented a lot of historical knowledge in an accessible and engaging way and she even spoke about her own family history and how it related to the themes in our film. Many of the cast and crew expressed a better understanding of the subject matter and also how moved they were by the discussion. We could not have found a better person to help guide the team through such heavy discussions. Thank you so much Carmel!”

— The Seagrass Team, Vancouver

“Carmel is a gifted and empathetic facilitator and leader in the Jewish community. The No Silence on Race team has had the great privilege of working along side Carmel and JQT in many collaborations including PRISM. Carmel brings honesty, integrity and love to her community work and her leadership is changing the landscape of what it means to be a Jew in Canada and globally today.”

— Sara Yacobi-Harris, Founder, No Silence on Race, Toronto

“We found Carmel's story especially interesting as she has both Jewish and Japanese heritage and has felt the generational impact of both the Holocaust and the Japanese internment camps in Canada. Her past has inspired her to speak to students across Canada and educate them about genocide prevention. We were so grateful to Carmel for taking the time to speak with our class. Her presentation introduced us to the ways our past informs our present, and she inspired us to ask questions of our family in order to learn about our histories.”

— Tomer Berko, Grade 12 student, King David High School

“We've already received a lot of positive feedback from the attendees and they really appreciate you sharing your history. It was very fascinating and we learned more about Canada's history from this workshop than we do in school!”

— Saniya, Talk Future Canada

“I feel like my school hasn't done much (nonetheless much during the whole school year). Plus, much of Asian Heritage and history isn't taught to us (students), especially from a non-colonial/not-curriculum perspective, so this could be a wonderful learning experience and awareness thing for everyone. It'd be a great change for students.”

— Teresa, Talk Future Canada

“A high standard of community collaboration and involvement that is highly appreciated by everyone.”

— Larry Gontovnick, Victoria Jewish Community Centre

“I’ve worked with Carmel on a number of projects. She’s bright, creative, well organized and efficient. Each of the projects was very well executed. She was a delight to work with and I can recommend her without reservation.”

— Jack J Huberman, QC, Victoria

“Carmel is an exemplary Jewish professional and an innovative visionary, who builds bridges within the Jewish community and with the greater community in which we live, to better the lives of marginalized, overlooked and disconnected Jewish individuals.”

— Lisa Cohen Quay, RSW, MSW, MPA, Vancouver

“A giant thank you to Carmel and the JQT organization for their relentless championing of artists and community builders world-wide. We brought our senior-focused production, Florida! Ya Kill Me!, to both Toronto and Vancouver. … JQT found us funding, accommodation, and provided the most endearing welcome into Canada. … I look forward to finding new ways to work with JQT in the future!”

— Nana Schewitz, JQT artist, Berlin

“Carmel organized an amazing event! I am constantly performing at Jewish institutions and nonprofits, and very few of them run as smoothly and professionally as JQT. Carmel is an incredible producer, a lovely host, and a pillar of the community. Everyone adores her, and she's done incredible work for the queer Jews of Vancouver. I really hope I can work with JQT and Carmel again, because this experience was fantastic”

— Antonia Lassar, JQT artist, Los Angeles

“Carmel has an extraordinary talent for creating safe and engaging learning environments for her clients. She is skilled at imparting knowledge on anti-racism, anti-homophobia, and intersectional identities, and speaks genuinely from her lived experiences. Her ability to adapt programs (on the fly sometimes!) to encourage the full participation of workshop participants - often folx from equity-seeking groups - is quite magical! I have worked with Carmel on several grassroots projects and she is an absolute joy to collaborate with. She does not shy away from disrupting the status quo in favour of more equitable and inclusive processes, and is masterful at calling in with love and kindness - both qualities that are invaluable in the EDI field.”

— Halimah Beaulieu, EDI Consultant, Collaborator, Vancouver

“Carmel presents in such an authentic, genuine way. She is relatable and honest. I learned so much and would have listened to her speak for days! I'm so grateful to have the presentation to refer back to when planning in the future and when having conversations with colleagues.”

— DEI Workshop Participant, Esquimalt Military Family Resource Centre

“Hearing your own story and how you have been directly impacted was so valuable. It allowed the students to move from knowing the concept of genocide to actually connecting and caring about this issue as there is now a face and a name attached. Moreover, it was great to hear some ideas for how we can move forward and from these experiences now. I really appreciated your direct approach as it also reinforced that genocide is not something that we can take lightly or that exists only in the past. Thank you!”

— Lisa Lacki, Genocide Studies 12, Ecole Panorama Ridge Secondary

“By sharing her own story - tracing her Jewish and Japanese ancestry across continents, the holocaust and the internment of Japanese Canadians - she opened the door for high school students to talk about themselves: their names, their heritage, their experiences with racism. Some students were uncomfortable because they were challenged to think critically about their identity, some students were surprised at what their peers, who they thought they knew well, shared.”

— Charles Schofield, Director of Student Life, Meadowridge School

“In accepting the role of Jewish Chaplain two years ago, I did not envision an involvement with such an enthusiastic and dynamic individual as Carmel. She provides a level of creativity and inspiration that is quite remarkable.”

— Sharon Kobrinsky, UVic Multifaith Services, Humanistic Judaism, Victoria