When art is commodified and placed on a pedestal, the myth persists that art belongs only to the money-wealthy. But JCAT director ARISA sees it differently: art is not sacred; it's an everyday part of life. When appreciated as a gift to be shared and experienced as such, art can transcend the borders that define our lives. As an agent of transformation, art in its myriad forms creates the human and vice versa. Through action and reflection, the artist's work turns the material world into the imaginative. Allowed to flow through the world as water does through the body, that fluid experience of art invigorates humanity. Arisa believes that if we open art to all, especially children, art can catalyze people to come together to create a society based on equality – one without national borders and without institutional discrimination.

Through Arisa's activities as a curator-creator and teacher-student she strives to activate the power of art in people's lives – not to change the world but one's view toward the world. With the Origami Project, Arisa has organized workshops from Nigeria to Canada to share the art of paper folding with young people. She has also made Ouchi Gallery in Brooklyn an open environment for emerging artists to experiment and collaborate on a level not often seen in the New York art scene, with group shows such as the 100 Artists Exhibition that bring together creators from around the globe. As coordinator for the Japanese Contemporary Artists Team (JCAT) in New York, she encourages young artists to live as artists and reach out into the world.