While dancers traditionally begin their training at a studio with mirrors and a ballet barre, could dancers learn their biggest life lessons about their authentic selves performing in a parking lot? Motivated to learn dancing based on earning a snow cone when he was four, dancer/educator Brandon Morio Ishikata explores his journey learning Bon Odori (Japanese folk dance) at the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center in preparation for the annual Obon (summer dance festival). Through his “love letter” talk, Ishikata explores how learning Bon Odori as a child teaches us about the symbolism/importance of intergenerational connection, cultural acceptance, and instilling the Japanese values of kindness, respect, and love in ALL of us. Brandon Morio Ishikata, M.Ed., CYT serves as an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Illinois Chicago Honors College and a professional dancer, choreographer, and teacher. An educator and UIC’s New Academic Advisor of the Year in 2023, Brandon teaches college students Asian Americans in pop culture, yoga/mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, and ballroom dance through a leadership lens. Through dancing, he studied on a scholarship at the country’s largest social/partner dance studio, May I Have This Dance, was selected to perform at the 100th anniversary of Miss America, and performed two seasons with the four-time Emmy Award winning dance company, The Puzzle League. An advocate for the Asian American voice, Brandon was an inaugural Japanese American Citizens League Kakehashi Project scholar/supervisor, a Japanese American National Museum 30 Under 30 Changemaker, and was featured in the California Museum’s signature exhibit, “Uprooted!”, on the Japanese American WWII story. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx