USJLP Delegate Dave Cavell (USJLP 2025, 2026) Reflects on Hiroshima in TIME Magazine

Dave Cavell, a Delegate of the US-Japan Leadership Program (USJLP 2025-2026), has published a reflection in TIME magazine following his recent visit to Hiroshima as part of this year’s USJLP Annual Conference.

Cavell, David The article, titled “How Meeting a Hiroshima Survivor Gave Me Hope,” recounts Cavell’s personal journey from helping draft President Obama’s historic 2016 speech at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial to meeting survivor and peace advocate Koko Kondo during USJLP’s visit to the same site. The essay explores the evolving relationship between the United States and Japan through the lens of shared memory and mutual understanding.

cavell-with-kondo “Meeting Koko-san and being able to share the background to President Obama's speech with her was one of the most unforgettable moments of my life,” Cavell writes. “That I got to experience it alongside my USJLP family made this shocking and beautiful alignment of circumstances feel even more meaningful, like a literal embodiment of this program’s promise to bring together people from Japan and the United States.”

Cavell’s visit to Hiroshima occurred during the 2024 USJLP Annual Conference, held this year in Kyoto, with a special day trip to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial and Museum. These annual gatherings bring together emerging leaders from the United States and Japan for intensive dialogue, cultural exchange, and collaborative learning. More information about USJLP Conferences is available on the U.S.-Japan Foundation website here.

Cavell is a speechwriter, lawyer, and founder of Dave Cavell Strategies, where he advises Fortune 500 companies, university presidents, and international organizations. He previously served as head speechwriter to Vice President Kamala Harris and as a presidential speechwriter for President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama. He currently serves as Interim Executive Director of the Brookline Community Development Corporation.

To read the full article, visit: https://time.com/7307598/us-japan-hiroshima-anniversary/

Also, please check out another USJLP Delegate, Sayaka Kankolongo Watanabe (USJLP 2024-2025), mentioning Cavell's piece and the trip to Hiroshima.