People who come to Japan can sometimes feel like they've been presented with a society akin to a Rubik's Cube. There are different colors and moving pieces, it takes time to figure out how it all makes sense. For Ayana Wyse, solving the puzzle hasn't just been a personal struggle. Instead, she has taken it on for her community.

Community organizer: Faced with limited options with regard to authentic cultural spaces, Ayana Wyse founded Black Creatives Japan as a way to find others like her looking to express themselves. | ALEX COOPER WEBSTER
Community organizer: Faced with limited options with regard to authentic cultural spaces, Ayana Wyse founded Black Creatives Japan as a way to find others like her looking to express themselves. | ALEX COOPER WEBSTER

From the suburbs of New York, the 33-year-old Wyse made the move to Japan nine years ago to teach in the Kansai region. She eventually moved to Osaka, a city she quickly fell in love with, and began carving out a life for herself there: She's a photographer, event organizer, DJ, part-time teacher and, most notably, a podcaster.