Taylor Anderson was the first confirmed American casualty of the March 11, 2011 tsunami in Japan. As part of the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme, Taylor spent two and a half years teaching English to kindergarten, lower school and junior high school students in the coastal city of Ishinomaki of Miyagi Prefecture. She was last seen helping and assuring her students after the disaster.

The main purposes of the Fund are to help students, schools and families in the Ishinomaki area recover from the earthquake and tsunami as Taylor’s family expects Taylor would have wanted, and to pursue Taylor’s dream of being a bridge between the U.S. and Japan.

Live Your Dream: The Taylor Anderson Story

A film about hope, resilience, and the power of education.

Taylor Anderson was an American teacher who followed her dream of teaching English in Japan. She embraced the culture, inspired her students, and became a bridge between two nations. Live Your Dream tells her remarkable story, honoring her legacy and the resilience of those affected by the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami.

📺 Full-Length Documentary (89 minutes)

The complete story of Taylor’s life, her impact, and the communities she touched.

💌 For more information, educational use, or DVD inquiries, contact:

🌎 Visit Global Film Network

🎬 Official Selection 2013

“A beautiful film portrait of a beautiful personality and a life beautifully lived.” — Peter Grilli, Japan Society of Boston

“This film should be seen by both Japanese and Americans… it is redemptive.” — Dr. Merry White, Boston University

---

📺 Classroom Edition (38 minutes)

A shorter version designed for Japanese high school classes, focusing on Taylor’s journey and message of hope.

👉 Watch on YouTube | 📖 Live Your Dream Teachers Guide

---

New Horizon English Textbook featuring Taylor

New Horizons recently published a JH third year English textbook that includes a lesson on Taylor and how we can help each other in a disaster (attached front cover and lesson).  The text book is used in about 40% of 3^rd year JH classrooms so we were very pleased to see that! 

The US Embassy in Japan will be providing disaster kits to students throughout Japan as part of their America 250 initiatives.  Part of the kit will be the English Textbook Taylor Lesson and a flyer with QR codes linking to the 38 minute LYD and the Teacher’s Guide.

📖 New Horizon English Textbook

---