Stacey Shigaya (STAY-cee SHE-guy-uh)

Biographical information

Stacey was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and is the Executive Director of Sakura Foundation and Executive Advisor to Sakura Square LLC, which is solely owned by the foundation. The mission of Sakura Foundation is to celebrate and share Japanese and Japanese American (J/JA) heritage and culture in order to promote a more compassionate, resilient, and equitable society.

Stacey holds a BA in Human Development and Learning, an MS in Counseling and Personnel Services, and is a member of many community organizations including PFLAG Denver, Mile High JACL, Asian Chamber of Commerce, and Simpson United Methodist Church, whose multicultural congregation is deeply rooted in the J/JA culture and experience. She serves on the Denver Women’s Commission, one of 10 commissions under the Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships which liaise with and advocate to the Mayor of Denver on issues affecting women and girls. Stacey also volunteers with Okaeri, a nonprofit based in Los Angeles which supports the J/JA LGBTQ+ and ally community. She is the proud mother of two amazing kids.

Along with 120,000 people of Japanese ancestry, Stacey’s U.S.-born mother and father were sent to concentration camps during WWII. Due in large part to the experiences that her parents endured, she has great respect for and dedication to upholding justice, identifying and fighting discrimination, and bringing more compassion and unity to our lives.