Meet the Team

Marsha Aizumi, founder & Former CHAIR/Executive director

Marsha is the proud mother of a transgender son and author of a memoir, Two Spirits, One Heart, with her son, Aiden. She is founder and chair of Okaeri, co-founder of PFLAG SGV API, and writes a column for the Pacific Citizen newspaper called A Mother's Take. Marsha has served on the PFLAG National Board of Directors, Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Parents of Transgender Children, and The Biden Foundation LGBTQ+ Equality Advisory Council, along with speaking to over 250 organizations, corporations, schools, and churches across both the US and Asia.

matthew Yonemura, ltsc Assistant program manager

Matthew is from Redondo Beach, California and serves as the Assistant Program Manager to both Little Tokyo Service Center programs Okaeri and Changing Tides. He graduated from DePaul University in Chicago, IL with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film and Television, which he utilized to create his feature-length film, the Ryse Up Documentary. Matthew is a 1 time marathon runner (and won't stop talking about it), frequent gym goer, retired Fortnite player, and amateur bowler (high score: 214).

cody Uyeda, program coordinator

Cody is a fourth-generation Japanese American currently based in Orange County. He received his BA in English and Communication from USC, and an MA in Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He is one of the co-editors of Letters to Home, and has also led other programs including a symposium on allyship and another on trans API individuals, the 2024 Okaeri Matsuri, and the Okaeri Voices archival program. His interests center around the intersections of culture, identity, and the Nikkei community.

Deena Umeda

Deena Umeda is queer woman from Los Angeles. She grew up in San Jose, California before returning to Los Angeles post-grad. She joined Okaeri as an intern in 2023 and continues her work with them on the steering committee. She graduated from UCSB in 2022 with a Degree in Asian American Studies and currently works for LTSC’s Changing Tides. In her free time she enjoys cooking, tending to her indoor plants and doing different kinds of arts and crafts, like felting and painting!

sohei Wu, intern

Sohei is currently pursuing a BS in Neuroscience at UCLA. He is hoping to soon become a licensed EMT, and in his free time, you'll most likely find him in a rock climbing gym. He is so excited to be joining the Okaeri community as an intern and hopes to meet and work with a wide variety of people in the LGBTQ+ and Japanese American communities!

marie Sekiguchi, intern

Marie is thrilled to contribute her fullest to Okaeri and support her Japanese American community in Little Tokyo, while also deepening her connection to her queerness this year. She is a third year urban and regional planning student at Cal Poly Pomona with emphasis on resiliency, sustainability, and the environment. Sh is particularly interested in cultural and historic neighborhood preservation. She also loves sewing to create costumes and personas.

Eric Arimoto

Eric Arimoto, he/him, is a fourth generation Japanese American gay man who grew up in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.  Eric has been on the Steering Committee since Okaeri’s founding in 2013, is one of the lead facilitators for Okaeri Connects (English) and currently is serving as the Chair of the Steering Committee.  Eric has a particular passion for making Okaeri a welcoming space for LGBTQ folks over 40 years old who wish to return to the village as their authentic selves. Eric currently lives in Long Beach, CA with his partner Paul and is a marriage and family therapist specializing in working with LGBTQ individuals, couples and adolescents and folks recovering from addiction and family-sourced trauma.

Justin Kawaguchi

Justin Kawaguchi is a fifth-generation (Gosei) Japanese American based in Los Angeles. He currently works as a management consultant and is a proud USC alumnus (Fight On!). He has been involved with the Okaeri community since 2019 and helped to launch its virtual programming and first hybrid conference. When not at work or volunteering with Okaeri, catch him in Little Tokyo, trying new street taco spots, or visiting his partner in San Francisco!

Gloria Fujita-O’brien

Gloria, a proud ally, was welcomed by the founding Okaeri team back in 2015, and to this day, she remains a devoted member of the Steering Committee. With a long career in producing live event and award show television, she naturally found her place within Okaeri Voices — a video series highlighting LGBTQIA+ and allied Nikkei (Japanese Americans) over the age of 60. These short films preserve deeply personal stories of self-discovery, heartbreak, and triumph for future generations. Now, with the energy and creativity of a new generation of Okaeri Voices producers, the series is expanding to include younger voices. Their journeys are just as compelling — different, yes, but equally powerful.  So stay tuned for the future of Okaeri Voices — more stories, more voices, and more ways to connect...

Karen Murakami

Karen is the proud mother of two gay sons. Focus with Okaeri is in the Christian faith space by helping to educate and sharing experiences in creating a safe space in church. Karen also utilizes her years of experience as a project manager to support the project planning and management of Okaeri’s bi-annual conferences. 

Glenn Murakami

Glenn is a third-generation Japanese-American, resident of Torrance, CA and proud father of two gay sons, Derek and Kyle. He is a retired bank credit administrator who enjoys road cycling, pickleball and fly fishing. He currently serves on Okaeri Steering Committee and supports Christian faith-based and family acceptance programs.

Daniel Tomita

Daniel Tomita (he/him) is a shin-nisei who was born and raised in Southern California and is a professional graphic designer who currently works for Walt Disney Imagineering. He has been a volunteer for Okaeri since 2016 serving in various capacities and has most recently helped with the planning and execution of Okaeri Matsuri, Letters to Home (the Okaeri book project), and Okaeri voices.

Shelly

Shelly’s journey as a parent, from the day her 15-year old child told her they are gay, then a few years later that they identify as non-binary/trans has been a profound learning experience for her, one of courage, family, and love. She credits Okaeri as being a major part of that learning. At Okaeri, she helps manage volunteers at all events, and has a special interest in projects serving parents of trans children.

Miho Asada

Miho Asada is the Chair of the Okaeri Social Committee, which focuses on hosting social events for the LGBTQ+ community along with their friends and family. Miho is also involved in the Little Tokyo community as a member of the Arts District Little Tokyo Neighborhood Council, Little Tokyo Community Council, and Little Tokyo Historical Society. Her day job is as an Architectural Designer at Stantec, a community-focused firm where she is the Co-Chair of Pride @ DTLA Stantec.

Wayne Itoga

Wayne Itoga has had a lifelong career in public service. A volunteer for many non profit institutions. Father. Divorced. Fanatic for classical ballet, fireworks, opera, baseball, Mahler…. Life is really short.

Mizuki

Keith Nishida

Keith (former Interim ED) is a queer bilingual shin-Nisei Japanese American community leader. Keith served as a national Pride program director for the North American Association of Asian Professionals, was invited to speak at Bain & Co., Movember Foundation, and Chambers of Commerce, and consulted for global brands like Toyota & Disney. With 20 years of professional experience, he previously served as Okaeri’s Interim ED, and is currently Lead Japanese Facilitator for Okaeri Connects!, a free monthly virtual LGBTQ+ & parents/ally support groups program. His collection of poems in the Okaeri Book: Letters To Home, speaks to the diversity within the LGBTQ+ JA community.

Rino Kodama (former staff)

Rino (former Tech, Media, Marketing Coordinator) is a nonbinary shin-nisei artist based in Los Angeles, originally from the Bay Area. They received their BA in Fine Art at UCLA with a focus in ceramics, and minored in Asian American studies. They are one of three co-editors of Letters to Home, and Okaeri’s former Tech & Media Marketing Coordinator. They strive to shape a compassionate Japanese American community that is able to hold our queer and trans multiplicities and expansiveness.

Bryan Takenaka (former intern)

Bryan is a Fashion Merchandising and Design student at California State University of Long Beach. He was also the CSULB Nikkei Student Union’s President from 2023-2024. As Okaeri’s first intern in 2021-2022, his goal was to connect students like himself to Okaeri while providing visibility to LGBTQ+ Nikkei!

Kai mita (former intern)

Kai Mita (he/him) was an Okaeri intern from July 2023 to July 2024, supporting events, volunteer coordination, and Okaeri Voices. He was also a Steering Committee member from 2024-2025. He is passionate about amplifying LGBTQ+ Japanese American stories and recently completed a Master’s in Management at the University of Illinois.