By MIKE MURASE
Margaret Shimada retired at the end of March after a 15-year tenure at Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) as the director of service programs/director of social services from 2016 to 2024 and as resource development director from 1995 to 2002.
Under her leadership, LTSC’s social services were expanded to meet the evolving needs of the community with new groundbreaking initiatives. Most recently, Shimada helped spearhead the creation of a new homeless services program focused on outreach, direct services, and housing navigation for unhoused people in Little Tokyo and beyond.
LTSC Executive Director Erich Nakano said, “Margaret lent her relationship-building skills and exceptional work ethic to strengthen our Social Services Department. Under her leadership, the social services staff increased to 30 clinicians, case managers, resident coordinators, and support staff. Margaret championed a focus on wellness in our community at a time when mental health issues were approaching crisis proportions across the country.
“Her most significant accomplishment is the 2018 launch of Changing Tides, an innovative approach to engage young Asian Americans to reduce mental health stigma in our community.”
Changing Tides is led today by a young adult leadership group who call themselves the “CT Crew.” The 23-year-old program coordinator, Matthew Yonemura, recalled, “Margaret told me that she had a good feeling at the outset when Courtlyn (UCLA graduate and Shimada’s daughter) brought up the idea of creating a mental health program for young adults. To be here today, with six years of services and activities behind us, it speaks to Margaret’s intuition, insight, and dedication to the programs she believes in.”
Her colleagues at LTSC reflected on the impact Shimada had on the staff. Yasuko Sakamoto, LTSC’s founding director of social services, recalled, “I’ve known Margaret since the ’80s when she was an MSW student at UCLA. She is highly regarded by her peers for her strengths in program development, networking, and fundraising, but her background as a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) gave her the grounding she needed to guide her staff in delivering services to the community. More than anything, Margaret is kind and gentle. She is a resilient warrior who makes things happen.”
Shimada worked with a trusted leadership team of six seasoned social workers to guide the multi-faceted department. Jun Hori, manager of care and support programs, reflected, “I can’t imagine having gone through so many unprecedented times, including the COVID-19 pandemic, without Margaret’s unique leadership of providing support, strength, compassion, and creativity, all with tremendous courage and grace.”
In 1995, during her first stint as the resource development director, she launched the Tofu Festival, a popular fundraising event attended by 20,000 people and involved 200+ volunteers. Ayumi Omoto, a fellow LCSW and close associate, remembers, “Margaret coordinated Tofu Festivals for several years. It was a tough way to raise money! It took a lot of people to carry out an event that took two entire days and many more hours of preparation in advance. Margaret’s main strength is her positivity, and willingness to at times take big jumps forward with confidence to make things happen.”
Tom Sogi, a long-time friend and LTSC colleague, said, “Although Margaret followed a legend in Yasuko, she was able to maintain the high standards of LTSC in providing services for the needy. Margaret is a tireless worker, but her biggest asset is in connecting with most anyone. And what a friend she’s been to me, so worried about my welfare like helping me move, my health, keeping me in the loop after I retired.”
LTSC’s Board of Directors has also taken note of Shimada’s relationship-building skills. Board member, doctor, and philanthropist Keith Terasaki said, “Margaret has done a fantastic job leading her group and expanding services. Margaret provides energy, enthusiasm, and leadership in delivering much-needed services. She has trained a lot of the Social Services staff to have similar qualities. ”
Another board member, Jeff Yonemura, director of a cooperative financial institution, remarked, “We met while we were undergrads at UCLA and renewed our friendship after many years when our sons were basketball teammates. Margaret knows EVERYONE! That alone will be irreplaceable as an asset to LTSC.”
Yonemura added, “I really admire how she works hard to achieve consensus and is very thoughtful about what others think. At the same time, she is a force! When she is determined, she gets things done!”
Shimada also developed many positive relationships with other nonprofits and resources. Gene Kanamori, the former president and CEO of Keiro, recalls, “I got a chance to work with Margaret very closely; we were in many meetings together, discussing difficult topics and looking for solutions. The conversations were always about ‘helping people.’ She listens, she processes, and she carries things out. And Margaret always had a way of making you feel good about yourself. Never wanting credit, she just did the work without any fanfare and gave others credit.”
Another long-time acquaintance, Dennis Murata, the retired deputy director of L.A. County’s Department of Mental Health, said, “I’ve known Margaret for four decades and have seen her professional growth over the years, but amazingly, her core values and attitude towards people have remained solidly intact. Truly, she is a kind and wonderful person and a great listener. Her interactions with others are genuine and sincere.”
While having many administrative and supervisory duties, Shimada was also involved in direct client services and in “just reaching out to people in need.” Alison Kochiyama, executive director of Gardena Valley Japanese Cultural Institute, remembered, “Years ago, during an extremely painful time of my brother’s last stage of life succumbing to AIDS, Margaret provided our family with such passion and support, and facilitated deep and difficult conversations that we wished we had much earlier on. We will always be grateful for Margaret’s sincere kindness, gentleness, and open heart.”
Ned and Irene Sasaki said their first conversation with Shimada “felt right.” “After losing Kevin, we started looking for suicide prevention resources that focused on mental health that people could donate to … to help those at risk just like Kevin. I had contacted a few groups but it was only with Margaret did it feel like ‘this is the person.’ Margaret was kind, understanding, and a great listener.
“She understood our desire to make Kevin’s life matter and because of Margaret and Changing Tides, we have an organization of people that are using Kevin’s life to make a difference. The annual walk is a time for remembrance, healing, and a call to action. Her greatest skill is in mentoring others to be leaders. This is how legacies are made. We have been blessed to be a part of Margaret’s legacy.”
Margaret Shimada, no doubt, will leave an indelible mark at LTSC as a whole, but in particular in the areas of social services, homeless services, relationship-building, and resource development. At the same time, Shimada has been deliberate and intentional in her own succession planning. For the past few months, she has shepherded a successful transition to her successor, Peter Gee, who brings excellent management skills and a well-rounded lived experience to provide leadership and support to his staff and LTSC overall.
Shimada’s lifetime of contributions extends not only to LTSC, Little Tokyo, and the Japanese American community, but she has also worked for or consulted with Asian American Drug Abuse Program (AADAP), Keiro, Korean Youth & Community Services (KYCC), Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), Center for Pacific Asian Families, Pediatric Therapy Network, and UCLA Stein Eye Institute.
Shimada’s daughter and best friend, Courtlyn Shimada, LCSW, revealed, “My mom’s best quality is her ability to talk to anyone and make them feel comfortable instantly. Despite her social nature, she will insist that she is a true introvert and needs alone time (usually spent watching Korean dramas). My mom comes from a huge family, and I think this is the most important thing in her life. Personally, I think Changing Tides has been one of her greatest accomplishments; I think her work has inspired so many of us to just ‘try and see what happens.’ I think her optimism in this sense is contagious.”