D “If we’re serious about making the world a better place, giving back is a required part of the formula.” “Even with a very demanding, time-consuming job, Derek is still highly involved in the community,” says Stacey Shigaya, who nominated Okubo for the Asian American Hero award. “You will see him at the Japan America Society of Colorado Kite Festival, the annual pilgrimage to the Amache Concentration Camp in Granada, Colo., the Anti-Defamation League Civil Rights Award Ceremony and a variety of other community events and programs throughout the year.” Okubo serves as a board member for
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While Derek Okubo has a long list of accomplishments, his greatest is raising his three children: daughter, Yumi, and sons, Mason and Duncan. “I’m very proud of each them, and they impress me as people,” he says. “I especially like how they treat people of all types in such a genuine and caring manner.” However, it’s inevitable that Okubo’s contributions and dedication to various local communities has influenced his kids — along with many other youngsters in the Colorado — to become compassionate individuals. As executive director for the Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships for the City and County of Denver, Okubo oversees nine offices and 10 community commissions that connect the Mayor’s Office to departments of the local government and the community.
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CITY & COUNTY OF DENVER Executive Director of Agency for Human Rights and Community Partnerships Denver Sister Cities International, Japan America Society of Colorado and Sakura Foundation, as well as the Emily Griffith Foundation and the National Civic League. As a Council Leader of U.S.-Japan Council, he was a member of the 2014 Japanese American Leadership Delegation program and traveled to Japan to make connections with Japanese leaders. Before Okubo became a board member for the Sakura Foundation, he was asked by the organization, along with Sakura Square LLC, to share his knowledge of the Japanese-American (JA) community and community organizing skills with the Strategic Planning Committee to help plan for the current redevelopment of Sakura Square. With his guidance, the committee was able to glean the climate of the community and their hopes for Sakura Square into the future. “As a Sakura Foundation board member, Derek contributes to the Mirai Generations Leadership Program Committee, for which he donates his time and talents to conduct learning sessions to hone the leadership and communication skills of the participants and build connections with and an understanding of JA community,” Shigaya says. “His story, compassion and generosity are indeed inspiring for our future leaders of the Japanese American community.” Born and raised in Colorado, Okubo credits where he is today to what others have taught him through the years. “Because of that, I personally feel a sense of responsibility to give back and I enjoy do-
ing so,” he says. “If we’re serious about making the world a better place, giving back is a required part of the formula.” To Okubo, family comes first — work and other things come second. “For me, when I remind myself that my family always comes first, any decision about time or commitment is easy — most of the time, anyway,” he says. Okubo encourages younger generations to pursue a profession they enjoy rather than one they think might make them more money. “I know plenty of wealthy people who are so unhappy with their jobs and wish they were doing something different that had meaning,” he says. Meanwhile, his personal advice is: “Always choose love over wealth.”
Okubo was the emcee for the 2018 Day of Remembrance event that recognizes Japanese American WWII incarceration
Okubo oversees nine offices and 10 community commissions that connect the Mayor’s Office to departments of the local government and the community Photo Credit: Gil Asakawa
2018 Asian American Heroes of CO | asian avenue magazine
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