20 Dec Remembering Marsha Aizumi
There will be a Celebration of Life for Marsha at Centenary United Methodist Church on Saturday, January 31, at 11:00 AM.
Location: Centenary United Methodist Church, 300 S Central Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90013
Parking: Opens at 10:00 AM
Attire: Aloha attire or bright, joyful colors
Please RSVP for the service by clicking this link.
If you would like to send condolences to the Aizumi family, you may email communications@LTSC.orgcreate new email or mail to: 231 E 3rd St, G-106 Los Angeles, CA, 90013, c/o Matthew Yonemura or Cody Uyeda.
The Aizumi family has also asked that in lieu of koden or flowers, individuals donate to Okaeri in Marsha’s memory.
LTSC will host the following in-person and virtual support spaces to process the loss of Marsha:
In-Person: January 24th, 3pm-4:30pm, at the Terasaki Budokan.
Virtual: January 16th and January 23rd, 6pm-7pm.
Please RSVP for the support spaces at: bit.ly/MarshaSupportSpaces
You can find additional resources for grief and loss with our colleagues at HelpGuide and the LA County Department of Mental Health.
Learn more about Marsha’s passion, Okaeri: www.okaeri.org, her book ‘Two Spirits, One Heart’, and an archive of her articles in Pacific Citizen.
Remembering Marsha Aizumi: A Pioneering Advocate for the Nikkei LGBTQ+ Community
As we enter 2026, we pause to remember the life of Marsha Aizumi—founder of Okaeri, compassionate leader, selfless advocate, and dear friend. Marsha passed away peacefully on Thursday, December 18th, 2025 after a yearlong battle with leukemia.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Marsha earned her B.A. from California State University Los Angeles, majoring in American Studies and minoring in English. She continued on to a career in human resources, holding various director roles at a charter school and building a thriving consulting practice focused on staff training and experiential learning.
Marsha’s LGBTQ+ advocacy began through her love for her son, Aiden, whose life-changing experiences after coming out as transgender inspired her to take action. A natural community leader, Marsha joined the PFLAG National Board of Directors in 2011, and in 2012, co-founded PFLAG San Gabriel Valley API. In 2013, together with Aiden, she published a book, “Two Spirits, One Heart,” recounting her and Aiden’s journeys towards love, acceptance, and hope.
In 2014, overcoming fear, stigma, and pushback, she convened the first conference for LGBTQ+ Japanese Americans (Nikkei) at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles. That conference grew into Okaeri, the first organization in the U.S. dedicated to serving LGBTQ+ Nikkei and their families. Marsha’s impact through Okaeri is immeasurable, but some of her many achievements include building relationships with donors such as the Aratani and Masto Foundations, which gave Okaeri the ability to grow; developing resources and programming for parents; championing innovative projects such as Okaeri Voices, Okaeri Connects, and Letters to Home; and most importantly, showing what it means to embody love and acceptance for Nikkei and LGBTQ+ individuals of all backgrounds and identities.
Despite her numerous achievements, what shone brightest about Marsha was her magnetic personality. A self-described “connector” of people and ideas, she encouraged those around her to follow their hearts, and spared no effort in helping them towards their goals. She was a mother figure to anyone in need, always ready with a warm hug, a smile, and genuine empathy that made you feel like the most important person in the room. She also wore her heart on her sleeve, ready to cry at a moment’s notice because of how passionately she felt, and how deeply she cared.
Though Marsha is no longer with us, she lives on through the family and legacy she created through Okaeri, PFLAG, and her many years of advocacy. We are grateful and blessed to have known Marsha, and strive to move forward with her generous warmth and unwavering kindness as our guide. Today, and every day, we offer a heartfelt “okaeri” お帰り (welcome home) to each and every life she touched, knowing she would be proud to see our community continue to thrive.
“Okaeri is your community and we welcome you home.” – Marsha
My mom lived her life rooted in love, advocacy, and deep care for others. She touched countless lives through her kindness and courage, and her legacy will continue through the people she inspired. Thank you for the outpouring of love and support during this time.
– Aiden Aizumi, Marsha’s son
Marsha was the kindest, bravest and most emotionally intelligent person I've ever met. As the news of her passing ripples through the Okaeri community the grief from a tremendous loss is palpable and so is the love and gratitude that she inspired. Spontaneous gatherings and conversations started to occur by people comforting each other and offering testimonials of how they met Marsha and how she touched their lives through her words and actions that promoted liberation, connection, honesty, family unity and dignity. The two organizations that she founded, San Gabriel Valley API PFLAG and Okaeri, stand as living testaments to Marsha's vision and proof that one person can make a difference. The Okaeri family extends its deepest condolences to the Aizumi family and a commitment to extend Marsha's legacy for generations to come.
– Eric Arimoto, friend and Okaeri Steering Committee Chair
We lost one of the brightest lights in our communities — Marsha was an extraordinary leader and human who modeled what it means to hold space and remain open to change. Right now, the leaders of Okaeri are processing this loss, and many are finding comfort in the messages of love coming from across the world, sharing how Marsha made them feel seen. Our hearts go out to Marsha’s family — including her chosen family — and all those who loved her. Marsha’s life reminds us that meaning is found in how we show up for one another… and her legacy challenges each of us to live and lead with love.
– Peter Gee, Little Tokyo Service Center Co-Executive Director
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