Densho founder and executive director Tom Ikeda announced his retirement on Wednesday, March 16, according to a press release from the non-profit organization.
Densho is a Seattle-based non-profit focused on preserving and sharing the history of the Japanese Americans incarcerated during WWII. Its archives contain over 110,000 images and objects, as well as at least 1,000 oral histories. The organization has worked with artists, activists, educators and more to share the history of Japanese American incarceration with the world.
Ikeda co-founded the organization in 1996.
“I’ve poured my heart into Densho for the past 26 years,” Ikeda said in a press release. “I’m proud of our work to make sure that this history, and those who lived through it, are never forgotten.”
The organization has selected Koya Partners, a strategic advising firm, to lead the search for Ikeda’s replacement. The board is looking for someone to match his stellar leadership.
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“Tom’s a real trailblazer, not just in using digital technology to make this history more accessible but also in keeping it relevant and engaging the next generation,” Board Chair Ron Tanemura said in a press release. “We’re looking for someone who can bring that kind of future-focused vision and leadership to sustain Densho in the years to come.”
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