Jasmine Nakagawa

Why do you do what you do?

I believe communities thrive when people feel connected, supported, and empowered to lead. Over more than 20 years working in community-based organizations, I’ve gained so much from the mentorship, generosity, and wisdom of people from all walks of life. My work is a way of giving back by creating opportunities for people across the Bay Area to learn from one another, build real connections, and turn shared aspirations into meaningful action and lasting change.

What drew you to the foundation?

My journey with the San Francisco Foundation comes full circle as a proud Koshland Program alum from the 2014 South Hayward cohort. Having experienced the program as a community leader myself, I understand the value of investing in local leadership and creating spaces where people build relationships, share knowledge, and work together for change. The program’s personal and professional impact on my life is what drew me back to SFF.

How would you describe your role?

As Koshland Program Associate, I work alongside the Koshland team, fellows, and community partners to support the relationships and collaboration that make the program meaningful. Through fellowship coordination, project management, and community engagement, I help create opportunities for community leaders to learn, connect, and turn their ideas into action across the Bay Area.

What inspires you?

My children are my greatest inspiration. I am a mom to a teenage daughter and two neurodivergent sons, and they shape my hopes for the world we are leaving to the next generation. I’m also inspired by the people I’ve met through my work as an educator, trauma-informed specialist, and Mental Health First Aid and QPR Suicide Prevention instructor; they reinforced my belief in the importance of community wellbeing. Finally, I’m deeply grateful for my roots in Hawai’i, my Japanese American heritage, and the resilience of my ancestors, whose power in the face of incredible adversity helped make the life I have today possible.