About Friends of Mukai
Friends of Mukai
Friends of Mukai is a Vashon Island based non-profit organization dedicated to operation of the Mukai Farm & Garden. Since 2012, Friends of Mukai has worked to secure and preserve the Mukai house, garden, and fruit barreling plant—all constructed almost a hundred years ago.
As stewards of the historic Mukai Farm & Garden, Friends of Mukai works to interpret and celebrate the following themes:
- The history of Mukai Farm, including the land, the structures, the people who shaped it, and the family’s prominent role in the island community.
- Island Agriculture including the evolution and impact of strawberry farming and other forms of pre-World War II agriculture on Vashon Island.
- Gardening in the Japanese tradition, with a focus on Kuni Mukai’s garden and its stylistic relationship to gardens in the Pacific Northwest.
- Japanese American Presence on Vashon and the region including the experiences, contributions and culture of Japanese immigrants and their descendants including post-war Nikkei-Americans.
- Social Justice and Human Rights, with a special focus on past and present day issues related to immigrants of ALL origins to the United States.
Friends of Mukai assembled funding for capital improvements to the Mukai house and Japanese garden, thanks to our amazing public partners. Already, the house and garden are open to the public with featured events, open houses, programming, and general garden strolls.
Friends of Mukai are in the process of raising restoration funds for the historic fruit barreling plant. We have stabilized the building and are beginning a tenant selection process.
Board of Directors
| Name | Biography |
| Jade Keala Agua (Vice President) | Dr. Jade Keala Agua recently moved to Vashon Island after earning her Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California. She also holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration. She currently serves as Chief Learning Officer at the USC Race and Equity Center. She has been involved in leading trips to the Manzanar concentration camp in California and serving as a docent at the Chinese American Museum in Los Angeles. |
| Wendy Blair | Wendy Blair is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, a King County Master Gardener, the proud owner of a WA Stewardship Forest, and recently retired from our Vashon Library. |
| Rita Brogan (Co-President) | Rita Brogan is the founder and former CEO of PRR, Inc. a national strategic communications and marketing agency focused on community building, the environment and human health. Her social justice activism has included roles such as former chair of the Washington State Women’s Council, co-founder of the Asian-Pacific Women’s Caucus, and the appointment by President Jimmy Carter to the National Commission for Women. Rita has served on the boards of the Seattle Chinatown-International District PDA, Washington State Transportation Commission, Asian Counseling and Referral Service, Downtown Seattle Association, Pacific Medical Center and City University. She currently serves on the board of the Japan America Society of State of Washington and the Washington State Historical Society. |
| Lynn Greiner | Lynn Greiner is an attorney and one of the founders of the Friends of Mukai. She is active in many Vashon organizations and has contributed immensely to Mukai Farm & Garden’s development for over ten years as an active volunteer and former Board Chair. Her primary goal is to support completion of the fruit barreling plant restoration. |
| Asano Hayama | Asano Hayama and her husband were drawn to Vashon in the midst of the pandemic because of its natural beauty, art scene, sense of community, proximity to Seattle, and, finally, because of Mukai. Inspired by natural beauty, art, community, and Japanese culture, Asano continues to seek opportunities to connect with the local community and find new friends with common interests. Asano has loved the experience of getting to know the Friends of Mukai and is excited about getting involved with more Mukai projects and activities in the future. |
| Sara Giusti | Sara Giusti has lived on Vashon for over thirty years. Her career has been in advertising and advertising technology. She owned her own advertising business, G2 Media, and has worked for many advertising and advertising technology startups. She is recently retired from iSpot.tv where she served as the Director of Custom Analytics and helped connect advertisers with the right data to guide their ad spend. Sara is especially inspired by the entrepreneurial spirit of the Mukai Family and the contributions they made to the island. The home, gardens, and soon to be barreling plant are a Vashon treasure that celebrate our diversity and expand our sense of our island’s identity. |
| Kay Longhi (Co-President) | Kay grew up on Vashon and is now back on the island after retirement. Her experiences visiting New England and living in Alabama gave her a deep appreciation for historic preservation. Kay is a past President of Friends of Mukai. |
| Reuben McKnight | Reuben McKnight has been the Historic Preservation Officer for Tacoma, WA since 2003. He has served on the boards of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, National Alliance of Preservation Commissions, the Washington State Capital Heritage Grant Advisory Panel and the Seattle Landmarks Preservation Board. He resides on Vashon Island. |
| Meg Nelson (Secretary) | Meg Nelson is a native Seattleite who has lived on Vashon Island for many years. Meg is an archaeologist with research interests in prehistoric hunter-gatherer land use. She has completed many archaeological surveys, excavations, and considers herself lucky to be paid to be outside, at least when the weather is good. |
| Mary Rabourn | Mary Rabourn is a specialist in multicultural communications and public involvement, has been in public service for decades. She uses her training in geology and languages to understand and engage communities. |
| Sunny Speidel | Sunny Speidel owns and operated the Seattle Underground tours company, Bill Speidel Enterprises, for many years. She also was President of the Seattle Guide and active for many years in efforts to preserve and revitalize Pioneer Square. She is a resident of Vashon Island. |
| Nicole Tadano | Nicole Tadano moved to Vashon with her husband (who grew up on Vashon) in 2013, and lives on a small farm that produces fruits and vegetables. She is yonsei and has loved learning about the history of the Mukai family and farm. She has also enjoyed Mukai’s educational and cultural programming for many years. |
| Marie Harrington (Treasurer) | Marie Harrington currently works as Office Manager at Vashon Island Professionals, an organization that prepares tax returns and provides financial planning. In that capacity, she is responsible for keeping the company books and accounts receivable and payable. Marie served as president of VIGA from 1999-2002. During this period she also operated a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) business with islander Margie Morgan. While president of VIGA, the organization raised $278,000 to purchase the Village Green, which was then donated to the Vashon Parks District. |