The 2026 Pioneer Spirit Award honorees will be recognized during the Nisei Week Pioneer Spirit Awards Luncheon on Wednesday, August 19, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza, Bunker Hill Ballroom, located at 251 South Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Tickets for the luncheon are $105 per individual seat or $1,050 per table of 10. Registration is available through NiseiWeek.org. Questions may be directed to pioneerluncheon@niseiweek.org.
Dr. Kenji Irie- Nominated by Southern California Gardeners’ Federation
Dr. Kenji Irie is dedicated to advancing healthcare and social welfare for the Japanese American community and Southern California’s diverse populations. Born to parents from Fukuoka prefecture, and raised in post-war Tokyo, he experienced hardships and starvation in his early life. Those years instilled in him resilience and deep compassion, guiding him to advocate for equitable access to healthcare.
After graduation from the University of Tokyo Medical School in 1966, Dr. Irie began his career at the National Cancer Center Research Institute and Tokyo Metropolitan Okubo Hospital. In 1971 he relocated to Los Angeles and conducted cancer immunology research at UCLA Medical Center. He did his clinical training at Cedars-Sinai and Kaiser Sunset hospitals. He worked at Hubert Humphrey Comprehensive Health Center in L.A., treating immigrant patients from Asia, the Middle East, Central and South America. Dr. Irie’s work history gave him invaluable insight into the systemic, linguistic, and financial barriers many underserved communities face in accessing healthcare.
Dr. Irie’s devotion to the Japanese and Japanese American communities began in 1972 when he joined the Japanese Welfare Rights Organization (JWRO) in Little Tokyo. Recognizing the challenges faced by Issei, Nisei, and Shin-Issei (post-World War II Japanese immigrants) he established a health counseling program in 1973 to help them navigate America’s healthcare system. Strongly supported by Issei members, the program offered weekly individual consultations and monthly health seminars. This continued successfully for 48 years, until JWRO merged with Koreisha Senior Care and Advocacy (KSCA) in 2021.
Through this program, Dr. Irie served generations of Japanese American families with a focus on helping seniors maintain their health and independence. He also operated a community-based medical practice in Little Tokyo for 38 years, which served many members of the Southern California Gardeners’ Federation.
His work experience and leadership have helped improve access to healthcare and advance the development of affordable elder care facilities. A founding member and advisor of KSCA and a board member of Seinan Koreisha Senior Care, Dr. Irie continues to advocate for high-quality, culturally sensitive care for aging populations.
He regularly contributes essays in Japanese and in Japan to promote health awareness, which have also been compiled into books, extending his influence across generations and international borders.