A Conversation with Dr. Margo Okazawa-Rey

By: Katherine Ellison

Students and families of Tacoma gathered, conversing over food and joined in fellowship with drawn attention. Open eyes, ears, minds, and souls leaned in to learn and gain understanding from a remarkable guest self-proclaimed as DJ More Love and Joy.  

“If We Imagine a World for the Thrival of All, We Can Build It,” an event and discussion led by Dr. Margo Okazawa-Rey, took place on March 4 at the University of Washington Tacoma’s William W. Philip Hall. 

Okazawa-Rey is a Japanese African American educator, writer, and social justice activist. She is also a Professor Emerita of Social Work at San Francisco State University. Her social work and activism, primarily in South Korea and Palestine, focused on working closely with Du Re Bang, My Sisters Place, and the Women’s Centre for Legal Aid and Counseling. Okazawa-Rey is also a founding member of the International Women’s Network Against Militarism, Women for Genuine Security, and the Association for Women’s Rights in Development.  

“When I was young, I always wanted to be a doctor or a social worker. I don’t think I even knew what a social worker was at the time, but I wanted to help people. Because of this, none of my work and activism has ever felt like a sacrifice,” said Okazawa-Rey. 

Okazawa-Rey’s discussion with faculty members and the following Q&A discussion focused on the idea of creating a world where everyone can thrive. 

“The idea of thrival came from a student of mine. Survival is not enough, what about thrival? Think about your deepest yearnings and how those emotions affect your thoughts, feelings, and decisions,” Okazawa-Rey said.  

 Okazawa-Rey’s discussion based on the work of her career prompted attendees to think deeply, reflecting on their experiences, ideas, beliefs, and understandings of the world around them. 

“It’s important to talk about the development of things. All things have a trajectory. We are not static. You have to be curious. Ask questions about why this, here, now, and what can be done,” Okazawa-Rey said. 

Okazawa-Rey’s campus presence and event exemplify the larger effort UWT makes to continually support learning for their student, faculty, and community. 

“It really was a collective effort to get her here. She was initially invited to the Seattle campus by Linh Thuy Nguyen, UW Public Lectures, and the Walker Annes organizations, but through the culmination of various campus and community sponsors, we were able to have her visit Tacoma as well,” said Margaret Griesse, a UWT Professor from the School of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences. 

On March 4, Griesse had Okazawa-Rey visit her Global Honors class for a smaller lecture and discussion. Students in the class who attended her evening event gained a lot from Okazawa-Rey and her empowering take on identity, community, intersectionality, and global issues. 

“I really enjoyed Dr. Okazawa-Rey’s visit. I enjoyed the conversation, and I found it very moving. The conversation encouraged me to speak up. I found her very insightful, and her ideas helped me combat some fears I have with speaking up in groups and meeting and talking with new people,” said Elyse Mejia, a pre-major Social Welfare student at UWT.  

The event highlighted Okazawa-Rey’s casual and light-hearted demeanor.  

“Events like this give me joy. I love people. I love life. If you give me people, I want to connect with them. I’ve come to find that it’s not that you have to love yourself first, but it’s the other way around. You have to love others to love yourself,” Okazawa-Rey said. 

Smiles, laughter, and frequent applause from the audience filled William W. Philip Hall with warmth and light. Attendees jotted down their notes, and younger children played on the outskirts of the hall.  

“It’s all about creating spaces, that’s what I think is most important. The university wants to create a space where the community can meet these people and have these conversations that they may otherwise not have,” Griesse said. 

The evening with Okazawa-Rey sparked meaningful conversations about identity, community, and global justice. It reinforced the University of Washington Tacoma’s commitment to fostering spaces where learning, connection, and community engagement can thrive.