kirakiraきらきら
きらきら (kirakira) means “sparkling” in Japanese—we help communities and movements shine.
Mission: KiraKira is a social impact lab co-creating research, stories, and strategies with organizations and changemakers working toward justice, sustainability, and collective resilience. We are a cross-sector, dynamic space where changemakers co-create solutions to complex social challenges—a collaborative studio/incubator where strategy, creativity, community insight, and systems thinking meet.
Vision: We believe the brightest solutions come from the people closest to the problem. Our work amplifies their brilliance and transforms it into systems change.
From Spark to System:
Illuminate what’s working → center frontline voices, stories, and data.
Transform what’s broken → apply systems thinking + community research.
Design creative tools → games, zines, curricula, campaigns.
Bridge the gaps → connect youth, nonprofits, funders, and researchers.
Who We Work With
Community-based organizations
Youth-led movements
Social & environmental justice nonprofits
Educators, artists, and researchers
Funders & intermediaries committed to systemic change
Our Approach
Systems Thinking → mapping complexity, seeing connections.
Storytelling → shifting culture through media, interviews, and archives.
Imagination → using play and creativity to unlock possibilities.
Equity & Justice → centering underrepresented communities.
Founder’s Letter:
I started this nonprofit to build something I could point to and say, “This is a collection of the people, ideas, and moments that give me hope.”
KiraKira began as a personal need—a way to stay grounded in a world that often feels overwhelming. Growing up, I held onto an idealistic view of what was possible, but I struggled to find proof of that ideal in everyday life. It wasn’t until I became involved in the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life that I experienced what hope looked like in action. Through that work, I witnessed the power of community, remembrance, youth leadership, and celebration even in the face of grief. That experience changed me. It taught me that hope isn’t passive—it’s something we practice, build, and share.
KiraKira is my way of carrying that lesson forward.
We exist to illuminate the brilliance already present in people and movements, and to build tools that help communities imagine and create systems rooted in justice, joy, and sustainability. Whether through storytelling, games, advocacy, or research, our work is grounded in the belief that imagination is resistance, systems thinking is healing, and stories are blueprints for liberation.
This nonprofit is not just a project—it’s a practice in gratitude and wonder, a container for the kirakira moments that remind us what we’re fighting for. I hope it becomes that for others, too.