Our dear friend and Trustee Dr. Jerry Hiura passed away on December 26, 2019.
Dr. Jerry and his wife, fellow Trustee Lucia Cha, joined the Board of Trustees in 2017. He served on the Executive Committee and was a key partner in SJMA’s engagement initiatives with San José’s Vietnamese community.
Dr. Hiura’s devotion to San Jose’s Japantown, the Asian-Pacific film and theater community, and SJMA were instrumental in the progress and connectedness of the local arts community. He served as chair of the City of San José’s Art Commission, president of the Arts Council of Silicon Valley, and a board member for Chopsticks Alley Art. He co-founded the Contemporary Asian Theater Scene and the Japantown Community Congress of San José. In 2002, he was appointed by Governor Gray Davis to serve as vice-chair for the California State Arts Council.
