A former Fresno State student is helping bring change to the community by the simple philosophy of lending a helping hand to those in need.
Justin Kamimoto grew up with a supportive family that always instilled in him morals to help tackle issues he sees around him.
“If we have the ability to do something for others, we do it,” Kamimoto said.
Kamimoto is half Japanese and half Chinese, and from learning about his family’s past, he said it really opened his eyes on how easy he has it living in America.
“My mom talked about growing up with nothing — no electricity, no plumbing, no smartphones. It’s a different time that some of my family still live in,” Kamimoto said.
At 13 years old, Kamimoto’s passion for helping others sparked. From the U.S. he assisted in the fundraising to build a school in rural Cambodia about 30 minutes from where his mother grew up.
During his sophomore year of high school, Kamimoto moved from the Bay Area to Fresno. The move became more of a culture shock than he anticipated. He went from an area that was LGBT friendly to a city where he kept on seeing “Yes on Prop 8” signs.
“You see things that could use some assistance in terms of changing climates and attitudes,” Kamimoto said.
He knew that he wanted to live in an environment where it was welcoming for him and fellow lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) classmates. During the time when youth suicides were at an all time high, he began the Facebook group “My LGBT Plus.”
The group was for anyone who wanted to share advice or resources to the LGBT community in the Central Valley. In the first 48 hours, more than 200 people joined the group.
“What I saw was that there was need for more than just a Facebook group,” Kamimoto said.
Soon after, the “My LGBT Plus” website was launched as an all-age-friendly site where people can come together to support each other. The website has now reached over 114 countries despite being based in Fresno. Kamimoto’s personal cellphone also serves as the program’s hotline for those who are tackling the issue of suicide or in need of crisis support.
The program is now expanding even more with an ambassador program with ambassadors located on the East Coast spreading their message to other rural areas. Their plans include going international to “promote the visibility of what our community is,” Kamimoto said.
From the expansion of this organization, Kamimoto began a second project using the same idea his family had instilled in him. Three years ago when he was grocery shopping during the holidays, when he witnessed what would then become the beginning of his next project.
A group of people were criticizing a family that was using government assistance to purchase their groceries. Kamimoto said that if they didn’t receive that assistance, they would be living on the streets.
When he left that store, he thought to himself, what was one way he could help all these homeless people he sees struggling? The answer was food.
“Food is always something that connects us no matter what background you come from. It’s your connector,” Kamimoto said.
That Thanksgiving, Kamimoto began what is now Fresno’s M.E.A.L. (Meals Engaging All Lives).
It started with opening up his family home and serving a meal to those in need. Today Fresno’s M.E.A.L. has grown into a monthly event. Community members create traditional family meals with locally grown ingredients and hit the streets handing them out to whomever may need them.
“Every meal is decorated with a positively colored bag, and inside every bag is a water bottle and care items — a nonperishable snack and bread,” Kamimoto said.
Their goal is to aid those in need but more importantly give them hope for their future, especially since so many of those struggling are children.
“What we do is very grassroots. We’re asking them how their day is going. We’re learning about their stories,” Kamimoto said. “They’re sending us off with a prayer because we did something that changed their lives.”
Kamimoto’s advocacy work will continue to thrive this December when he visits the White House. Kamimoto was invited to take part in a convening on “LGBT+ progress in Rural Communities Across America.”
It’s a one-day event where leaders from across the country will meet to brainstorm new ideas, network with government and agency leaders and share and adopt ideas that will improve the rural cities of America.
“It’s an inspiration to be around other people who have the same passion to create better spaces for our communities,” Kamimoto said.
As soon as he comes back from Washington D.C., Kamimoto plans to network with fellow leaders at the state Capitol to “gain exposure for the Central Valley.”
A community member from Porterville setup a GoFundMe page aimed at funding Kamimoto’s trip to D.C. Kamimoto said Porterville is an example of a town in which the ideas from the White House convening can benefit.
The GoFundMe currently has $1,375 raised with a goal of $2,500. People can donate or read more about it by going to www.gofundme.com/send-justin-kamimoto-to-dc.
Kamimoto stopped attending Fresno State to fully pursue both of these projects and now is making plans for his next big step.
“Since My LGBT Plus and Fresno’s M.E.A.L. are already off the ground — they’re running, they’re sustainable — we’re creating a new parent program called Common Space,” Kamimoto said.
Common Space will be a “non-profit incubator” that supports the launch of grassroots ideas for bringing people together to improve the Central Valley.
“It’s going to be a common space that everybody can come use, whether you’re launching a new idea or maybe involved in an organization that’s already running,” Kamimoto said.
Kamimoto shared what he thinks is most important in helping fix an issue you see in your community.
“If you see that there is an issue that you would like to see resolved, the first step is to volunteer,” Kamimoto said.
Kamimoto continues to volunteer in several programs that help benefit the community. He said until you physically dive into an issue, you won’t make the difference. He realized this when he was starting off his own programs. He couldn’t fully tackle the issues unless he met them head-on, and it starts with a simple gesture anyone can do.
“What makes us very unique is that we created both programs in the fact that anybody and everybody can be a contributor,” Kamimoto said.
As for the future, Kamimoto does not want to venture out to a bigger city and continue what he does. He believes it can grow from right here in Fresno.
“It’s always one thing to go out and explore other cities and live in other places, but you have to see a lot of the good Fresno actually has,” Kamimoto said. “Be a tourist in your own town and see the different things people come to Fresno for.”
Kamimoto said he shares the same advice to whomever he comes in contact with — “Live in the moment.” He is also currently working as a program coordinator in hospice care, where he’s in contact with people who only have a few months to live. This made him realize that he should take any chance to work together with others to follow a dream.
Kamimoto said, “The most rewarding thing is seeing other people like me who are around my age who come from different backgrounds that want to be involved.”