ようこそ！ My name is Ellie Tsuchiya (she/her). I’m a second-generation Japanese American, born and raised in Florida, and nurtured by the civic community in Atlanta, Georgia. I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Japanese from Georgia Tech’s Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts (yes, a liberal arts student at an engineering school!).
My career began in Economic Development, where I collaborated with businesses, public agencies, nonprofits, civic leaders, and community partners to position metro Atlanta as the economic hub of the Southeast. During this time, I discovered Creative Placemaking— a community development approach that strategically integrates arts, culture, and design to shape the physical and social character of places. As a lifelong dancer and arts advocate, I was captivated! In 2020, I earned a certificate in Creative Placemaking from New England College of the Arts, which deepened my understanding of how thriving communities are built on people’s strong connection to place.
The murder of George Floyd marked a pivotal moment in my career. It underscored the inequities in the Economic Development field, where promises of economic growth often prioritized corporate interests over people – the very people that I felt I had an obligation to do right by. This moment inspired me to pivot into community organizing in Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Atlanta while finding ways to integrate my Creative Placemaking expertise.
Since then, I’ve worked with Georgia-based and national social justice organizations, as well as political campaigns advocating for immigrant and economic justice. I’m especially proud of projects like the ABC’s of AAPI’s Coloring Book, which blend advocacy, art, and community building. My grant writing journey began with Dance ATL, where I secured the organization’s first federal grant to launch a fellowship for dancers of color— an initiative rooted in organizing strategies from my prior work.
I relocated to Oʻahu in 2023 and am proud to serve as the Development and Grants Manager for ʻŌlelo Community Media – a non-profit community media organization that provides access to media education, production resources, and distribution platforms to empower community voices. In my spare time, you can find me surfing baby waves, playing taiko, and writing grants for my passion projects!
Thanks for being here!
Ellie Ayane 