Meet Grace Burgert!

The Friends of Minidoka team is expanding! We are excited to welcome Grace Burgert as our new Philanthropy/Administrative Assistant. Grace started this role on June 12 and is eager to assist us with furthering our mission. With a strong passion for cultural advocacy and community engagement, she brings her organizational and leadership skills to this position. 

Grace first learned about Minidoka and Japanese American incarceration in her 8th grade reading class. This led to an interest in how Japanese American history impacts Asian American history and AAPI identities. She was reintroduced to the historical site by the previous Director of Interpretation and Education, Hanako Wakatsuki-Chong, in a freshman college class. Since then, she has felt a unique connection to the site. 

Grace is a recent graduate from Boise State University with a bachelor degree in Political Science and certificates in Mandarin Chinese and UX Design. Her topics of interest include violence prevention, and anti-racism policy and research. She believes in education, policy, and community health as pillars to fix many “wicked problems” of the world. 

Previously, Grace served as the Associate Vice President of Inclusive Excellence within Boise State’s student government. This role allowed her to support students from underrepresented communities and advocate for systemic change within the university. Notable projects from her term include the Resiliency Room for Islamic Prayer, the Gender Equity Community Closet, and a training on microaggressions for Boise State’s sorority chapters. She has also led community events in Boise. In May 2021, she created an AAPI event focused on mental health and love after the Atlanta Spa Shootings.

Grace grew up in Idaho Falls, and currently lives in Boise. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading, and taking long hikes around Boise. She also enjoys visiting her fluffy dog, Kip, in Idaho Falls.