Kai Kimura Swift, 23, died Saturday, April 2, 2022 peacefully in her sleep. There will be a memorial service for Kai at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, April 19 at: The Church of the Holy Faith, 311 E Palace Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501. Born in Austin, Texas in 1999, Kai moved to Las Vegas, Nevada and then to Alexandria, Virginia to attend high school.
Portland Oregon became her home in 2017 to attend Lewis and Clark College where she majored in Art, which she continued to pursue after graduation. Her recent exhibitions were very well received by the public. Kai was a deeply empathetic soul, with a quirky and creative streak. Courageous in her convictions, extremely loyal, and continually curious. She joined the D.C. Women’s March in January 2017, pursuing issues of equity and injustice with, and through, her art. Additionally, Kai worked as an extern for congressman Doggett.
Kai cherished her Asian heritage. Along with art, she wove her love of Asian culture into her life by participating in the 2018 Toyama Cup Japanese Speech Contest, fighting for AAPI rights, and equity for others, and attaining the Episcopal High School Annual Art Award in 2017.
Kai is preceded in death by her beloved mother Yu Kimura, and her grandfathers Hideo and George Lee Swift. Kai is survived by her older sister Hana, father Justin, aunts Ko and Tomoko, step-mother Tao, step-brother Chenyü, and grandmothers Kyoko and Evangeline. She is loved and mourned by many family and friends. Kai’s infectious joie de vivre, stand for justice, and equality will live on in them.
Kai’s Art Memorial will be showing Friday, April 15th, at the Arnold Gallery located at Lewis and Clark College. Donations can be made in her memory to the Epilepsy Foundation.
