Haejin Shim Fujimura
10 min read ⭑
“Beauty has the power to heal, restore and lead us into hope. It sings, resonates, dances and transcends. It helps us be vulnerable and powerful. It gives courage to embrace the darkest corners and ignites an ember into a flame.”
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
I feel most loved by a home-cooked meal. The thought, care, craft and sacrifice that go into creating a menu, shopping for the ingredients, making a dish and presenting it with great anticipation and joy simply move me.
Thankfully, my mom — whom we lovingly call “Dr. Lee” — is a great cook. My palate has been so trained that I can tell at the first bite (and sometimes at first sight) whether this dish is made by mom or not. Sometimes, she tries to fool me by including a dish or two that she has bought from a caterer amid her extravagant table, but I am always successful at picking them out. Dr. Lee’s dishes always include a secret ingredient called “love.”
I was born and raised in South Korea and came to the U.S. with my younger brother when I was a high school sophomore. Because we came as international students without our parents, we missed Korean food, especially Mom’s cooking, very much.
What had been readily available to us at a simple request of “Mom, we’re hungry!” became the most precious gift.
After graduating from law school, I had the privilege of living with my mom until a year before my marriage. Dr. Lee had a terminal illness and suffered from tremendous pain all her life.
At age 49, she underwent major surgery and started her journey of recovery, thanks to the tenacious life-saving work of her medical team and surgeons. At age 58, she went back to school and obtained her Master of Divinity degree, and at age 66, her Doctor of Ministry degree.
Despite her pain and suffering, Dr. Lee has never stopped loving me with her delicious Korean cooking. Now, she gets to love on my husband, Makoto Fujimura, with her beautiful cooking whenever we visit her. Dr. Lee’s kitchen is, by far, our favorite eatery!
Jean Carlo Emer; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activities do you love and help you find spiritual renewal?
I love sitting in front of beautiful art. Not just looking — but sitting. After a few minutes of engagement, the artworks start to move me beyond our three-dimensional world into the oncoming beauty of a multi-dimensional New Creation. It’s as if I am being transported into a familiar yet totally transformed universe that is renewed, mysterious, and extravagant. I have experienced it with Vincent van Gogh’s paintings at the Met and Getty Museum, “Winged Victory of Samothrace” and “Venus de Milo” at the Louvre, wonderful collections of Matisse and Cézanne at Barnes Foundation, Rothko’s paintings at Rothko Chapel and Tate Britain, and most significantly, my husband, Makoto Fujimura’s, paintings (in particular, “Silence-Kairos,” “Rhapsody,” the “Walking on Water” series, the “Four Holy Gospels” collection and “Christmas 3020”).
Beauty has the power to heal, restore and lead us into hope. It sings, resonates, dances and transcends. It helps us be vulnerable and powerful. It gives us courage to embrace the darkest corners and ignites an ember into a flame.
What is more incredible is that we can create beauty, and that makes us human.
So when I sit with beautiful art, it helps me understand who I am in this universe, who we can become and what we can make together into the New Creation.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite and how do you hide it?
As a lawyer and justice advocate who represent clients who have suffered from violence, betrayal, theft and fraud, I have a high tolerance for mental and psychological pain. Because I counsel broken people in broken situations, I’ve learned to extend an extra dose of grace in difficult situations. I have also had a fair share of personal trauma in my life and have been trained to endure such pain. My endurance was enhanced when I experienced an incredible healing and the power of forgiveness.
Yet I have very little endurance for physical pain. Sometimes it can be embarrassing, but I just don’t have much capacity to endure physical pain.
In my 20s, I would close the office door to hide my physical pain when I had, for example, back pain or cramps.
Ten years ago, my then-business partner and a great lawyer, Eva Frecker, told me to “take it easy.” At that moment, my body felt such relief that I cried. Until then, I don’t think anyone ever told me to “take it easy” in a professional setting. I felt like I finally had permission to take it easy and rest my body. Even now, whenever my body feels the stretch of my day, I remember Eva and her gracious nudge for me to take it easy.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your obsession? And why should it be ours?
Every day, I run four different companies: 1) Shim & Associates, a law firm based in New York and New Jersey serving various companies from startups to publicly traded companies on their business matters and litigation cases; 2) Embers International, a global NGO that protects, restores and empowers victims of injustice to end intergenerational exploitation and prevent human trafficking; 3) Fujimura Contemporary, an artist management company that produces exhibits and events and promotes the renowned artist (and my husband) Makoto Fujimura; and 4) Culture Care Creative (Academy Kintsugi), a catalyst for culture care communities.
I love being a lawyer. Lawyers get to play an incredibly important role in bringing “restorative justice (mishpat in Hebrew)” and “a life of harmonious beautiful relationships (Tzadeqah)” in almost every relationship in our society. Therefore, lawyers are also called “advocates,” “counselors” and “advisors.” My clients come to me because they have either a problem or an opportunity, and I get to solve a problem and close a deal. How cool is that?
I also love serving as the CEO of Embers International. Every day, I get to be courageous as I must face the reality of darkness in this world to effectively help our clients. I also get to be creative as we build our replicable model for “intergenerational empowerment.” I get so excited as I write about it!
I also love leading Academy Kintsugi and creating a way to teach this beautiful art form and the message of forgiveness, healing and restoration. My husband and I launched Academy Kintsugi on September 11, 2021, the 20-year commemoration of 9/11, with a mission to create a global “culture care” community (instead of culture war). In Academy Kintsugi’s first year, 750 people participated in a Kintsugi Experience session in five countries, 26 instructors were trained and 34 organizations (universities, for-profit companies, nonprofits and churches) hosted Kintsugi Experience sessions. In addition, we offered Kintsugi-Peace Making to the trafficking victims, trauma counselors, teachers, global NGO teams and children who are on their way to recovery and healing. What an honor!
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
My office, which holds all four companies, has a culture of making meaningful eye contact with each person when we enter the room. Everyone gets to look into each other’s eyes, be attentive to one other’s presence, exchange a gift of a smile and say good morning and other kind words. This also means that everyone gets to be seen by everyone each morning. This is how we start our workday.
I experience God when I see my team present in the office because it’s a miracle that we have been given today as a gift; that we have breath, health and work (in other words, an opportunity to co-create with God); and that we get to be together in our beautiful office. Therefore, we take our time to see each other and to be seen by each other as our recognition of God’s grace.
Most of my prayers are questions rather than requests. “What should I do, Lord?” instead of “Help me do this, Lord.” Once I ask a question to God, I must wait for his answer. This time of “beholding” requires patience and trust as love is patient and believes and hopes in all things. In my life, God has been so faithful to answer my questions, and it’s quite fun to experience God in this way!
Embers International practices a daily corporate prayer from 11:30 a.m. to noon. My team stops everything at 11:30 and gathers in a conference room to pray. It’s a sacred time, and we get to witness God’s grace to each other in this safe and dedicated space daily.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied actions that open our hearts to the presence of God. So spill it, which spiritual practice is workin’ best for you right now?
Lectio Divina has been my favorite way to meditate for many years. It allows me to slow down, quiet my soul and listen to God. I use my imagination when I read the Scripture during Lectio Divina. My life verse is Psalm 27:4 and I picture myself being embraced by God and admiring his beauty in his embrace.
During the first season of my Lectio Divina practice, I commuted to my office in New York City by subway. It was loud and crowded. I worked very long hours and came home just to sleep. So I incorporated Lectio Divina into my commute. It might sound crazy or unorthodox, but it worked! God was gracious to show up each time. I am grateful to have entered a season where I get to commune with God in quietness surrounded by beautiful paintings.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Our email subscribers get free ebooks featuring our favorite resources — lots of things that have truly impacted our faith lives. But you know about some really great stuff, too. What are three resources that have impacted you?
I have gifted hundreds of copies of Gary Haugen’s “Good News about Injustice.” From its title, you might wonder, what can possibly be good news about injustice? If you are curious, please consider reading this book. I had the privilege of working at International Justice Mission as a legal intern 20 years ago, and Gary Haugen’s teaching and mentorship have shaped my work and leadership. Gary Haugen’s TedTalk, “The Hidden Reason for Poverty the World Needs to Address Now” is also powerful.
One of my favorite books is Mako’s “Art + Faith: A Theology of Making.” It is beautifully written and filled with transformative wisdom. You’ll have to read it to see if I’m biased. Even just Bishop N.T. Wright’s foreword is worth the price of the book.
After reading Bishop N.T. Wright’s “Surprised by Hope,” I said to God that I would never doubt his love for us. This book helped me understand the oncoming beauty of the New Creation and solidified my faith in God.
We all have things we cling to to survive (or thrive) in tough times. Name one resource you’ve found indispensable in this current season — and tell us what it’s done for you.
My husband and I have a daily routine of morning prayer and stretching. No matter what the day’s schedule is, we want to give God the very first moments of our day as our worship to him. So we pray together as soon as we both open our eyes from sleep. We also want to acknowledge God’s gift of life by paying attention to our bodies that have just woken up. I might have had a burden on my mind from the day before, but this routine reminds me that God’s mercy is new every morning.
Kintsugi is a venerable art form that mends a broken vessel with lacquer and gold, making the vessel into a new creation that is more beautiful and valuable than the original. It does not hide the fracture of the past but accentuates it with gold, demonstrating healing, restoration and newness. Teaching and practicing Kintsugi has allowed me to deeply integrate its meaning into my professional work and personal life.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
I am mindful of God’s calling for “generational stewardship” of his gifts to us. My desire is that all that God is doing in and through me and all my endeavors will have a generative fruit and a generational impact. And I hope my stories and testimonies will be helpful to others, especially to the generations that come after me. I’m working on exciting projects to leave the legacy of the work of “beauty and justice” for the next generation, including short films, books and articles.
I’m also working on building additional partnerships with institutions and organizations to further our culture care leadership with Academy Kintsugi and our justice and mercy work with Embers International. I’m looking for the right partners (global, local, grantors and businesses) to journey with us, especially in regard to building our replicable model for intergenerational empowerment.
Lastly, I’m expanding my team for all four companies and am always looking and waiting for new talent who would like to join us.
Can you think back to the last work of art that deeply moved you? It’s easy to think that art is merely a human construct, but all throughout Scripture, we see the value God places on art that glorifies him.
We get a glimpse of how much the Lord cares about the precision, beauty and symbolism of art when he commissioned Bezalel and Oholiab to work on the tabernacle. To equip Bezalel to do this incredible work, God says, “I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills — to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts” (Exodus 31:3-5, NIV).
God entrusted Bezalel and Oholiab with making the tabernacle beautiful because it’s where his very presence lived. But now we, as believers in Jesus under his new covenant of grace, are the temple of God — and the weighty call to create beauty for God’s glory rests on each one of us.
The question is, how is the Holy Spirit leading you to fulfill that calling?
Haejin Shim Fujimura is a lawyer and entrepreneur. She’s the managing partner and founder of the law firm Shim & Associates, P.C., which was founded on the vision of cultural renewal for the legal industry and advocacy for the oppressed. Haejin is also co-founder and CEO of Embers International as well as co-founder and president of Academy Kintsugi. She has served on multiple nonprofit boards as well as on the advocacy and mobilization team for International Justice Mission.
