Fay Matsukage

Matsukage was one of three students of Asian descent in both her college and law school classes (without supporting student organizations for Asian students). With a strong family upbringing and her father’s encouragement, she was driven to help legal professionals of Asian descent in Colorado.  Matsukage was a founding member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado (1990).  She is also a founder of the Colorado Asian Pacific American Bar Foundation, which awards two annual law school scholarships to the DU and the University of Colorado (CU) law schools. A main beneficiary of the Foundation is the Denver Asian Pacific Development Center, and Matsukage assisted with the capital campaign to buy the building where it is located. Matsukage helped expand the Colorado Women’s Bar Association Foundation, serving as President from 2007 – 2009. When asked about her community involvement, Matsukage remarks, “my great grandparents moved to Honolulu and someone gave them a hand… I want to help new generations the same way.”

Matsukage’s many honors include the 1999 Trailblazer Award from the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association, the 2006 Minoru Yasui Community Service Award from the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Colorado, the 2006 Mary Lathrop Trailblazer Award from The Colorado Women’s Bar Association, and the 2010 Outstanding Alumni Award from DU’s Sturm College of Law. She dedicates countless hours educating attorneys about her area of specialization and sharing her experiences as an Asian attorney and woman.