Carpinteria mayor’s new book hopes to inspire community involvement

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - He's currently the mayor of Carpinteria. But Wade Nomura can't be defined by just one title. He's been a BMX racing champion (5-times), Rotary leader who's traveled the world in the name of humanitarian service and is a Japanese American who's family has overcome discrimination.

In Creating Destiny, Nomura writes about the many ups and down throughout life and how it made him who he is today.

Times were tough for his family as Japanese Americans in the wake of World War II. His family was among those removed to interment camps in the Arizona desert, stripped of all their belongings and forced to start over when the war was over.

Their struggles still weren’t over, with discrimination part of daily life. Wade was not allowed inside his friend’s homes because of nervous parents. “It was hard always being looked at with suspicion. In some ways the discrimination made me who I am – it made me work harder to prove myself,” he says.

Creating Destiny, by Wade Nomura

Nomura hopes his book will inspire others to embrace community service. “It’s the most rewarding feeling, knowing you’ve played a part in improving someone else’s life forever,” he says.

Creating Destiny captures the many twists and turns of his exciting life so far – but as far as Wade is concerned his story still unfolding.

Creating Destiny is available for purchase at www.wadenomura.com/book