Photo by Hiro Ueda (U&U Graphics)
The 2014 Nisei Week Court include:
Queen Tori Angela Nishinaka-Leon (Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute)
Tori Angela Nishinaka-Leon is 24 years old and a graduate of Occidental College where she received her bachelor’s degree in psychology. She currently works at the office of Matthew Matauzaki, OD in Pasadena and plans to pursue a career in optometry. Her hobbies include playing golf, playing the violin, practicing yoga and Zumba, cooking, gardening, hiking, fishing, doing ikebana, and obon hoping. The platform she will support this year is the DOVE Self Esteem Project.
1st Princess Lindsey Emiko Sugimoto (West Los Angeles JACL & Venice Japanese Community Center)
Lindsey Emiko Sugimoto is 22 years old and graduated from the University of Southern California with two bachelor’s degrees, one in business administration, finance and the other in political science. She plans to attend law school and currently works at the law firm, Seki, Nishimura, and Watase LLC. Her hobbies include traveling around the world, trying different restaurants, and passionately rooting for the Los Angeles Lakers. Sugimoto is supporting the American Cancer Society as her platform.
Miss Tomodachi Ashley Akemi Arikawa (Japanese Restaurant Association of America)
Ashley Akemi Arikawa is 23 years old and graduated from the University of California, Irvine with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. She hopes to pursue a career in corporate communications and currently works part time at the J.Morey Company insurance agency as its social media and community outreach coordinator. Arikawa’s hobbies include ballroom and Latin dancing, trying new recipes, hiking in the mountains, and volunteering in the community. This year Arikawa will support the Alzheimer’s Association as her platform.
Princess Tiffany Akemi Hashimoto (Gardena Evening Optimist)
Tiffany Akemi Hashimoto is 23 years old and a graduate of the University of Southern California where she received her bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. She currently attends Chapman University where she is pursuing her master’s degree in food science. She aspires to conduct research and develop healthier and more nutritious foods. Her hobbies include long distance running, hiking, playing taiko, painting, cooking, and developing new recipes. She will support the American Heart Association as her platform this year.
Princess Melissa Sayuri Kozono (East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center)
Melissa Sayuri Kozono is 23 years old and a graduate of the University of California, Los Angeles where she received her bachelor’s degree in history. She currently works as the programs associate at the East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center and hopes to continue her career in nonprofit management. Her hobbies include traveling, doing Japanese classical dance, watching new movies, reading, making ribbon leis, and going to Disneyland. Kozono will support the City of Hope this year as her platform.
Princess Dominique Ariadne Mashburn (Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council)
Dominique Ariadne Mashburn is 22 years old and attends the University of California, Los Angeles where she is pursuing bachelor’s degrees in both geology and earth and environmental science. She currently works at the UCLA Fund as a student fundraiser, and interns for CA Teach in the Los Angeles Unified School District teaching science to students. Mashburn’s hobbies are watching movies, cooking, reading, modern dancing, makeup artistry/hairstyling, volunteering, and tutoring/assisting students with special needs. Her platform is the Autism Society of America.
For information of the August 16-17 event during the 2014 Nisei Week Japanese Festival, visit www.NiseiWeek.org and www.jaccc.org