Ms. Kimiko Goya, center, is the 2011-2012 president of the Okinawa Association of America. Left side is Mr. Sadao Tome, former president. Right side is Mr. Chogi Higa, 2009-2010 president. (Cultural News Photo)
The Okinawa Association of America introduced the 2011-2012 president Ms. Kimiko Goya at its new year’s party at Quiet Cannon event facility in Montebello on January 16.
Immediate past president Mr. Chogi Higa has been elected as the 2011 president of the Southern California Federation of Prefecture Associations (Nanka Kenjinka Kyogikai).
The Okinawa Association of America is known as Hokubei Okinawa Kenjinkai in Japanese language. The membership of the OAA are 800 families with over 2000 people.
Ms. Goya is a retired teacher and the first women president in the OAA’s 100 years history. Ms. Goya was born and raised in Ginowan in Okinawa. After graduated from Futenma High School, she went to Hawaii to learn English, and graduate from a community college in Honolulu. Ms. Goya had worked as Japanese language teacher at Gardena Buddhist Church Japanese Language School for 25 years until 2010.
Officers and committee chairs of the Okinawa Association of America for 2011 are following:
President: Kimiko Goya
Vice President, Seisonenbu (youth group): Masanobu Ajifu
Vice President, Chief Financial Officer: Vicky Oshiro Nishiuchi
Secretary: Helene Shimane
Corresponding Secretary: Joan Oshiro
Treasurer: Ethel Asato
Advisor, Uchinaguchi: Chogi Higa
Advisor, Culture, History: Sadao Tome
Hospitality: Tomiko Akamine
Co-Membership: Naomi Endow
Co-Karaoke: Shoji Numata
Building: Edward Kamiya
Library: Junko Kawate
Geino-bu (Performing Art): Richiko Nakashima
Co-Karate: Shoji Numata
Scholarship: Tatia Oshidari
Fujinbu (women group): Mieko Shima
Auditor: Katsuko Teruya
Auditor: Hiroshi Yamauchi
Kajimaya Seniors Club: Shigeko Yamauchi
Co-Membership: Yuko Yamauchi
Board of Directors of the Okinawa Association of America for 2011 are following:
Masanobu Ajifu, Tomiko Akamine, Ethel Asato, Dan Ashimine, Setsuko Fujimoto, Kimiko Goya, Chogi Higa, Edward Kamiya, Vicky Oshiro Nishiuchi, Joan Oshiro, Mieko Shima, Helene Shimane, Sadao Tome, Hiroshi Yamauchi, Shigeko Yamauchi
The Okinawa Association of America is located at 16500 South Western Ave, Suite 203, Gardena, CA 90247. Phone: (310) 532-1929 Fax: (310) 808-9280 E-mail: mensore@earthlink.net Website: www.oaamensore.org
The Okinawa Association of America presents a new year's party (Cultural News Photo)
