The 2026 Nisei Week queen candidates took center stage today for their first official public appearance at the 84th Nisei Week Festival Opening Ceremony, held at the Japanese American National Museum Democracy Center on July 12, 2026.
The seven candidates will vie for the prestigious title of Nisei Week Queen on Saturday, August 15, at 6:30 p.m. during the Coronation and Awards Celebration. The event will take place at the Los Angeles Theatre Center’s Tom Bradley Theatre (514 S. Spring Street, Los Angeles). Tickets are available for $105 (orchestra) or $75 (balcony) per person. For ticket information, visit NiseiWeek.org.
Upon official coronation, the 2026 queen and court will represent the Nisei Week Foundation at this year’s festival and other community events locally and nationally throughout the year.
Deena Maiko Umeda (Venice Japanese Community Center & Venice-West Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League) is 26 years old and received her bachelor’s degree in Asian American Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
She works at the Little Tokyo Service Center as a program coordinator for Okaeri and Changing Tides, creating programming for Japanese Americans and AAPI communities across Los Angeles and California,
She hopes to continue building a career in advocacy spaces. In her free time, Deena enjoys cooking, indoor and outdoor gardening, arts and crafts, including felting and sewing, creative writing, performing, makeup, and playing riichi-style mahjong.
She chose the Little Tokyo Community Council as her platform.