2012 Nisei Week / Orange County’s Iijima Folick selcted as 2012 Nisei Week Queen

Emily Michi Iijima Folick, 24 years old working girl, was selected as 2012 Nisei Week Queen at the Nisei Week Coronation event which was held at Aratani / Japan America Theatre in Little Tokyo on Aug 11 evening.

Iijima Folick was nominated by Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council.

She graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a bachelor degree in business economics.

She continued to her education at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and graduated with a degree in fashion design. She enjoys training for triathlons with Team In Training.

Crystal Akie Hanano was chosen as First Princess. Hanano was nominated by West Los Angeles JACL & Venice Japanese Community Center.

Kaitlynn Chie Sakurai was named as Miss Tomodachi. Sakurai was nominated by Gardena Evening Optimist and The Loft Hawaiian Restaurant.

2012 Nisei Week Queen and Court will appear at Nisei Week Grand Parade in Little Tokyo on Aug 12 evening. The parade will start at 5:00 pm from Central Avenue and Second Street.

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Seven candidates will contest the 2012 Nisei Week Queen on Aug 11 at the Nisei Week’s Coronation event at the Aratani / Japan America Theatre in Little Tokyo.

Upon official coronation, the 2012 Nisei Week Queen and her court will represent the Nisei Week Foundation at this year’s festival and Japanese American community events locally and nationally including Nagoya, Japan.

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Lauren Mieko Tanaka Arii, nominated by San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center and Coordinating Council

23 years old, students at the California State University, Northridge, as a journalism major with an emphasis in broadcasting. Her hobbies include hiking, visiting museum and aquarium, and going to Disneyland.

 

Marci Saori Asao, nominated by Japanese Restaurant Association of America

24 years old, working as a program leader at THINK together. Graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in education. She enjoys playing basketball and volleyball, doing Japanese classical dance, and studying European art.

 

Erika Hayami Fisher, nominated by Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute

22 years old, working as an administrative assistant for Unidesigns. Gradated from the University of California, Irvine, with a bachelor’s degree in urban studies with an emphasis in community development and double minor in Japanese and psychology. In her spare time, she acts as a student advsor to the Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program Alumni Committee.

 

Emily Michi Iijima Folick, nominated by Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council

24 years old, working for the Lunada Bay Swimwear Corporation. Graduated from the University of California, Irvine, with a bachelor degree in business economics. She continued to her education at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and graduated with a degree in fashion design. She enjoys training for triathlons with Team In Training.

 

Sarah Michelle Fujimoto, nominated by East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center

23 years old, working full-time for the Lake Elsinore Unified School District as school nurse. Graduated from Azusa Pacific University, with a bachelor’s degree in nursing. She enjoys dancing, baking cookies, and playing with her bulldog.

 

Crystal Akie Hanano, nominated by West Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League & Venice Japanese Community Center

21 years old, working at Kaiser Permanente as a support coordinator in the Population Care Management Department. Graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, with a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology. She enjoys playing basketball, hiking, cooking, and trying new cuisine and restaurants.

 

Kaitlynn Chiye Sakurai, nominated by Gardena Evening Optimist / The Loft Hawaiian Restaurant

23 years old, working as a physical therapy aide. Graduated from San Diego State University, with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. She enjoys playing sports, shopping, going to the beach, swimming, hiking, and fishing.

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Seven candidates for the 2012 Nisei Week Queen were introduced at the July 15 Opening Ceremony of the Nisei Week Japanese Festival at the Japanese American National Museum in Little Tokyo district of Downtown Los Angeles.

The Coronation Ball, a competition for the queen title, will be held on Saturday, August 11, 7:00 pm at the Aratani Japan America Theatre in Little Tokyo.

The event is set to be an evening filled with laughs and entertainment, with co-hosts, actress Tamlyn Tomita and ABC Eyewitness News anchor David Ono. The evening’s special entertainment will be Asian American comedy improvisation and sketch group, Cold Tofu.

General admission tickets for the coronation are $80 per person. The Golden Circle tickets which including dinner at the Double Tree by Hilton at 5:00 pm and preferred seating at the coronation are $170 per person.

For queen coronation and dinner tickets, contact Gerald Fukui at (213) 626-0441 or iburryu@aol.com.