| The Nisei Week Festival proudly presents the 67th Annual Nisei Week Queen & Court. |
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Queen Monika Taniguchi Teuffel
West Los Angeles Japanese American Citizen League & Auxiliary & Venice Japanese Community Center
Monika Taniguchi Teuffel is 23 years old and graduated from University of
California, Irvine with a bachelor's degree in international studies, and a
triple minor in Japanese language and literature, art history, and management.
She also had the opportunity to study abroad at Cambridge University. Monika is
currently enrolled in the UCLA Extension architecture and interior design program
and works for Mainstay Business Solutions as an account manager. This Huntington
Beach resident has selected UNICEF to support as her Nisei Week platform.
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First Princess Saki Uechi
Little Tokyo Lions Club
Saki Uechi, 25 years old, grew up playing sports. After playing girl's varsity
basketball and boy's varsity golf, she was recruited to play golf on the University
of California, Los Angeles' women's golf team, earning a scholarship and becoming a
member of the 2004 Pac-10 and national championship team. After receiving a
bachelor's degree in sociology and Japanese, Saki spent two years on the
professional golf tour. This Redondo Beach resident currently works for Famima!!
Corporation and aspires to become a business entrepreneur. She chose the Tiger
Woods Foundation as her Nisei Week platform.
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Miss Tomodachi Christine Wai Lan Kimoto
Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council
As a 24-year-old first grade teacher, Christine Wai Lan Kimoto, has learned the
meaning of responsibility, time management and appreciating the small joys in life.
This Huntington Beach resident is a charter board member of the Young Adult Optimist
Club and coaches various Orange Coast Optimist Club children's basketball teams.
Christine graduated from University of California, San Diego with a bachelor's degree
in human development and a minor in teacher education, and plans to obtain a master's
degree in education and one day open her own daycare. She has chosen to support as her
Nisei Week platform the Orangewood Children's Foundation.
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Princess Mandy Michiko Kusumoto
East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center
Physical fitness is a primary concern for 25-year-old Mandy Michiko Kusumoto. She
graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a bachelor's degree in
kinesiology. Her dream is to one day become a physical therapist and a director of
her own sports care rehabilitation center. To gain experience in this field, Mandy
currently works at Yonemoto Physical Therapy. This Arcadia resident has a passion
for running and is training for her first marathon, to be held in Hawaii this December.
She has chosen the Special Olympics as her Nisei Week platform to support.
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Princess Jennifer Kiku Minami
Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Loft Hawaiian Restaurant
Jennifer Kiku Minami is 24 years old and attends California State University, Long
Beach. In the fall 2007, she will graduate with a bachelor's degree in liberal
studies/elementary education. Later, Jennifer plans to pursue a multiple subject
teaching credential with the goal of becoming an elementary school teacher. This
Torrance resident is quite busy, in addition to working at the Loft Hawaiian Restaurant
and as a dental assistant; she is a volunteer tutor for the Los Angeles Unified School
District and the Long Beach Unified School District. She has chosen to support the
Pediatric Therapy Network in Torrance as her platform.
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Princess Yoshie Margaret Okada
Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California
As a 24 year old, Yoshie Margaret Okada has had many Japanese influences. The
opportunity to study at a Japanese university for a year enhanced her identity
as a Nisei and is her most memorable experience. This San Gabriel resident has
been a member of Zenshuji Zendeko Taiko since 1996 and was a Japanese American
National Museum volunteer from 1997-2001. Yoshie graduated from the University
of California, San Diego with degrees in political science and psychology. She
currently works for Pasona NA Inc, a Japanese staffing firm. Yoshie has chosen
to support the One Campaign as her Nisei Week platform.
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