The Nisei Week Japanese Festival held its annual Pioneer Luncheon on Aug. 23 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Little Tokyo. Receiving Pioneer Spirit Awards for their contributions to the community in a variety of fields were (seated, from left) Ed Kamiyama, Noriko Shibata, Jeff Folick, Carol Kawanami, Kitty Sankey, Haruo Takehana, Edward Katsuaki Takahashi. Standing, from left: The 2017 Nisei Week Court — Princess Kaitlin Hara, Princess Tomi Okuno, First Princess Yurika Yoneda, Queen Jordyn Adachi, Miss Tomodachi Kelly Sera, Princess Claire Imada, Princess Jordyn Terukina; Deputy Consul General Shigeru Kikuma; Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Southern California President Jeff Yamazaki; Nisei Week Foundation President Leiton Hashimoto. Ken Kasamatsu served as emcee, Bishop Noriaki Ito of Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple gave the invocation, and Sankey expressed appreciation on behalf of all the honorees.
Photo by MARIO G. REYES/Rafu Shimpo