Young women, age 19-25, of at least 50 percent Japanese ancestry and living in the greater Southern California area interested in participating in the Nisei Week Queen & Court program are wanted for the 2021-2022 year.
The training sessions will be held virtually. Events and other opportunities will be announced at a later date, as plans are made for the safety and well-being of the candidates, volunteers, and sponsors.
“While our community is experiencing the challenges of COVID-19, and the program took a pause in 2020, we are hopeful to restart the Queen & Court program in 2021,” organizers said. “The Nisei Week Festival has been around for more than 80 years, and more than 450 women have participated in the Queen & Court program since its inception. Many of these women have become leaders in the community, government, business, and entertainment industries. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for young Nikkei women to learn more about the Japanese American community and get involved, participate in the Nisei Week Japanese Festival, and experience an enriching personal development program.”
The following community organizations will sponsor a candidate for the 2021-2021 year and are looking for applicants:
East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center
Orange County Nikkei Coordinating Council
West Los Angeles Japanese American Citizens League Auxiliary/Venice Japanese Community Center
Japanese Restaurant Association of Southern California
Gardena Evening Optimists
Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute
Deadline to apply varies by sponsoring organization but each must have their representative by April 30.
Interested individuals should email NWQCProgram@gmail.com. For Nisei Week-specific information, go to www.niseiweek.org.