Aiko Matsumura Dzikowski, 2023 Miss Western L.A., was introduced as this year’s queen of the Venice Japanese Community Center and Venice-West Los Angeles JACL on June 24 during the VJCC’s Summer Festival.
She is the daughter of Kyoko and David Dzikowski and will be representing Venice and WLA as their queen candidate at this year’s Nisei Week Festival.
A graduate in 2019 from Smith College, majoring in anthropology and minoring in neuroscience, Dzikowski is currently a Ph.D. student in anthropology at UCLA.
Her hobbies include ceramics, filmmaking, field hockey, running, and playing both the piano and cello. She enjoys traveling, volunteering with children and animals, and spending time with friends and family.
Dzikowski was introduced by 2022 Miss Western L.A. and Nisei Week Princess Faith Nishimura and was congratulated by VJCC President Bob Onishi.
She was joined on the stage by four other Nisei Week queen candidates: Sara Kubo (East San Gabriel Valley Japanese Community Center), Isabella Polizzotto (Gardena Evening Optimist Club), Nancy Chin (Pasadena Japanese Cultural Institute), and Kaili Inouye (San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center).
After the presentation, all the ladies participated in the Summer Festival’s ondo.