By MIKEY HIRANO CULROSS
RAFU STAFF WRITER
PASADENA.– A senior at Alhambra High School is the first from her city to be selected as a member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses royal court.
Keiko Rakin was selected along with six others from the 28 finalists to represent the city and the Tournament of Roses for 2026, beginning with the Rose Parade on Jan. 1. The Rose Queen will be announced in Pasadena on Oct. 28.
“Honestly, I can’t even put it into words. It’s just amazing. I’m still shaking,” Rakin said during an interview on local news, after being brought to tears following the announcement.
Rakin, the daughter of Elisa Morimoto and Massimo Bordi, was selected in just the second year since the applicant pool was expanded to include areas outside of the immediate Pasadena area, including Alhambra. She is a student member of the Alhambra Unified School District and had petitioned the tournament to welcome applicants from her city.
Earlier this year, Rakin was named by Assemblymember Mike Fong as one of a dozen Women of Impact for 2025. At Alhambra High, she is editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, founded an international youth-led literary arts organization, and is co-president of the Black Student Union. She plans to study human rights, creative writing, public policy, or philosophy once she heads off to college.
In addition to riding in the 137th Rose Parade and attending the Rose Bowl football game on Jan. 1, the royal court will spend 2026 representing their communities at public events. Each member of the court receives a $7,500 academic scholarship.
According to the Tournament of Roses, the Queen & Court Committee made their selections from hundreds of applicants representing 41 area schools, based on criteria including academic achievement, community and school involvement, public speaking ability, and youth leadership.