By ELLEN ENDO, Rafu Shimpo
Over 300 people attended the Nisei Week Foundation’s sold-out Luau and Opportunity Drawing on March 11, their first fundraiser of the year.
The event was held in the main hall of Los Angeles Hompa Hongwanji Buddhist Temple and featured Hawaiian food provided by King’s Hawaiian Bakery and Restaurant in Torrance. Music and dance program was presented by the award-winning Halau Hula a Kawika Laua Leinani, a dance troupe based in Diamond Bar.
Former Nisei Week queens Juli Yoshinaga (2019) and Jaime Hasama (2021) served as emcees while members of the 2019, 2020, and 2022 courts helped keep the event organized and lively.
Proceeds benefit the Nisei Week Festival, which is scheduled for August. Exact festival dates for this year have not yet been announced. For the latest information on the festival, visit https://niseiweek.org/.
Photos by ELLEN ENDO/Rafu Shimpo