From left: Tokuji Yoshihashi, Mary Tamura, Ed Nakamura (Photos: George Toshio Johnston)
By George Toshio Johnston, Pacific Citizen Senior Editor
After 37 years of existence as an organization, the Go for Broke National Education Center used its 25th Evening of Aloha gala to not just raise funds but to also reflect on its raison d’etre, as well as its past, present and future during its annual gala on Oct. 3 at the Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites in downtown Los Angeles.
The past was represented 81 years, one month and 19 days after V-J Day (Aug. 15, 1945) by the in-person presence of three centenarians who represented the “Go for Broke” spirit with their service to the nation during World War II: Tokuji “Toke” Yoshihashi, 103, who served in the Army’s 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team; Mary Tamura, 102, who served in the U.S. Armed Forces Cadet Nurses Corps program; and Ed Nakamura, 101, who served in the Army’s Military Intelligence Service and the 11th Airborne Division, 188th Parachute Division. The trio were introduced by GFBNEC board member Nikki Kodama.
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Host Sierra Katow introduced three individuals who represented GFBNEC’s past and whose stories were included in one of the evening’s many videos: Chip Mamiya, who had served as a GFBNEC board member for many decades; and two former GFBNEC executive directors, Christine Sato-Yamazaki (1997-2010) and Don Nose (2010-2016), both of whom were absent. Of his father, Chip Mamiya told the audience that his father, Yoshio “Buddy” Mamiya, and Young Oak Kim were among GFBNEC’s original founders. “They were best friends, so I’ve been involved with Go for Broke since inception,” he said.
“Over the years, I’ve met so many wonderful people through Go for Broke, and I’ve had the privilege of hearing stories of courage, sacrifice, loyalty, and perseverance. Those stories are really the heart of our organization. … I know I’m standing on the shoulders of many people who gave their time, their energy, their money, and their hearts to this organization.”
Clockwise from top left: Kiyomi Takemoto, Chip Mamiya, George Tanaka, Cayleen Nakamura, Mitch Maki, David Ono (Photos: George Toshio Johnston)
George Tanaka, chairman of the GFBNEC board of directors, reported on the present by introducing the board’s members: Denise Kennedy, Kodama, Mylissa Magallanes, Jeff Maloney, Kendra Motayasu, Dan Nishkawa, David Ono, Marshall Ozawa, Rick Shinto, Kimberly Tachiki and the evening’s chef, Roy Yamaguchi.
Tanaka also recognized the special guests in the audience, including El Camino Community College District board of trustees VP Tricia Murakawa; Los Angeles Community College District trustee Kelsey Iino; city of Alhambra councilmember Maloney; and Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles Kosei Murota.
Tanaka then introduced Kanani Kalama Hula Studio’s Cayleen Nakamura, who performed to “Aloha Aku, Aloha Mai.” Her performance preceded an in memoriam video tribute.
Among those representing GFBNEC’s future were Go for Broke Torchbearer Kiyomi Takemoto, who, before introducing another video and pausing for dinner, noted how she was “incredibly impressed by the wide array of programming that we conduct all across our nation.”
Following dinner, a team effort by Yamaguchi, Westin Bonaventure Chef Andreas Nieto and King’s Hawaiian Bakery & Restaurant pastry chef Heather Campbell, board member and former national chair of the Torchbearers Magallanes introduced the Living Nisei veteran photo tribute, a tradition that began six years ago and featured 22 veterans from nine states, ranging in age from 98 to 106.
Redondo Beach High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC Honor Guard stand at attention as Lauren Hanako Kincade belts “The Star Spangled Banner.” (Photo: George Toshio Johnston)
Next on stage was Melanie Ramirez, the Los Angeles Regional Torchbearer representative for GFBNEC’s local torchbearer program, who introduced board member and KABC news anchor Ono, who in years past served as the host for Evening of Aloha, but this night was on hand to reintroduce vocalist Lauren Hanako Kincaid, who earlier in the program sang the “Star Spangled Banner,” had helped Ono with his original production of “Defining Courage” and was present to sing “When I’m Gone.”
“I want you to listen to the lyrics,” Ono told the audience, who noted that Kincaid had sang it in “Defining Courage” because he thought it was “the perfect song to remember the Nisei soldier.”
Next onstage, representing GFBNEC’s future, specifically its Go for Broke Plaza, aka First Street North (see Oct. 31, 2025 Pacific Citizen), were GFBNEC board members Motoyasu and Maloney to introduce a video on the $170 million project and its 248 affordable housing units, storefronts and businesses.
Motoyasu said, “After two and a half years of construction, Go for Broke National Education Center will have a forever home. Ladies and gentlemen, check out what we’re about to move into.”
After the video, Maloney said, “We’re about to have a permanent home, a home right next to the monument. It’s really what our veterans dreamed of, and I want to take this moment to thank our friends and partners at the Little Tokyo Service Center for helping this dream come true.” He then introduced GFBNEC President and CEO Mitch Maki.
“Wow! What an evening we have covered so many things,” said Maki. “Creating an organization like Go for Broke National Education Center is not easy. Building a monument, a dramatic monument, bringing our organization to downtown Los Angeles, to the Little Tokyo District, having national programming that goes across the nation, telling our story to Americans across the country, and of course now, a new building, a new home.
“I hope that you all are as excited as we are about our future. I hope that you see all of the opportunities that now lie before us.”
Also participating in the 25th Evening of Aloha were Koshin Taiko; Kanani Kalama Hula Studio; and the Redondo Beach High School Marine Corps Junior ROTC Honor Guard, which performed the posting and retiring of the flags.
(The 25th Evening of Aloha can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=pKdqn3JW71Y. A list of the event’s sponsors can be viewed at tinyurl.com/bdfjndjx.)
