Pictured (from left) are Darlene Kuba, master of ceremony; Kitty Sankey, Downtown Los Angeles JACL chapter and JWSSC member; honorees Kay Shizue Kami, Izumi Minamitani and Shigeko Yamauchi; and Mari Robinson, JWSSC president. (Photos: George Toshio Johnston)
Downtown Los Angeles JACL, JWSSC
honor Kami, Minamitani and Yamauchi.
By George Toshio Johnston, P.C. Senior Editor
A year after reaching a rare peak of six women getting honored for their outstanding and dedicated service to the local Japanese American and Japanese communities, the Japanese Women’s Society of Southern California and the Downtown Los Angeles Chapter of the Japanese American Citizens League slimmed down to three deserving awardees: Kay Shizue Kami, Izumi Minamitani and Shigeko Yamauchi.
With the Downtown JACL’s George Kita unavailable to serve as master of ceremony for the first time in years, hosting duties were ably conducted by Darlene Kuba, who was one of the Class of 2025’s honorees (see June 6, 2025, Pacific Citizen, tinyurl.com/4ejtucbr).
On Kita’s behalf, Kuba said, “He extends his heartfelt appreciation and greetings to everyone for your support and attending today’s luncheon. He especially sends his sincere congratulations to the three distinguished honorees.”
The May 3 annual luncheon at which the trio received their awards and recognition for, as Kuba put it, “significant contributions in promoting and presenting culture and values of the Japanese community,” attracted about 200 people to Montebello, Calif.’s Quiet Cannon event venue.
Kuba introduced JWSSC President Mari Robinson to give her welcoming remarks. She was followed by the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple’s Rev. Yukari Torii of the San Fernando Valley Hongwanji Buddhist Temple, who offered the invocation and later, the benediction.
Following the prime rib lunch, Linnae McKeever, a board member of the SFVHBT, spoke about the afternoon’s first awardee, Kami, and her long list of volunteerism, accomplishments and activities at places like the San Fernando Valley Japanese American Community Center in Pacoima, Calif. Citing as an example her supervision of the youngsters who paint the koi flags for Children’s Day, McKeever said, “What really defines Kay isn’t her job titles. It’s her heart for her community.”
Kuba then introduced to the audience Yoshie Fujita. Noting how Minamitani, a teacher in the Hayami-ryu tea ceremony and the Ikenobo school of ikebana, had become a cornerstone of the local cultural community since moving to Los Angeles from Japan in 1994 and who eventually built the largest student base within the Ikenobo Los Angeles chapter, Fujita said her teacher “continues to bridge cultures, ensuring that the spirit and beauty of Japanese tradition flourish here in Southern California.”
After noting they were not relatives despite sharing the same last name, Yuko Yamauchi praised her namesake honoree’s decades of service to such groups as the Okinawa Association of America. “She’s someone who does not make excuses and is unapologetically herself,” Yamauchi said of Shigeko Yamauchi. “I wish I had time to give more examples of how dedicated, determined and generous she is.”
In addition to the long-established clock trophy winners receive from JWSSC and DTLA JACL, the three women also were presented with certificates of recognition from Rep. Gilbert Cisneros Jr. (D-Calif.), Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.), state Sen. Susan Rubio (22nd District), state Sen. Bob Archuleta (30th District), Assemblymember Blanca Rubio (48th Assembly District) and Assemblymember Mike Gibson (65th Assembly District).
Speaking on behalf of the day’s other two honorees was Yamauchi, who addressed the audience in Japanese. Following the benediction, Kuba thanked the Quiet Cannon staff and the luncheon’s planning committee: Joyce Chinn, Toshie Kawaguchi, George Kita, Rodney Nakada, Miyuki Namiki, Mari Robinson, Tomoko Sakurai, Kitty Sankey, Barbara Sookdet, Patricia Sookdet, Amy Tambara and Yuko Uyesugi.
The 2026 Women of the Year planning committee. Pictured (sitting, from left) are Kitty Sankey (DTLA JACL and JWSSC), Mari Robinson (president, JWSSC), Amy Tambara (chair, WOY, JACL) Yuko Uyesugi and (standing, from left) Kiyoe Suzuki, Itsuko Ramos, Toshie Kawaguchi, Joyce Chinn, Tomoko Sakurai and Darlene Kuba. Not pictured are George Kita (president, DTLA JACL), Rodney Nakada, Miyuki Namiki and Patricia Sookdet.
