Model Citizen

Hapa Japan Fest 2017, held Feb. 22 to 26 at the Japanese American National Museum and on the USC campus, included the following events on Feb. 23 at JANM’s George and Sakaye Aratani Hall.

(Above) Marie Nakagawa, a half-Japanese, half-Sengalese fashion model who represented Japan on the second season of “Asia’s Next Top Model,” was interviewed by Edward Sumoto of Mixed Roots Japan, who was born in Venezuela and grew up in Kobe.

(Below) Singer/songwriter Kris Roche, who was born in Kyoto to an American father and Japanese mother and recently released his first full-length album, “Be Love,”was introduced by filmmaker Jeff Chiba Stearns (“One Big Hapa Family,” “Mixed Match”).

(Right) Meiko, a critically acclaimed recording artist who is one-quarter Japanese on her maternal grandmother’s side and was raised in Georgia, also performed.

Photos by J.K. YAMAMOTO/Rafu Shimpo