legacy

Milestones

2025
2026_Pageant_IMG_5221.JPG
Nina Koh
Nina Koh
Nina Koh

First Annual Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Pageant

 

First Miss Los Angeles Chinatown titleholder

Christine Lee

Feburary 3, 1963 • Christine Lee

 

Shumarry Chow, pictured with _ and _ was the first Queen to be born in China

 

Least contestants

6

[7 (1968), 9 (1972, 1979, 2019), 10 (2016)]
*See ‘Participants’ page.

 

Lai Fai Wong, the first 18-year-old Queen, crowns Karen Chinn, the second 18-year-old queen

 

Miss Mandarin Plaza, Miss Firecracker, Miss Personality, Miss Popularity, Miss Teen Chinatown & Miss Teen Friendship titles retired

The last known Miss Mandarin Plaza, Miss Firecracker, Miss Personality, Miss Popularity, Miss Teen Chinatown & Miss Teen Friendship are pictured in 1975

 

Lisa Wong is the first Queen that was born in Hong Kong

 

Donna Anne Lee is the first person to re-run for Miss Los Angeles Chinatown, after previously holding a different title, to achieve the title of Queen

 
 
 

First titleholder of Mexican/Chinese mixture

April Hom

[Diana Luis, Kellye Ng]

 

Month 0, 1984 • Cynthia Gouw

 

Year with titleholders with same last name & initials

Suzan P. Wan/Suzy Wan & Madeline Gong/Margret Gong

 

First 4th Princess titleholder

Suzy Wan

 

Most contestants

26

[22 (1988), 18 (1987, 1992, 2000, 2002, 2006), 17 (1982, 1985), 16 (1984, 1990, 2024)]
*See ‘Participants’ page.

 
 

Logo created

George Ng

 

First Queen that is a twin

Ada Tai

[Grace Ellzey, Esther Ho]

 
 

First Queen’s daughter to become Little Queen

Lisa Wong/Montana Tsai

[Sepherteen Jew/Saerlaith Anying Dunn, Leslie Lew/Megan Eng, Annie Liu]

Lisa Wong (Top Left) and Montana Tsai (Bottom Left) are the first mother/daughter duo to achieve the titles of Queen and Little Queen respectively, Sepherteen Jew (Top Right) and Saerlaith Dunn (Bottom Right) are the second

 

First Queen of Japanese/Chinese-mixture

Dana Yee

 

First Queen of Pilipino/Chinese-mixture

Lynn Liou

[Lindsay Louie, Lynn Delgado]

Month 0, 2001 • Lynn Liou

 

First Tour

China

[China (2004, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024), Bali (2000), Hong Kong (2001, 2002, 2009, 2010, 2012), San Diego (2022, 2024), San Francisco (2013, 2020), Thailand (2004), Vietnam (2002) , Cancelled (2003: SARS, 2005: Low participants, 2020: COVID-19, 2022: COVID-19)]

 

First Queen born in Korea

Tiffany Liu

[Juting Tsang]

Denise Shue, Tina Huang, Tina Yao, Tiffany Liu, Juting Tsang, and Ruth Chen attend an event

 

First Queen of Thai/Chinese-mixture

Priscilla Tjio

[Denise Chang-Cox]

Month 0, 2003 • Priscilla Tjio

 

First titleholder of African/Chinese mixture

Angela Chao Roberson

Month 0, 2006 • Angela Chao Roberson, Nancy Nandik Kwong, Melody Chi Cheng, Kay Ponnusamy and Dow-An Kou

 

First titleholder of Indian/Chinese-mixture

Kaye Ponnusamy

 

2007

Month 0, 2007 • Person

 
 

First reigning Queen to run in L.A. Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K Run/Walk & Bike Ride

Katrina Lee

[Corrie Chan, Alysha Chan]

Katrina Lee was the first reigning Queen to run in the L.A. Chinatown Firecracker 5/10K Run/Walk & Bike Ride

 

Least titles awarded

4

*See ‘Awardees’ page.

 
 

Longest reign

2 Years due to the COVID-19 Pandemic

[2 Years (2022: N/A), 1 Year & 1 Month (2024: Los Angeles Fires)]

The 2020 Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Court had the longest reign, lasting 2 years, due to the COVID-19 global pandemic

 

First Queen to win Miss California in Miss America

Catherine Liang

Catherine Liang is the first Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Queen to also find success in the Miss California Pageant for Miss America

 

Saerlaith Anying Dunn, daughter of Sepherteen Jew, is the first daughter of a Queen to be awarded the same title

 

First trio to share one title

Grace Ellzey/Esther Ho/Kathryn Yip

 
 

First titleholders to be 27 years old

Esther Ho/Kathryn Yip

 

First Queen’s son to become Little King

Shirley Zhang/Troy Cheong

[Leslie Lew/Timothy Dean Eng, Joyce Ping Ping Chang/]

 
 

First Queens from the same city to win consecutively

Saerlaith Anying Dunn/Nina Koh

July 4, 2025 • Saerlaith Anying Dunn & Nina Koh

 

Please send any additions or corrections to info@lachinesechamber.org.