By Claudia S. Alaniz

Since she was a little girl, Nadia Chung has dreamed big. “I dreamed of being a ballet dancer before I put my ballet slippers on. Before I knew how to write a story, I wanted to be a journalist,” she said.

One of the La Cañada resident’s first dreams have come true when she was chosen as the 2022 Rose Queen and will ride with the six Royal Court Princesses on their own float to help the world welcome the new year.

“I know it’s going to be a surreal feeling turning the corner (onto Colorado Boulevard),” said the 17-year-old from La Cañada High School about the start of the Rose Parade on Jan. 1.

Nadia’s first experience with the Rose Court was when she was about 3 or 4 years old, but she recalls being in awe of the poise the Queen and Court possessed.

This year’s Parade theme — “Dream. Believe. Achieve.” — is like a motto to Nadia.

“I love it because there were many people who told me to ‘scale it back, be more realistic’ (about my dreams),” she said.

“I think the theme says be confident in yourself and in others, and I hope I can encourage youth and others to dream and believe in themselves, and they can achieve anything they want,” she said.

Nadia finds her passions being a part of several school and community groups, such as president of LCHS Speech and Debate team, California Contemporary Youth Ballet, Concert Choir president, and working as a journalist, for the L.A. Times High School Insider division — all while trying to finish high school and prepare for college, where she plans to major in journalism and strive for law school to become a civil rights attorney.

Writing stories about the 9/11 anniversary and the rebirth of cities after the COVID-19 pandemic, she felt it was valuable to tell people’s personal stories, “and remind people that every person matters, and for them to see a story that represents them, it is a way to feel seen and valued.”

Having a great support system, such as in her father Sanah Chung, mother Sonia Chung and brother Toby, has been key to her success so far.

She has added the young ladies on the Rose Court to her support system, as well as the young ladies from the 2020 La Cañada Royal Court, where she is also a member this year.

“The girls on both Courts just met at a community event, and we all really clicked,” she said. “I have enjoyed becoming best friends with all the girls and spreading smiles throughout the communities.”

This New Year’s Day will be different from her family’s tradition of eating Korean soup with her grandmother, performing a traditional Korean bowing ceremony where elders are shown respect and offer advice for the new year, and of course watching the Rose Parade on television.

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