Kayla Isomura (they/them) is equal parts photographer, storyteller, community organizer and everything in between. As a multigenerational settler of Chinese and Japanese descent, Kayla’s work has been largely influenced by their family’s story of displacement. It’s through this lens that Kayla aims to explore narratives and build spaces that centre historically resilient voices.

In 2022, Kayla placed first in the women’s sumo division at the Powell Street Festival. While Kayla has participated in a few festival tournaments since 2015 but they credit this win of the big bag of rice (15 lbs to be exact) to previous workshops organized by the festival and informal training in China Creek Park by Shane Pecknold. Through these experiences, Kayla’s goal is to make an inclusive and accessible space for sumo in Vancouver.

Outside of Sumo Sundays, Kayla organizes with Kikiai Collaborative, a grassroots organization facilitating space for young-ish Japanese Canadians.

Eva Yu (she/they) was born and raised by immigrant parents on the unceded and ancestral lands of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. She started watching professional sumo wrestling in 2023 and immediately fell in love with everything sumo. Soon after, Eva discovered Sumo Sundays at the 2024 Sumo Sundays Basho and has been practicing with Sumo Sundays since. While not particularly strong physically, she has a strong fighting spirit. Eva loves fostering inclusive spaces, building community, and exploring forms of play and movement.

Satoshi Schulte (he/him) grew up watching sumo but never tried the sport until later in life. Introduced to Sumo Sundays through the 2023 Powell Street Festival, where he chose to watch, not compete. Following this, Satoshi soon started attending Sumo Sundays and hasn’t stopped since. He is a big advocate for sumo for everyone and has recently joined the Sumo Sundays organizing team. In 2025, Satoshi started co-leading workshops with Sumo Sundays.

Kyle Cox (he/him) is a grappler from East Vancouver. He has a background in freestyle wrestling and Brazilian jiu-jitsu and is surviving life with two feral daughters (ages 2 and 5). He’s the proud winner of a gold medal at the 2025 Rain City Open and the coveted bag of rice from the 2024 Powell Street Festival and 2025 basho. Following the 2025 festival, Kyle began teaching classes for Sumo Sundays using his approach to sumo.

Mielle Michaux (she/her) is an avid sumo fan who has been participating in Sumo Sundays since 2022. Her other martial arts experience includes sambo wrestling and judo. She is passionate about making martial arts spaces welcoming to everyone, and loves being a part of such an inclusive sumo community!

Mielle started teaching with Sumo Sundays in December 2024, co-leading fundamentals classes.

Shane Pecknold’s (he/him) interest in sumo started when he was living in Japan from 2003-2007. Returning to Vancouver in 2007, Shane found the sumo tournament at Powell Street Festival. Over 10 years, he has competed in eight tournaments and has co-coordinated the tournament and workshops since 2016. Having a varied background and a deep passion for martial arts in general, Shane has found unique ways to train getting ready for tournaments over the years. Shane says, “Being a smaller fighter, it was always my goal to normalize sumo as just another wrestling style, that anyone can play, regardless of size.” As a result, Shane’s version of sumo is all-inclusive where all genders, body types and abilities are welcome. “It’s very exciting to have an indoor training space for yearly sumo practice,” he adds. “All those years doing solo or small group training in the park have finally paid off!”

Lydia Luk (they/them) and their family have roots in colonized lands of Hong Kong and was raised and nurtured on the unceded and ancestral homelands of the wməθ kwəyəm (Musqueam), sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and selílwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh) nations. Lydia continues and is committed to un/learning what it means to be a racialized settler on these lands. Recognized for their work in the community by Xtra West twice, first as a Leader of the Future and the second time as one of Vancouver’s Top 30 Under 30, Celebrated BC’s Brightest Queers and has been nominated twice for the Pride Legacy Awards for creating Safe Spaces in Community and Outstanding Youth Work.

Lydia has been involved with community organizing and peer-led education for 20 years working with youth, seniors, people with disabilities, newcomers, refugees, sexually and gender diverse folks. As a person who lives in intersections of gender, sexuality, race, class and disabilities, Lydia brings their enthusiasm for intersectional community development and experience in community mobilization, engagement with social justice. Sometimes referring themselves as an asian little soup dumpling, you’ll find this small-fat, non-binary, queer, tender PoC bouncing and rolling around having fun while hoping to make changes in the most delicious ways!