From: Risa Yanagisawa, Walnut Creek, Calif., muses_nine@hotmail.com,
Date: 9/2/00

This is awesome!!! In my whole life I've never met more than three Risas spelled the same way! My mother is Belarusian and my father is Japanese. I'm a Hapa-Risa. I was named after the opera singer — who I see has just joined? Cool! Also, Risa is Raisa in Russian.

You know when you're little and they sell these toy license plates with names like Mary, Sue, and Beth? They should make a Risa one! That used to bug me when I was little:) When I was in Italy, people told me I was named after the feminine version of Rice. People always ask me if I know what Risa means in Spanish, too (it means laughing).

Anyway, I'm a screenwriter in California (Bay Area). I used to teach summer camp in between semesters at college. There I taught a cute little girl with bright red hair and freckles named Risa as well. We were known as Risa Jr. and Risa Sr. all summer. Not too many other Risa spottings since then. Incidentally, my whole name including my surname means "Laughing Weeping Willow By a Pond." There you have it, I'm a living contradiction. Heehee. Thanks for making this site :)