Yamanaka was born in
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she stayed until 2008 until she moved to
Los Angeles,
California before moving back to Toronto in 2011. She attended
Central Commerce Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario. Yamanaka was awarded the Unsung Hero Award by the City of Toronto 2012 for her advocacy work in diversity in the mainstream media. She debuted her first theatre production in the city of
Watts, California as Isela Sanchez in
Lynn Manning's 'The Unrequited: A tale between two Worlds' with Cornerstone Theater and Watts Village Theater. She has also become an advocate for disabled actors, having developed rheumatoid arthritis. As of 2018, Yamanaka focuses her time on theatre, independent films, and advocacy. She is also a published poet and spoken-word artist, having performed at the inaugural event Poetic Fashion. She has also performed spoken word in Los Angeles, New York, and Swaziland. ==Filmography==