Oscar Winners, Olympians and Hello Kitty: A Weekend with Gold Gala

The Gold Gala is the kind of weekend where you can share an intimate booth at LA culinary hotspot Yangban with a Pulitzer winner (journalist Jose Antonio Vargas) and a top festival executive (TIFF Chief Programming Officer Anita Li) on Friday night. And then there’s mimosas and a sound bath the next morning with Olympic figure skaters and former Miss Universes (Madison Chalk and R. Bonnie Gabriel, respectively) at the Four Seasons — all as part of mere pre-gaming for the titular main event, which It was held at that time. Music Center in downtown Los Angeles on Saturday night.

Ostensibly a cultural celebration and awards dinner by Asian Pacific powerbroker network Goldhouse, the third annual Gold Gala was simultaneously a haute couture showcase and a family reunion, with 600 API talent and leaders from multiple industries at their best. “Inherited Black” came out. tie” according to the dress code. As usual, Goldhouse CEO Bing Chen set the tone by getting on the mic to personally and sternly reprimand any guests (even and especially VIPs). Diya who ignored requests from visitors to find their seats so the long show could begin: “[Netflix film chief] Dean Lynn, you need to get yourself back in your seat!

Continuing to bring the elite together with the family, Gold Legend Honorary and Gala Culinary Director Padma Lakshmi joins Michelin-starred Semma restaurateur Ronnie Mazumdar in New York City to introduce the inspiration behind the evening menu, Semma. took the stage initially with Executive Chef Vijay Kumar. : “A love letter to South India, where we are both from – and where all curry leaves are from. My father’s farm“

The diverse program, which included honorees and presenters from the entire API diaspora, included HYBE Chair and BTS impresario Bang Si-Hyuk, who came from Korea to personally accept his Gold Legend Award. Sweetie, the first Gold Music recipient; Creator Lee Sung-jin and his cast are taking home the gold icon after sweeping nearly every limited series race last awards season. Maui wildfire first responders, praised for their social impact; And Hello Kitty, who looked as fresh as ever on stage despite being 50 years old (honoured the Gold Generation).

In addition, the Gold Gala brought nine All-Star U.S. Olympians and Paralympians — including Chloe Kim, Kristi Yamaguchi, Apollo Anton Ohno and Nathan Chen — on stage to recognize both of the 2022 U.S. figure skating team. Upgrade to gold. Two years after the competition ended and to salute AAPI athletic excellence at the Paris Games this summer.

The breadth and visibility of the API talent gathered at the Plaza left an impression on Lucy Liu, who received the Gold Legend honor from Regina King. “I think it’s gotten very lonely,” the 30-year industry veteran said in a halting and heartfelt speech delivered without notes or a teleprompter. “There’s a lot of decisions that make because of limitations. And I love that we’re all here tonight because there’s no ceiling, and I’ve never seen that for myself. I want us all to understand that together. How special this moment is, that we are together as a community.

This message of solidarity was echoed by Gold Alley honoree Cynthia Erive, who attended the gala alongside Lena Waithe and was introduced by her director Jon M. Cho and costar Michelle Yeoh. After Cho screened a special making-of featurette of his latest movie musical Spectacular that he asked the audience not to record, Ario accepted the honor with a speech that drew from Malcolm X and Yuri Kochiyama. The fruitful history of Pham and Asian partnerships was noted. Civil Rights Field to Ryan Coogler and producer Nina Yang Bongiovi. “And I have to say: Can we work together more?” He added, diverging from his prepared remarks. “Because I love the work we put out into the world, but we always do it separately, and quite frankly, we’re much more flavorful when we do it together. So much for us: To each of you in this room and I hope to see many of your names in lights, and I will do the same with you.

In the spirit of the Blasian collaboration, Sweety returned to the stage to close the official program with a multi-song set that included her first live performance of “Nani”, which she sang to Maitri Ramakrishnan after she saw it in the crowd. Passionately dedicated. “Is that a girl?! Whoa, girl, I’ve seen your Netflix series!

The three-hour gala was followed by an after-party – the Gold House X Founders Party – which was even longer and began with a performance by reigning champion Nymphaea Wind. While Daniel Kwan and Harry Shum Jr. tore up the dance floor, presided over by Steve Aoki, the Founders Room in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion was transformed into the world’s best karaoke lounge (presented by Rakuten Wiki). It was here that journalist Jane Yamato’s perfect cover of Celine Dion’s “It’s All Coming Back to Me Now” inspired actor and idol Taecyeon (, 2PM) to perform a soulful rendition of “Lead Vocalist” Sash and Olly Crovalho’s Chris. gave Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” was essentially a free intimate concert with a famous pro.

With all of the remarkable API gifts and power collectively on display, Goldhouse’s Chen issued a call to pay it forward at the end of the official portion of the evening, stressing that the organization’s deficits in representation It works not by focusing on the place but by emphasizing its current state. Strengths “We have an internal strength, so we have the responsibility and the privilege to give,” he says, in film and television ( , , ) as well as business (43 percent of companies that have gone public in the past two years). I said after noting the success of the API. Years are based on API).

“When DEI’s priorities die, it’s up to our community to make sure we continue to hire inclusively and promote equitably. It’s up to our community to make sure That our boards be 50 percent women, with Latino and black and indigenous communities being hired. When members of our community are silenced, especially about what’s going on in Gaza For the stand, it is our responsibility to create a safe space for them and for everyone at the table. It is our community’s responsibility, because we are the global majority, to know what it means to give to others You don’t lose anything, because when you die, you take nothing.

“And it’s our community that needs to remember that instead of begging to sit at someone else’s table, we now have the power to build our own homes in the arts and business.”