2021 Asian Hall of Fame inductees include Nancy Kwan, Brandon Lee, Steve Aoki, Ken Jeong
By Jiselle Lee
Ten influential Asians will be honored during the 2021 Asian Hall of Fame ceremony on Nov. 13.
Seattle cocktail event: After separating from The Robert Chinn Foundation last year, the Asian Hall of Fame joins the foundation in celebrating its 35th anniversary and the 2021 Asian Hall of Fame inductees at the Ben Bridge Jeweler in downtown Seattle on Monday.
- The Asian Hall of Fame was founded in 2004 but became its own nonprofit organization last year. The organization recognizes “Asian excellence, cultural unity and inter-racial equity” and holds a ceremony for inductees once a year.
- Attendees participated in two raffles to celebrate the inductees: The Ben Bridge Jeweler diamond raffle and Grayse couture raffle.
- Karen Wong, the founder and chairman of the Board of The Robert Chinn Foundation, gave a speech to welcome the attendees.
- Wong also talked about her father Robert Chinn, a prominent Seattle philanthropist, and how she has devoted her life to celebrating his work and the importance of raising awareness for other influential Asians.
- Indra Nooyi, the former chairman and CEO of PepsiCo, was the only inductee to attend the Ben Bridge Jeweler event. She is the first person of Indian descent to be recognized by the Asian Hall of Fame.
2021 Asian Hall of Fame induction ceremony: This year, the ceremony will be held through a free virtual livestream at 6 p.m. PST on Nov. 13, on the organization’s YouTube channel and Facebook page, as well as through a ticketed in-person dinner.
- Kevin Kwan, the writer of “Crazy Rich Asians,” will be the ceremony’s host.
- Singer Maki Mae, musicians Danny Seraphine & CTA and guitarist Robby Krieger of The Doors will perform at the ceremony.
- Actress Nancy Kwan will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award for her work in cinema.
- Brandon Lee, who died in 1993, will be awarded the Actor & Cultural Icon award in memoriam.
- Other inductees include Steve Aoki, Ken Jeong, Hon. Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye, Phil Chen, Ren Hanami, Sumi Jo, Dr. Linda M. Liauw and Indra Nooyi.
Silent Auction: The Asian Hall of Fame is also hosting a silent auction, The Annual Celebrity Holiday Auction, which will end on Nov. 14 and has raised over $15,000 for Stop AAPI Hate thus far.
- “We believe if people and communities knew about the Asian contributions to the country, to humanity and to their neighborhoods, there would be no violence,” CEO of Asian Hall of Fame Maki Hsieh told the Seattle Times. “But how can you respect someone when you don’t know what they’ve contributed? And that’s why the Asian Hall of Fame exists.”
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