Asia Society Southern California Launches Asian Women Empowered (AWE)

LOS ANGELES, CA.; October 4, 2021 – Asia Society Southern California announced today the launch of Asian Women Empowered (AWE), a global network recognizing the world’s most influential Asian women. The initiative brings together talented Asian women who seek to inspire and invest in future generations through sustainable mentorship and educating the world on the intersectional challenges and opportunities for Asian women. Centered around three focus points (mentorship, programming, and research), AWE is a full-scale investment into the power and potential of Asian women. Variety will serve as the media partner for the inaugural community-building kick off event that will take place on Tuesday, October 12 at Tiato in Santa Monica, CA.

The hybrid celebratory event will start with a virtual reading by National Youth Poet Laureate Alexandra Huỳnh. The in-person presentation of the inaugural AWE honorees will include a celebration of the House of An family and their trailblazing American success story, a tribute to Chun-Yen Chen for a career of service to the AAPI community, and a fireside chat with television personality Lisa Ling on her distinguished career in journalism and social justice advocacy. AWE Chair and Asia Society Southern California Advisory Board Member Janet Yang will host the fireside chat.

There will also be a virtual panel discussion featuring Holly Liu, Co-Founder of Kabam; Sandra Oh Lin, Founder and CEO of KiwiCo; Kat Mañalac, Head of Outreach at Y Combinator; and Pocket Sun, Co-Founder and Managing Director of SoGal Ventures. The discussion will highlight the impact of entrepreneurial empowerment in tech and finance and will be moderated by Asia Society Southern California Co-Chair Katie Soo.

“We are thrilled to announce the launch of our latest initiative, Asian Women Empowered, and to honor these incredibly deserving women. It’s been a hard year for our communities and we are excited to celebrate a few of the voices who have been pillars for courage, leadership and hope,” said AWE Chair Janet Yang.

AWE will continue to host a rich slate of quarterly programming that will highlight established and emerging leaders across a variety of sectors, emphasizing the impact of women of Asian descent. Asia Society Southern California will advance this mission by connecting Asian women at all levels to build an inclusive community that can empower them professionally, intellectually, and socially.

“Asia Society Southern California is proud to launch AWE—a network and safe space for Asian women all over the world to connect and share their stories and to generate conversation around the power and potential of Asian women. Our programming series, mentorship, and research will provide us with a wealth of information and learnings that will serve as the foundation of opportunity and access for generations of Asian women to come,” said AWE Co-Chair Katie Soo.

AWE is a global network of influential Asian women with a mission to connect with one another and invest in future generations while empowering and advancing the global Asian and Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) community as a whole.

For more information on AWE, please visit AsiaSociety.org/AWE.

For media coverage opportunities, please reach out to Felicia Wong at [email protected].

For more information on Asia Society Southern California, please visit: AsiaSociety.org/socal.