About the Southern California Center
Asia Society Southern California (ASSC) is the leading non-profit, non-partisan, pan-Asian organization dedicated to strengthening relationships and promoting understanding among the people of Southern California and Asia/Pacific. Established in Los Angeles in 1985, and with a large and diverse Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) population throughout Southern California, ASSC is ideally situated at the gateway to Asia/Pacific. ASSC has played a pivotal role through creative programs and activities in increasing shared knowledge, enhancing dialogue and furthering cultural exchanges transcending regional boundaries.
As part of the global Asia Society, which was founded more than a half century ago in New York City, ASSC has become one of the fastest-growing and most dynamic branches. Under the leadership of Chairman Thomas E. McLain and its Executive Committee and Board of Advisors, ASSC has launched many creative initiatives and programs addressing current issues of importance across the fields of the arts, culture, policy, business and education. Asia Society Southern California has hosted visionaries from Australia, China, Indonesia and Taiwan, as well as organizing Entertainment/Media Asia (EMAsia) conferences on the media/entertainment industry and its impact in Afghanistan, China, India and Iran.
Asia Society Southern California also will be kicking off a series of conferences on the impact of the Asian economies on the United States (e.g., The Japan Rising Conference on November 10), the Pacific Cities Sustainability Initiative and the LAsia21 program designed to identify and promote up-and-coming Asian Pacific Islander leaders under the age of 40. In addition, ASSC’s annual spring gala celebrates and honors some of the brightest and most innovative leaders who share our commitment to raising awareness and building a stronger community for people on both sides of the Pacific.
All of us at Asia Society Southern California thank you for your continuing support of our long-standing mission of cultivating greater synergy and bridging cultures between people in the U.S. and Asia/Pacific. We welcome your feedback and your ongoing participation in our many events as you join us on this exciting journey to a better shared future.