Houston's Asian American Journeys: Mandy Kao
Produced in partnership with the University of St. Thomas MAX Studios and Yetter Coleman LLP
A global citizen at heart, Mandy Kao has lovingly embraced Houston as a prophetic city with the potential for great change, opportunity, and philanthropy. Watch her videos to uncover the lessons she learned from her father about giving back and what sets Houston apart as a city.
On Family and Giving Back
On Houston's Thriving Diversity as a 'Prophetic City'
About Mandy Kao
Mandy Kao was born in Hong Kong and educated in Vancouver, Canada. In 2001, Mandy and her husband William moved to Houston, Texas. Together, they own Titan Management — a real estate investment, management, and development company.
Mandy believes in giving back to the community she lives and works in. In 2009, Kao formed the Mandy Kao Foundation to further her goals in helping those in underserved and marginalized communities. It supports outreach and education programs specifically for girls and funds after-school programs in apartments and elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods. It also provides scholarship projects for students to attend college as well as offers small matching grants for new projects which promote leadership, entrepreneurship, and self-sufficiency for women and children. She also helped her three boys start their own charitable fund. The Awesome Fund supports "AWESOME" projects and provides seed grants, which serve the community, locally and internationally. Kao also helped to create the largest Asian Youth Giving Circle in the U.S. AAYGC has contributed thousands of volunteer hours, and has donated substantially to support organizations that serve the Asian youth in Houston.
While developing many personal business pursuits, in her "spare time," Kao mentors women both formally and informally. She actively promotes youth and family philanthropy as well as Asian equality.
About Houston's Asian American Journeys
In partnership with the University of St. Thomas MAX Studios, Asia Society Texas presents a new video series, Houston's Asian American Journeys. Through short video interviews with local Asian Americans, the series illuminates the voices that make up a vital part of the most diverse city in the U.S.
Featuring Houstonians who reflect the richness and diversity of the local Asian American communities, the series highlights a variety of experiences, cultures, religions, and ethnicities and explores themes of identity, memory, and shared humanity. In sharing these personal journeys, Asia Society Texas and the University of St. Thomas seek to build empathy and connectivity between people, as well as deepen our collective understanding of Asian American experiences in Houston.
About the University of St. Thomas
The University of St. Thomas is a comprehensive university, grounded in the liberal arts. Committed to the unity of all knowledge, we offer programs in the traditional liberal arts, professional, and skill-based disciplines. Graduates of the University of St. Thomas think critically, communicate effectively, succeed professionally and lead ethically.
By pursuing excellence in teaching, scholarship and service, we embody and instill in our students the core values of our founders, the Basilian Fathers: goodness, discipline and knowledge. We foster engagement in a diverse, collaborative community, and our student body reflects the rich diversity of the city itself. We welcome undergraduate and graduate students of all faiths and of no faith.
About UST Max Studios
In his lifetime, St. Maximilian Kolbe founded and ran a radio station and several publications. It is in this tradition that University of St. Thomas – Houston steps into the realm of digital content creation through MAX Studios. Inspired by St. Maximilian’s passion and emboldened by St. John Paul II’s words in his encyclical “Redemptoris Missio,” MAX Studios’ goal is to provide fresh monthly content and conversation. MAX Studios aims to encounter the surrounding culture while highlighting the diversity of the Catholic Faith Tradition.
About Asia Society Texas
Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.
Series Sponsor
