Organizations and city governments nationwide celebrated Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month 2022 with film screenings, picnics, festivals, fairs and more. Gold House, a community of AAPI leaders and innovators founded in 2017, inducted its A100 honorees and legends with a glamourous event they called the Gold Gala. The event capped off AAPI Month with compelling speeches and dazzling fashion.
Dolce & Gabbana Shines on the Gold Gala Red Carpet
The dress code for the Gold Gala, The New Gold Age,
brought out stunning gowns and tuxes inspired by Asian culture and designed by Asian creatives. Bold colors, gold brocade, and sleek silhouettes flooded the red carpet before attendees gathered together to honor 100 Asian and Pacific Islander individuals who have made positive impacts in the last year. Jeannie Mai and Payal Kadakia shimmered in innovative gowns showcasing the best of tradition with a modern flair while Nicole Kang and Bella Poarch made an impression with eye-catching colors. Dolce & Gabbana made a beautiful showing at the event, dressing Vanessa Yao of the CW's Kung Fu, Ludi Lin of 2021's Mortal Kombat, and veteran acting legend Tzi Ma.
Vanessa Yao in a neutral-tone, embellished gown, looks flawless.
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Ludi Lin wears a golden, Asian-inspired couture tuxedo designed by Dolce & Gabbana.
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Tzi Ma is regal in a black tux with bold gold detailing.
A post shared by Tzi Ma (@tzima8)
Legendary Honorees Promote the Power of Storytelling
Dwayne Johnson, Chloe Kim, and Simu Liu are just a few names on the A100 Legends list. Other Gold House honorees who made the list include OnlyFans CEO Amrapali Gan, beloved writer and activist Alice Wong and the stars and creator of the trailblazing Netflix show Squid Game. Standout honorees Mindy Kaling and Michelle Yeoh gave heartwarming and candid speeches that touched upon their experiences in the entertainment industry and encouraged leaders in Hollywood to allow Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to tell authentic stories. Kaling, who has had recent success with Netflix's Never Have I Ever, urged the audience to never stop creating stories. She insisted that storytelling is a community effort because no one person's experience should represent a 'monolith' when it comes to the diversity of stories in the AAPI community. Yeoh discussed how her leading role in the highly successful indie film Everything Everywhere All at Once shatters stereotypes. She was adamant about the fact that women need to tell their own stories with all of the layers and complexity that mark stories about men. Her speech garnered enthusiastic applause from the audience.
AAPI Month was officially inaugurated in 1990 to honor the struggles, experiences, and contributions made to society by people of Asian American and Pacific Islander descent. The Gold House Gala is a first-of-its-kind event that aims to uplift the AAPI community and highlight influential and inspiring leaders.