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EVENTS

Serica has hosted dozens of events with an average of 250+ registered participants for each. Our attendees represent a wide network of U.S.-China social impact, nonprofit, and philanthropy leaders.

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Serica has collaborated with corporate partners on bespoke events, webinars, and newsletter content, and would be happy to amplify your content to our network of C-suite, senior level executives, founders and owners for potential client outreach. Please click here for more information and to get in touch.

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Climate, Comedy & Cocktails

A dynamic evening celebrating the AAPI artists involved in the ALL ARTS/PBS documentary series "Climate Artists" with insightful panels, climate-conscious food & cocktails, meet eco-innovator products, & an exclusive premiere screening!

Wednesday, September 25

6:00 PM - 8:30PM

NEW YORK CITY

100 Washington St.

China Institute of America

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Thursday, May 22, 2025 at

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AAPI Women's Gala
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Celebrate the remarkable achievements and stories of trailblazing women from the Asian diaspora who have made significant impacts across various sectors. This gala is not just an event; it's a powerful gathering that honors legacies, sparks innovation, and fosters alliances to advance positive social change.

Experience a night filled with compelling narratives, prestigious awards, and vibrant connections that highlight the breadth and richness of Asian and AAPI contributions. Your participation will support innovative programs that empower the next generation and preserve the rich legacies of our community's pioneers.

Save the date for 2025!

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Watch Women's Gala Highlights & More
AAPI Women's Gala 2024 Honoree: Chen Man
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AAPI Women's Gala 2024 Honoree: Chen Man

🌟 Spotlight on Visionary Artistry and Women's Gala 2024 Honoree 🌟 🎥 Dive into the inspiring world of Chen Man, a trailblazer in visual arts, in this exclusive clip from our AAPI Women’s Gala. Watch as Chen Man discusses the powerful role of visual arts in storytelling and how this generation is using creativity to redefine narratives and inspire change. 📹 Want more? Watch the full video to see Chen Man's entire speech and explore more moments from the gala: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2YV1-zQwX8&t=14s 👉 Like, share, and comment to support the arts and continue the conversation. Let's celebrate the artists who make our world a more vibrant place to live! #ChenMan #VisualArts #Storytelling #AAPIWomensGala #ArtInAction #CulturalImpact #InspirationalArtists #SericaInitiative
Serica AAPI Women's Gala 2024 Highlight Reel
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Serica AAPI Women's Gala 2024 Highlight Reel

The 8th annual AAPI Women's Gala was held on May 14th at Tribeca 360 with the theme Strength Unveiled; A celebration of Women's Success Through Resilience and Perseverance. It featured nine Trailblazer honorees and three Rising Star award winners, as well as a violin/viola duet performance and charity auction over a delicious 3 course meal. Guests were delighted and inspired by impactful speeches and Dr. Sujuan Ba - President and CEO of The National Foundation for Cancer Research and pioneering scientist in biomedical research. Anita Bhatia - Founder of Impact Commons and influential leader in gender equality and economic empowerment. Barbara Bouza - Former President, Walt Disney Imagineering, Asia/Global Experiences & Theme Parks Shinta Kamdani - Owner and CEO of Sintesa Group and one of Indonesia’s most prominent and powerful businesswoman Loida Nicola Lewis - Former CEO of Beatrice Foods, attorney, philanthropist, and best-selling author Chen Man - Internationally acclaimed fashion visual artist and photographer for Vogue, Bazaar, Elle, GQ, and more. Sheila Lirio Marcelo - Co-founder & CEO of Ohai.ai, founder of Care.com, and advocate for helping working moms. Ng Gim Choo - Founder of EtonHouse Education Group & visionary in the field of education. Sheryl WuDunn - Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author and major advocate for global women's rights. Rising Stars Corporate: Karen Mu - Managing Partner @ Alliance Global Partners Entrepreneur: Eden Cai - CEO @ Garden Star Group Non-Profit: Gia Vang - Bay Area News Anchor and co-founder of the Very Asian Foundation Credit to Sia for Unstoppable - amazing track to empower this video! Learn more at https://www.sericainitiative.org/womensgala2024 Follow us! Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serica.initiative/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSerica  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/serica-initiative/ Instagram: https://instagram.com/serica.initiative Youtube: https://youtube.com/@TheSericaInitiative
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AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative convened trailblazers, thought leaders, and rising talents to empower and inspire each other along Serica's mission: to galvanize a global community of changemakers to advocate for greater Asian American inclusion and advance positive social impact in U.S.-China relations, through dialogue, storytelling, and our convening power.

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Honorees included George Takei, Star Trek actor, author, and civil rights activist; Wendy O’Neill, Life Trustee of the Rockefeller-funded Asian Cultural Council and former Trustee of Rockefeller Brothers Fund; Frank H. Wu, President of Queens College, former Committee of 100 Chairman, and Serica Board Member; and Patricia Chin OD, Co-Founder of VP Records, the world’s largest independent reggae label.

George Takei Acceptance Speech at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala
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George Takei Acceptance Speech at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative honored George Takei with its Lifetime Achievement Award. George accepted the award virtually and gave this pre-recording acceptance speech. George Takei is a civil rights activist, social media superstar, Grammy-nominated recording artist, New York Times bestselling author, and pioneering actor whose career has spanned six decades. He has appeared in more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television roles, most famously as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, and he has used his success as a platform to fight for social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and marriage equality. His advocacy is personal: during World War II, Takei spent his childhood unjustly imprisoned in United States internment camps along with 125,000 other Japanese Americans. He now serves as Chairman Emeritus and a member of the Japanese American National Museum’s Board of Trustees. Takei served on the board of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission under President Bill Clinton, and, in 2004, was conferred with the Gold Rays with Rosette of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan for his contribution to US-Japan relations.
Patricia "Miss Pat" Chin Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala
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Patricia "Miss Pat" Chin Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative honored Patricia "Miss Pat" Chin with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Video credit: Tuba Time Creative (https://tubatime.co). Patricia Dorothy Chin OD is a Jamaican entrepreneur and co-founder of VP Records - together with her late husband Vincent - the world’s largest independent reggae label and distributor of Caribbean music. For 60 years, VP Records has been a vital component in the growth and evolution of reggae music that has touched every country, every culture, and every continent. Starting from a small record shop in the late 50s’, Randy’s Records, in Kingston, Jamaica, selling discarded jukebox records to the Chin’s arrival in New York in the late 70’s to pursue the ‘American dream,’ VP has become a multinational company that stands as a symbol for reggae music. As a Grammy winning label co-founder, retailer, merchandiser, and with numerous accolades to her credit, Patricia Chin has left an indelible mark on the music she loves and impacted the lives of many around the world.
George Takei Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala
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George Takei Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative honored George Takei with its Lifetime Achievement Award. Video credit: Tuba Time Creative (https://tubatime.co). George Takei is a civil rights activist, social media superstar, Grammy-nominated recording artist, New York Times bestselling author, and pioneering actor whose career has spanned six decades. He has appeared in more than 40 feature films and hundreds of television roles, most famously as Hikaru Sulu in Star Trek, and he has used his success as a platform to fight for social justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and marriage equality. His advocacy is personal: during World War II, Takei spent his childhood unjustly imprisoned in United States internment camps along with 125,000 other Japanese Americans. He now serves as Chairman Emeritus and a member of the Japanese American National Museum’s Board of Trustees. Takei served on the board of the Japan-United States Friendship Commission under President Bill Clinton, and, in 2004, was conferred with the Gold Rays with Rosette of the Order of the Rising Sun by the Emperor of Japan for his contribution to US-Japan relations.
Frank H. Wu Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala
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Frank H. Wu Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative honored George Takei with its Trailblazers Award. Video credit: Tuba Time Creative (https://tubatime.co). Frank H. Wu serves as the eleventh President of Queens College. Prior to joining the City University of New York (CUNY) system, Frank served as Chancellor & Dean, and then William L. Prosser Distinguished Professor at the institution now known as UC College of the Law, San Francisco. Before joining UC Law San Francisco, he was a member of the faculty at Howard University, the nation’s leading historically black college/university (HBCU), for a decade. He served as Dean of Wayne State University Law School in his hometown of Detroit. Frank is dedicated to civic engagement. He was appointed by the federal Department of Education during the Obama administration to its National Advisory Committee on Institutional Quality and Integrity (NACIQI), which advises the administration on higher education accreditation, serving for nine years, including as Vice-Chair. He was a Trustee of Gallaudet University, the only university in the world dedicated to deaf and hard of hearing persons, from 2000 to 2010, and Vice-Chair for the final four years of his tenure. He was a Trustee of Deep Springs College, a highly-selective full-scholarship school enrolling twenty-six on a student-run cattle ranch near Death Valley, where he previously taught for several short periods; he served nine years, during the transition to co-education. Frank is the author of Yellow: Race in America Beyond Black and White, and co-author of Race, Rights and Reparation: Law and the Japanese American Internment. Prior to his academic career, he held a clerkship with the late U.S. District Judge Frank J. Battisti in Cleveland and practiced law with the firm of Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco. He received a B.A. from the Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. with honors from the University of Michigan.
Wendy O'Neill Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala
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Wendy O'Neill Introduction at The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative honored Wendy O'Neill with its Trailblazers Award. Video credit: Tuba Time Creative (https://tubatime.co). Wendy O’Neill has devoted her life to philanthropy and US-Asian exchange. She is currently the Chairman of the China Medical Board (CMB) where she has been a trustee since 2006. Created by the Rockefeller Foundation in 1914, in its early years CMB focused primarily on building and managing Peking Union Medical College, China’s premier medical school which introduced modern medicine to China. CMB presently is dedicated to funding medical education, policy research, global health, and health equity in China and Southeast Asia. Wendy is a Life Trustee of the Asian Cultural Council (ACC) which she chaired between 2009 and 2023 and where she was a trustee for 14 years. Founded in 1963 to advance cultural exchange, the ACC has supported over 6,000 Asian and American artists, scholars, and arts professionals at pivotal points in their careers to travel and learn in the USA or Asia. ACC’s notable Chinese and America alumni include Cai Guo-qiang, Chen Kaige, David Henry Hwang, Viet Thanh Nguyen and Julie Taymor. She, also, is the former Chairman of Rockefeller Philanthropic Advisors where she served as trustee for 11 years, and she was a trustee of the Rockefeller Brothers’ Fund for 9 years. She was a member of the American Women’s Association of Hong Kong’s Charitable Donations Committee between 2001 and 2009 serving as its chairman for three years. She received an A.B. from Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges in East Asian Studies and a M.A. from UCLA in History with a specialty in Chinese History. She has worked in China trade as well as investment and was the first foreign intern at China International Trust & Investment Company.
The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala
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The Serica Initiative 2023 AAPI Next Gen Trailblazers Gala

On September 13, 2023 at China Institute in New York City, the Serica Initiative convened trailblazers, thought leaders, and rising talents to empower and inspire each other along Serica's mission: to galvanize a global community of changemakers to advocate for greater Asian American inclusion and advance positive social impact in U.S.-China relations, through dialogue, storytelling, and our convening power. Honorees included George Takei, Star Trek actor, author, and civil rights activist; Wendy O’Neill, Life Trustee of the Rockefeller-funded Asian Cultural Council and former Trustee of Rockefeller Brothers Fund; Frank H. Wu, President of Queens College, former Committee of 100 Chairman, and Serica Board Member; and Patricia Chin OD, Co-Founder of VP Records, the world’s largest independent reggae label.

Watch the Next Gen Trailblazers Gala Highlights

Past Events

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To access all programs organized by strategic priority, please see AAPI Inclusion & Solidarity, CINGS, and Doing Well x Doing Good

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Serica Storytellers: Preserving Legacies | Yue-Sai Kan

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This webinar was a live recorded event, featuring moderator Di Cai and Yue-Sai Kan in an intimate setting surrounded by friends and supporters in New York CIty. Watch the recap to gain valuable insights into Yue-Sai's dedication and hard work to produce legendary television content and help open up China to the western world. Her entrepreneurial spirit shines bright as she talks about her new memoir, "The Most Famous Woman in China"

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AAPI Women's Gala 2024

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On May 14th, we hosted over 220 guests in NYC for a spectacular evening honoring extraordinary women in their fields. The 8th Annual Women's Gala exceeded expectations as our 9 honorees delighted guests with wisdom and inspiration. 

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At The Crossroads: Navigating the Future of Gender Equality

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As the world stands at a crucial juncture in the fight for gender equality, this webinar explored the multifaceted challenges that lie ahead and the transformative strategies that can lead to meaningful change. 

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The Serica Initiative Supper Celebration & Fundraiser

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Last spring, the Serica Initiative hosted a festive convening of world-renowned businesspeople, investors, philanthropists, foundations, nonprofits, and others who are furthering the cause of AAPI inclusion and advancing positive social impact in U.S.-China relations.

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Art as an Asset Class: A Conversation with Ed Tang and John Auerbach

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John Auerbach, CEO of UOVO, and Ed Tang, Partner at Art-Bureau, came together to teach us more about art as an asset class in an event moderated by Agnes Lew, Senior Vice President and Head of Private Banking at East West Bank. 

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Asian Women On Boards with

Jenny Ming

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In this engaging session, Jenny Ming, a seasoned retail fashion executive from Charlotte Rousse, Gap, Inc., Old Navy, and now as CEO at Rothy's, shared her journey, insights, and invaluable advice on navigating the path to board membership in various fields.

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How to Balance Work-Life in the Digital Age

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We held an empowering session with Sheila Lirio Marcelo, a renowned entrepreneur and advocate for women in the workforce and founder of Care.com and co-founder of Ohai.ai. We explored effective strategies and tech tools that can help achieve a healthy work-life balance.

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Progress or Backlash? Where Do Women Stand in 2024?

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Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Sheryl WuDunn helped us explore the state of women's rights and empowerment in today's world. With the expertise of WuDunn and the nuanced perspective of documentary filmmaker Maro Chermayeff, this event was a deep dive into the complex narrative of gender equality in 2024.

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Meet us in Seattle Happy Hour

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The China Project and The Serica Initiative members met in Seattle for casual drinks and conversation with local supporters and activists at Optimism Brewing Company for an inspired evening. The event was co-sponsored by the Washington State China Relations Council.

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The Serica Annual Gala

 

Serica kicked off its benefit series in an exploration of the themes of social impact and to strengthen the community of those who want to DO WELL X DO GOOD in the U.S.-China space.

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