Over 400 people gather to celebrate Asian American storytellers at the Asian American Stories 2025 Award Ceremony and Gala

05/04/2025

By DDTVRobe

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On May 1st, Asian American Stories 2025 Gala and Award Ceremony was held at H.L. Peninsula Restaurant in Milpitas. The event celebrated Asian American storytellers and the beginning of the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

The event was attended by more than 400 guests, over 90 contestants, more than 40 partners, 10 judges, over 20 elected officials, and more than 100 community and business leaders. Dion Lim (Emmy-Award-winning ABC News Anchor and author) and Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens served as MCs at the Second Annual Asian American Stories Award Ceremony and Gala.

Asian American Stories 2025 Video Contest received entries from 93 contestants spanning over 20 ethnic groups including Filipino, Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, Indian, Cambodian, Japanese, and others. The youngest contestant was 9 years old, and the eldest was 102. The entries spanned the nation – from Silicon Valley to New York. Some stories came from across the oceans. If anything, the Asian American Stories 2025 Video Contest showed the beauty of our diaspora and just how essential our stories are to the very fabric of America. These stories are a testament to our community’s heart, resilience, and creativity. They showed the gift we give to America – not just our labor, art, and ingenuity but also our humanity. They are all woven into this nation’s identity.

This year’s entries celebrated unsung heroes of our communities – like Ghino Lee’s mother, who helps elderly Korean Americans navigate legal challenges, to Amanda Nguyen, who turned her trauma into nationwide legal reforms for survivors. Others celebrated institutions and organizations like the Chinese Hospital, which has protected its community for 125 years, or Friends of Children with Special Needs. We saw the stories of Vicki Manolo Draves, an Olympian who broke barriers, and Mr. Fu, a baker whose pastries carry the taste of tradition and love.

Younger generations shared their stories – like Kaihua Skyler Chong, who practices the Chinese martial art of Wushu, or middle schoolers from SFHSA, who are documenting their teacher’s immigration journey.

Kristi Yamaguchi, the first Asian American to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympic Competition, was honored as the Legendary Storyteller.

Asian American Stories 2025 Award ceremony and Gala also featured a lively auction led by Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens and Assemblymember Alex Lee. Some of the coveted items included a dinner with celebrated actress Joan Chen and Dion Lim, ABC News Anchor, and a dinner experience with chef Lawrence Chu and Kristi Yamaguchi.

Asian American Stories 2025 Winners

First Place Winner – Ghino Lee (Adult)
First Place Winner – Jaslyn Kwan (Youth)
Second Place Winner – The Gift of Two Golds: Vicki Manolo Draves (Adult)
Second Place Winner – Kaihua Skyler Chong (Youth)
Third Place Winner – Friends of Children with Special Needs (Adult)
Third Place Winner – Gunn Language Bridge Club (Youth)

Asian American Stories 2025 Excellence Award Winners

• Eva’s Aloha Spirit: Sharing Hawaiian Joy Across Generations (Adult)
• Visionary Pioneer: Dr. Vernon Wong’s Million-Eye Miracle (Adult)
• From Harvard to Hope: Amanda Nguyen’s Gift of Legislative Reforms (Adult)
• Joanne Ho (Adult)
• Asians Are Strong (Adult)
• Yi Ding (Adult)
• Min Zhou (Adult)
• Jasper Chen (Youth)
• Vivian Liu, Claire Wang (Youth)
• Shinyee Tang (Youth)

Asian American Stories 2025 Viewers’ Choice and First Submission Awards

• Yi Ding (Adult)

• Liana Chung (Youth)

First Submission Award

• Jasper Chen (Youth)

Asian American Stories 2025 Special Recognition Awards

• Jiayi Li (Adult)
• Jun Hao Su (Youth)
• Chengwei Chen and Weng Kee Fu (Adult)
• Elly He (Youth)

To our donors, community partners, sponsors, supporters, volunteers, judges, and committee members – thank you, none of this would be possible without your dedication and hard work!

If you are passionate about Asian American stories, voices and culture, and about community building, join us!

Visit aastories.org to learn more.

Elected officials in attendance at the event: