CAPE Radiance Gala celebrates API women and non-binary creatives
You glow differently when you’re surrounded by those who just want to see you win.
In our second year attending the annual gala by the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) in Los Angeles, we celebrate the accomplishments of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women and non-binary individuals in entertainment who are breaking barriers and paving the way for others to pursue and achieve creative excellence.
For 34 years, CAPE has been instrumental in creating opportunities, driving change and connecting APIs in Hollywood. It is a non-profit organization focused on creating opportunities and driving change for API success in Hollywood. They do this through developing programming to support, train, mentor and elevate creative talent on screen and behind the scenes. CAPE also provides script consultation and talent referrals and champions projects for box office and streaming success.
The third annual gala was held at The Ebell of Los Angeles, an historic women’s club founded in 1894. Taking place during Women’s History Month, the event celebrates women and non-binary creatives across a number of award categories and with the support of a diverse range of donors, partners and sponsors.
See more: CAPE Radiance Gala 2024
CAPE Radiance Gala recognizes API women and non-binary creatives
Hosted by actor and comedian Kiran Deol (Didn’t Die), the event recognized a range of diverse individuals for their contributions and accomplishments:
- Cindy Y. Huang Rising Star Award to Amber Midthunder (Novacaine, Netflix’s Avatar: The Last Airbender)
- Julia S. Gouw Next Gen Award to Maia Kealoha (Disney’s Lilo & Stitch)
- Trailblazer Award to activist Cecilia Chung (Transgender Law Center),
- Behind-the-Camera Award to Aika Miyake (Film Editor, Shōgun)
- Visionary Award given to Samantha Quan (Producer, Anora)
- Comedy Award to Zarna Garg
- Uplifter Award to Dara Overby (Starz)
- Social Impact Award to Ann Lee (CEO and Co-Founder, CORE) and Tiffany Tse (VP Development, CORE).
- Best in Film Award was presented to Disney’s Moana 2’s Dana Ledoux Miller (Director and Writer), Kalikolehua Hurley (Sr. Manager, Cultural; Head of Cultural Trust at Walt Disney Animation Studios), Christina Chen (Producer, p.g.a.) Avneet Kaur (Head of Characters & Technical Animation, Walt Disney Animation Studios), Grace Kim (Casting Director) and Erin Ramos (Effects Supervisor).
In a surprise tribute, the tenth anniversary of CAPE’s Executive Director, Michelle K. Sugihara was also celebrated on stage by Adele Lim, CAPE board directors and more.
The evening also featured a special musical performance by Toronto-based singer-songwriter Luna Li.
Anora award-winning producer Samantha Quan gives us all permission to tell stories we believe in
Award-winning producer Samantha Quan (Anora) shared a personal story about how she learned that her mother truly supported her creative career: At a gathering, someone approached her mother and said “why would you let your girls go into the arts? It’s such a waste,” – something Quan had heard many times before.
What was different this time though was that her mother replied defiantly to show her support and pride for the now-Oscar-winner. “[My mom] gave me all the permission that I needed to follow my heart and now I share this with her because she’s always been my North Star.”
The Canadian filmmaker also honoured those who supported her career and encouraged others to continue creating. “To all the artists yesterday, today and tomorrow brave enough to tell stories they feel compelled to tell no matter what anyone else may think, I definitely share this with you. So let’s give ourselves the permission to tell stories we believe in and create exciting paths forward.”
See also: Sandra Oh and Keira Jang in “Can I Get A Witness?”
Novocaine and Avatar: The Last Airbender actor Amber Midthunder honours Thai-Chinese adoptee mother and AAPI community
Amber Midthunder of mixed Thai, Chinese and Native American heritage accepted the “Cindy Y. Huang Rising Star Award”.
Midthunder shared that her mother is of Thai-Chinese descent, but was given up for adoption at the age of three to an American couple, to then grow up in the American South. “[My mother] was renamed and raised where she had no community, no one who reflected her roots, but as she grew into herself, her Asian identity, and became a mother, she made sure I grew up knowing that I carry this culture, this history, and that I was proud of it.”
The Novocaine actor also shared how inspiring it was to see her mother reconnect with her Thai roots, relearning her native language and building a community in Thailand. “As a child of an adoptee and [being] a mixed-race person myself, engaging with my Asian identity has been intimidating.”
“The fear of not being enough, not being accepted, has often lived in the back of my mind,” shares Midthunder. “I didn’t always think I had the right to claim my Thai side, not because I was trying to hide it, but because I didn’t feel valid enough in my cultural standing.” What she learned through the years in going back to Thailand with her parents, she has only been met with overwhelming love and pride.
“To me, culture is everything. I believe that culture is not just about who you claim, but about who claims you back – to be so fully embraced and uplifted by my AAPI community has meant something to me that I cannot explain in words.”
See also: Yvonne Chapman embodies the iconic Avatar Kyoshi in Avatar: The Last Airbender
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Follow Cold Tea Collective on Instagram @coldteacollective for more coverage from CAPE Radiance Gala 2025. Special thanks to CAPE, Sechel PR, The Lounge Booth, Jane Lee and Miho Kim for their support.
