AJSOCAL Honorees, Presenters And Performance For 41st Anniversary Gala

ANNOUNCING OUR HONOREES, PRESENTERS AND PERFORMANCE FOR 41st ANNIVERSARY GALA ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 10 

On Thursday, October 10, join Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) at our 41st Anniversary Gala: United in Action.

This annual event, emceed by award-winning journalist David Ono (he/him), brings together Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders in civil rights, social justice, public office, business, entertainment and the arts at the Vibiana in Downtown Los Angeles. This highly anticipated event within our community celebrates those who continue to lead and uplift our communities. 

Honorees & Highlights: 

Fritz Friedman (he/him), veteran entertainment executive, will receive the 2024 Public Image Award for his decades-long commitment to celebrating AAPI representation. Lou Diamond Phillips (he/him) will present the award. 

Eddy M. Gana Jr. (they/them), an LGBTQIA+ activist and mental health advocate, will be honored with the Joseph Ileto Courage Award which annually recognizes unsung heroes for exceptional courage and resilience in the face of adversity. 

A special in-memoriam tribute for Joseph Ileto’s mother, Lillian Ileto, will be performed by Jennifer Paz (she/her) and Anthony Fedorov (he/him). 

The event this year includes a commemoration of the hate crime murder of Joseph Ileto, a Filipino American postal worker whose life was tragically taken by white supremacist violence 25 years ago. His family will pay tribute to his mother, Lillian Ileto, for her tireless advocacy against anti-Asian hate.

The 41st Anniversary Gala: United in Action is a call to action. In the words of our CEO, Connie Chung Joe (she/her/hers), 25 years after Joseph Ileto’s tragic death, “While we as a nation have made strides toward awareness and understanding, today, anti-Asian hate is still poisonous and under-reported. We want our people and allies to continue to work toward equity and acceptance.” 

We hope you’ll join us for an inspiring evening filled with performances, thought-provoking tributes, and a celebration of resilience within the AAPI community.To learn more about the event, honorees, and to purchase tickets, visit our website at AJSOCAL.org. 

We look forward to seeing you there!