Coalition for Asian American Children and Families

Catalyst for Change Awards Gala

Date & Time

Friday, November 21, 2025

6:00 PM 

Location

Tribeca 360°

10 Desbrosses Street
New York NY, 10013

Cocktail Reception ●  Dinner  ● Honoring Voices of Change ● Auction

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Join a movement rooted in equity, built from bravery, and fueled by belonging for every Asian American and Pacific Islander child and family.

Together, we’ll uplift our voices, amplify our vision, and show the world that our community is too powerful to ignore.

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Speaker Spotlight

This year, we are proud to honor leaders who are built from bravery—catalysts for change who rise with strength, speak with purpose, and lead with vision to show us what’s possible.

Honorees

Mila Atmos

Host and Executive Producer, Future Hindsight

Mila Atmos is the host and executive producer of Future Hindsight, an award-winning pro-democracy podcast focused on promoting civic action and empowered citizenship. She believes that citizen participation is fundamental to a thriving democracy and hopes that the weekly in-depth conversations with citizen changemakers spark increased civic engagement in the audience. Along with her background in history, economics, and international affairs, Mila draws on her multicultural experiences from living in Indonesia, Germany, and the rural U.S. in creating Future Hindsight.

Mila is a graduate of Columbia University and the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University. She serves on the Board of Visitors at Columbia College and the board of the Columbia College Alumni Association.

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Brad Lander

New York City Comptroller

Brad Lander is New York City Comptroller, overseeing the City’s finances, pension funds, and fiscal accountability. He has led climate-focused investment reforms, uncovered wasteful spending, and championed affordable housing, green jobs, and timely nonprofit payments. Lander has overseen $7.8 billion in bonds for schools, transit, and climate resiliency.  A strong ally to the Asian American and Pacific Islander community, he has supported language access, fought anti-Asian hate, and backed AAPI-serving nonprofits. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, Meg, and their two children.

Emcees

Ernabel Demillo

TV Journalist and Educator

Hazel Sanchez

Anchor, PIX11 Morning News

About the Gala

Celebrating Changemakers. Elevating Communities. Inspiring Action.

The Catalyst for Change Awards is CACF’s premier annual celebration, honoring the visionaries who are driving bold, lasting change for AAPI communities. 

A Night to Remember for a Cause That Matters

Each year, this powerful event brings together 300+ influential New Yorkers—corporate leaders, creatives, policy shapers, community advocates, and social impact investors—for an evening of connection, storytelling, and purpose.

Your support powers CACF’s vital work to protect and build a future where every AAPI child and family can thrive.

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Join us

Sponsoring the Catalyst for Change Awards means:

  • Brand visibility with a diverse and values-driven audience

  • Networking with AAPI leaders and changemakers across sectors

  • Demonstrating your commitment to racial equity, justice, and social impact

  • Being a champion of the AAPI community, the fastest growing racial/ethnic group in New York

Together, we’re not just imagining
a better future—we’re building it.

Sponsorship Levels

Become a Sponsor

For more information about sponsorships, please click here or email gala@cacf.org.

    • Two tables of 10 (20 seats) with premium seating

    • Full-screen ad in digital journal (premium rotation)

    • Exclusive logo placement as Presenting Sponsor on website, invitation, digital journal, and press release

    • Logo on step and repeat

    • Opportunity for brief gala remarks

    • One chaperoned email distributed to the CACF list-serv of 10,000 (subject to CACF approval)

    • Opportunity to create an activation at the event (subject to CACF approval)

    • Gobo or Welcome Panel with your logo displayed at the event

    • Recognition from the podium

    • Newsletter recognition

    • Social media recognition (up to 3 posts on CACF social media channels solely dedicated to Presenting Sponsor)

    • 15 tickets with preferred seating

    • Full-screen ad in digital journal (prominent rotation)

    • Prominent logo placement on website, invitation, digital journal, and press release

    • Logo on step and repeat

    • One chaperoned email distributed to the CACF list-serv of 10,000 (subject to CACF approval)

    • Recognition from the podium

    • Newsletter recognition

    • Social media recognition

    • Table of 10

    • Full-screen ad in digital journal

    • Prominent logo placement on website, invitations, and digital journal

    • Recognition from the podium

    • Newsletter recognition

    • Social media recognition

    • 5 tickets

    • Full-screen ad in digital journal, Logo placement on website, invitations, and digital journal

    • Newsletter recognition

    • Social media recognition

    • 2 tickets

    • Half-screen ad in digital journal

    • Name listing on website, digital journal, and invitation

    • Newsletter recognition

    • 1 ticket

    • Half-screen ad in digital journal

    • Name listing on website, digital journal, and invitation

    • Newsletter recognition

Presenting Sponsor

Ally Sponsors

  • Arlene, Rick, Spencer, and Emma Brownstein

  • Art Chang and Allison Thrush

  • Jarrod, Leigh, Nicholas and Alec Fong

  • Larry Lee

  • Lea Ladera

  • Ling Marquardt and Ian Kovalik

  • Edward Pauly and Barbara Turvett

Friend Sponsors

  • Vanessa Li, Ph.D. and Matthew Chua

Community Partner Sponsors

  • The Annie E. Casey Foundation

  • Dominique Bravo and Eric Sloan

  • Grand Street Settlement

  • Healthcare Education Project

  • Marissa Martin and Oliver Chang

  • University Settlement

Supporter Ticket Sponsors

  • John J. Chin, Ph.D.

  • Erika Chou and ST Luk

  • MetroPlusHealth

*list in formation as of October 29th

Media Partner

About CACF

CACF’s mission is to advocate for equity and opportunity for marginalized AAPI children and families. We are building a community too powerful to IGNORE.

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CACF LISTENS so we can identify our community’s needs

CACF TRAINS the next generation of leaders for our community

CACF UNITES our diverse community and our allies

CACF FIGHTS for equitable access to quality education, services, and funding for our community

Our Work

United 160+ frontline organizations to advocate as one powerful AAPI coalition—amplifying unheard voices across New York.

Trained over 500 youth and parents to lead with empathy and courage—growing the next generation of changemakers

Distributed $16+ million in grants to 150+ grassroots AAPI nonprofits—ensuring culturally responsive, life affirming services such as food assistance, healthcare, community safety programs, and support for survivors of violence.

Led the charge on AAPI data equity, holding government accountable for collecting disaggregated data that reflects our communities' realities.

Secured $40 million in public funding from New York City and New York State—directing critical resources into AAPI communities.

And, we’re just getting started .

Our Need

AAPI community is the fastest growing community in NYC, making up 18% of the population, yet only 79 cents is invested per resident.

AAPIs have the HIGHEST POVERTY RATES of all racial/ethnic groups in NYC.

40% of NYC AAPI youth are not college ready upon graduation from high school.

1 in 2 AAPIs have experienced bias based hate incidents in NYC.

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Gala Chairs

  • Art Chang

    CACF Board Chair

  • Jarrod Fong

    Managing Director, JP Morgan

  • Ling Marquardt

    Founder, Chamberlain Strategies Former VP/COO Team at Goldman Sachs' External Investing Group (XIG)

Host Committee

  • Dominique Bravo and Eric Sloan

  • Eda Chao and Wayne Ho

  • John J. Chin, Ph.D.

    Dean, Asian American / Asian Research Institute (AAARI), CUNY

  • Lea Ladera Wright and Stephen Wright

  • Donna H. Lee

  • Vanessa Li, Ph.D. and Matthew Chua

  • Marissa Martin

  • Victoria and William Pao

  • Kanika Priya Sethi

  • Jennifer Yuen and Dr. Stanley Yang

  • Dr. Norma Tan

    Principal, Cora Group, Inc.

Board of Directors

  • Art Chang

    BOARD CHAIR

    Former Columbia Technology Professor | NECHE Public Member

  • Farhad Asghar

    BOARD VICE-CHAIR

    Chief Growth Officer,
    Bottom Line

  • Abja Midha

    BOARD SECRETARY

    Executive Director, Volunteers of Legal Service (VOLS)

  • Edward Pauly

    BOARD TREASURER

    Director of Research and Evaluation, The Wallace Foundation (retired)

  • Arlene Brownstein

    Head of Regulatory Reporting, Fund Finance, iCapital

  • Erika Chou

    BOARD MEMBER

    Founding Member & Creative Director at Rivers and Hills Hospitality Group and Former Partner at Bespoke Only

  • Margaret Chu

    BOARD MEMBER

  • Lea Ladera

    BOARD MEMBER

    Creative Director
    Founder at Ladera Creative
    Former SVP at Leo NY/Publicis Groupe

  • Annesa H. Lau

    BOARD MEMBER

    Director, Workforce Transformation and Digital Innovation, Office of the Chief Operating Officer, Port Authority of NY and NJ

  • Donna H. Lee

    BOARD MEMBER

    Professor of Law, City University of New York School of Law

  • Jessica Lee

    BOARD MEMBER

    Senior Director, Strategic Partnerships and Philanthropic Advancement, New York Women’s Foundation

  • Larry Lee

    BOARD CHAIR EMERITUS

    Executive Director, Womankind (retired)

  • Vanessa Li, Ph.D.

    BOARD MEMBER

    Founder and Director Of Clinical Services, The Pond

  • Kapil Longani

    BOARD MEMBER

    Senior Vice Chancellor for Legal Affairs

    General Counsel for the State University of New York

  • Ling Marquardt

    BOARD MEMBER

    Founder, Chamberlain Strategies

    Former VP/COO Team at Goldman Sachs' External Investing Group (XIG)

  • James Rhee

    BOARD MEMBER

    Founder, the red helicopter

  • Kanika Priya Sethi, M.S.Ed

    BOARD MEMBER

    Social Worker, Association to Benefit Children and Resilient Mind Psychotherapy

  • Cynthia Solis Yi

    BOARD MEMBER

    Former Chief Revenue Officer at La Cocina; Former Board Trustee Las Lomitas Elementary School District

  • Karen Tai

    BOARD MEMBER

    Former Vice President, Neuberger Berman and Point72 Asset Management

  • Angela Tolosa

    BOARD MEMBER

    Senior Advisor, NYC Administration for Children's Services

  • Vivian Young

    BOARD MEMBER

CACF Catalysts Society

  • James Rhee

    Founder and Bestselling Author, red helicopter; Howard University Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship; CACF Board Member

    2024

  • Maya Wiley

    Civil Rights Activist, CEO at The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights

    2024

  • Preet Bharara

    Partner, WilmerHale; former United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York

    2023

  • June Kwan

    Entrepreneur, mother of Oscar winner Daniel Kwan, and exemplar for our community

    2023

  • Dave Lu

    Co-Founder and President, Expo; Founder and Managing Partner, Hyphen Capital; Co-Organizer, Stand With Asian Americans

    2022

  • Dr. Kevin Nadal

    Distinguished Professor, City University of New York; President, Filipino American National Historical Society; Leading Scholar on Microaggression Theory, Filipino American Psychology, and Queer Psychology

    2022

  • Chau Trinh-Shevrin, DrPH

    Professor in the Departments of Population Health (DPH) and Medicine at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine

    2021

  • Sesame Workshop

    (accepted by Jeanette Betancourt, Ed. D, Senior Vice President, Social Impact)

    2021

  • Jason DaSilva

    Film Director, Producer, Writer and President, AXS Lab and Founder of AXS Map

    2019

  • Eva Noblezada

    Tony Nominated Actress, Theater and Film

    2019

  • Ram Raju

    MD, MBA, FACHE, Senior Vice President and Community Health Investment Officer of Northwell Health

    2019

  • Project by Project

    (accepted by Liliana Chen, Co-Founder)

    2019

  • Hari Kondabolu

    Comedian & Writer

    2018

  • Larry Lee

    Executive Director, Womankind

    2018

  • Ayesha Vera-Yu

    CEO & Co-Founder, ARK, Ruralkids.org

    2018

  • Vishaan Chakrabarti

    Author; Founder, Practice for Architecture and Urbanism

    2017

  • Suyin So

    Founder and Executive Director, Central Queens Academy Charter School

    2017

  • The New American Leaders Project

    (accepted by Sayu Bhojwani, Founder and President)

    2017

CACF Team

  • Anita Gundanna, PhD

    Co-Executive Director

  • Vanessa Leung

    Co-Executive Director

  • Miral Abbas

  • Reona Alam

  • Steven Armendariz

  • Francis Asprec

  • Nikita Boyce

  • Jeemin Cha

  • Sherry Chen

  • Juan Chen

  • Adelynne Dadivas

  • Lloyd Feng

  • Lakshmi Gandhi

  • Mira Gupta

  • Sarah Ha

  • Ambrosia Kaui

  • Phoebe Kim

  • Kit Lau

  • Ada Lin

  • Felicia Singh

  • Camilla Song

  • Kristen Sze-Tu

  • Kulsoom Tapal

  • Andrea Wu

  • Fiona Zhao

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