Legacy Film Screening
June 5, 2026 | Frank G. Wells Theatre
Featuring She Marches in Chinatown and The Devil Wears Prada 2
Mary Knell and Della Chen Legacy Film Screenings
To make heritage content more accessible, Asian Hall of Fame (AHOF) premiered its Mary Knell and Della Chen Legacy Film Screening at Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, on June 5, 2026. Guests from Washington, Oregon, and California included Global Council Trustee Mary Knell from Seattle and Dr. Jennifer Camota Luebke from Portland. Inductees attending were Bambuza CEO Katherine Lam, Marc Anthony Nicolas, Ren Hanami, Kristen Lui, and TAO Founder/CEO Maggie Tseng.
AHOF is the first Disney-approved organization to screen The Devil Wears Prada 2 after its global release. It also screened the short documentary, She Marches in Chinatown, in memory of Director Della Chen, whose tragic passing inspired the premiere. The screening took place at the Frank G. Wells Screening Theatre, one of the few theatres in America with Dolby Vision/3D optimized for Disney, Marvel, and Pixar movies.
Official Design Partner TAO brought the courtyard to life with colorful florals. Miss Chinatown LA Princess Charlotte Peng and Miss Asia USA Nicole Ho assisted Art God (Jason Lee) with unveiling his painting in honor of the premiere. Board Chairwoman Melinda Rogers drew winners of raffle prizes from Hermès, Chanel, Dior, Cartier, and Taylor Swift. Governors attending were Andy Henry, John Nicholas, Patty Soldo, Holly Zhang, and Jamie Louie.
Mary Knell, Producer Amy Benson, and Andy Henry opened the screening. The Film Industry Panel highlighted Inductees and Trustees, including Rasha Goel, Marc Anthony Nicolas, Ren Hanami, Panney Wei, and Adrian Dev. Special guests were the Honorable Cheryl Beach, the Honorable Sharon Velzy, and Global Council Trustee EisnerAmper.
SHE MARCHES IN CHINATOWN
A documentary about the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team (2023)
For 70 years, the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team has delivered stunning performances that blend precision marching with elaborate classic Chinese costumes. Members of the group find belonging, sisterhood and community, despite living in a neighborhood targeted by waves of discrimination.
SYNOPSIS
In 1952, an unlikely group formed in Seattle’s Chinatown. A group of Asian American high school girls wanted to be of service to the community, and approached Ruby Chow, a Chinese American politician and civic activist whose husband was a Cantonese Opera singer who had experience working with elaborate classic Chinese costumes. Ruby was also friends with a Seattle Police officer named Ted Yerabek, who taught the girls American military drills. That’s how the Seattle Chinese Community Girls Drill Team was formed. For 70 years, they have performed at parades all around Washington state, inspiring generations.
This history is shared by Ruby Chow and her daughter Cheryl Chow from footage filmed in 2002. Cheryl took over the drill team in the 80s at the peak of their popularity when the drill team had 100 members. The team is about to celebrate their 70th anniversary at a challenging time: in the wake of the pandemic participation has dropped to 30 members, but the spirit of the drill team lives on!
SHE MARCHES IN CHINATOWN is an inspiring story about belonging, identity, sisterhood, leadership, and a community that has flourished among a diverse group of women with backgrounds that represent a variety of sexual orientations, races, and ages. It is about a group that thrives despite being in a neighborhood targeted by hate and discrimination. As one superfan puts it, “Please don’t go away – Seattle needs you!”
She Marches in Chinatown has been screened in over 40 film festivals worldwide winning multiple awards including Best of the Fest at the Friday Harbor Film Festival and the Audience Award at the Disorient Asian American Film Festival. The film is available for education distribution via Good Docs and the team is currently looking for a distributor for streaming.
Submit Your Short Documentary
Have a heritage story that deserves the big screen? Asian Hall of Fame is accepting short documentary submissions for future Legacy Film Screenings. Share your ideas and honor a story worth telling.