Asian Hall of Fame Amplifies Talent Development
“Gnome for the Holiday” elevates community empowerment, talent pipelines
LOS ANGELES/Dec. 12, 2025 – To democratize pathways of excellence for all, Asian Hall of Fame Board of Governors and Global Council amplified the vital message of investing in diverse talent at the Gnome for the Holidays reception on December 4, 2025, at The Glenmark.
The complimentary event was open to select media, community leaders, and strategic partners, including Wells Fargo, EisnerAmper, Ferragamo, and Van Cleef & Arpels. It unveiled Season 2026 to foreign press, with an official announcement forthcoming next week.
Asian Hall of Fame awarded two MHG Charitable Foundation high school students with the Golden Ticket Prize, which provided cash grants, laptops, and a tote of holiday gifts. Daniel Wang and Tingdan Deng accepted their Golden Ticket Prize alongside Kitty Lo (Inductee 2026), MHG Chair and founder of MHG Foundation.
Chairwoman Melinda Rogers, Creative Designer Yumi Johnson, and WIN member Elli Lloyd represented Women Investing In Nurses. The WIN Guild supported workforce and youth development programs at Shriners Children’s Pasadena, “I Have a Dream” Foundation, and Glendale Youth Orchestra.
Beloved music educator Dr. Stephen Pu, brother of former San Gabriel Mayor Jason Pu, formally accepted the Dr. Masae Toyochi Hsieh Arts Educator Prize, which supports high school talent development with the “Dr. Stephen Pu Music Scholarship” awarded annually in perpetuity. Fighting terminal cancer, Dr. Pu inspired the intimate audience with his heartfelt testimonial.
18-year-old Michelle Ho made her public debut as 2026 Miss Asia USA-America. The pre-med phenom graduated from college this year and is an Asian Hall of Fame Fellow. Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, recipient of the 2025 Julia S. Gouw Asian Women In Entertainment Prize, performed “O Holy Night”. Founding Board of Governor Lily Liu sang “Ave Maria” with President & CEO Maki Hsieh (artist Maki Mae).
This year, Asian Hall of Fame supported 174 talent development scholarships and grants, and worked with community partners to review an additional 111 scholarship applications for its Women In Tech, Entertainment & Sports Program.
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