【ANN NEWS, LOS ANGELES】 The Chinese American Museum held a press conference on September 10 to announce that its “30th Annual Historymakers Awards Gala” will be held in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 26. This year’s theme, “Trailblazers, Voices, Visionaries,” continues the museum’s tradition of honoring pioneers and innovators, with more than 600 guests expected to attend.
California Assemblymember Mike Fong, San Gabriel Valley Municipal Water District Board Member Thomas Wong, Friends of the Chinese American Museum Board Chair Dr. Gay Yuen, Chinese American Museum Executive Director Michael Truong, gala honorary co-chairs Eugene Chu and Eva Mei Chu, gala co-chairs Anna Wong and Dr. Fred Uy, and this year’s honorees attended the press conference.
Dr. Gay Yuen said: “We sincerely thank the sponsors who have stepped forward so far to provide donations and live auction items. We warmly invite everyone to join us for this premier event, support the Chinese American Museum we all cherish, and reconnect with old friends while making new ones.”
She also announced that this year’s President’s Award for Excellence recipient is Pam Chen, vice president of ABC7 News and a 2023 Historymakers honoree. She is the first Asian American to lead the newsroom of a network television station in Los Angeles.
Chinese American Museum Executive Director Michael Truong introduced the backgrounds of this year’s honorees:
Dr. Sheng Chang and Min Mey Chang – Dr. Dan Louie Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Sheng Chang is a highly respected family medicine physician and pathologist practicing in the San Gabriel Valley. After immigrating to the United States with his wife, Min Mey Chang, he completed his medical training before moving to Los Angeles and opening a general medical practice, now located in Monterey Park. He later became actively involved in local politics and made history in 1994 as Arcadia’s first Asian American city councilmember. Min Mey Chang played an important role in shaping the cultural and educational landscape of the San Gabriel Valley. To ensure that their children could carry on Chinese culture, she founded the Arcadia Chinese School.
Stephen Lee – Community Legacy and Impact Award
Stephen Lee previously served as vice chair of the board of the Chinese Confucius School, which is affiliated with the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association（CCBA）. Founded in 1952, the Chinese Confucius School is a nonprofit educational institution dedicated to promoting Chinese culture. Lee is deeply committed to public service and actively supports numerous community organizations and nonprofits that preserve Chinese culture and promote community history and stories, including the Chinese American Museum.
Ted Chen – Community Voice Award
Ted Chen is a veteran journalist known for his versatility in reporting and for decades of coverage of major issues across Southern California. He graduated from the University of California, San Diego（UC San Diego）, with a degree in political science before beginning his reporting career in Fresno and Reno and later joining KGTV in San Diego.
In 1995, he joined NBC4. Chen’s reporting has earned numerous honors, including awards from the San Diego Press Club and GLAAD. He also received an award from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism for a series of reports focusing on Asian American political influence, Chinese schools and Chinese American World War II veterans. Earlier this year, Chen retired from NBC4 and began a new chapter in his life as a Christian pastor.
Jing Gao – Cultural Impact Award
Jing Gao is a Chinese American entrepreneur and founder of the acclaimed food brand “Fly By Jing,” known for bringing Sichuan flavors and chili crisp to consumers around the world. Born in Chengdu, China, Gao grew up in Europe before studying in Canada. In her 20s, she returned to Sichuan, where she spent a decade immersing herself in Chinese food culture.
She later moved to the United States and transformed Fly By Jing into a direct-to-consumer business. Her products not only helped fuel the chili crisp craze sweeping the market, but also introduced Sichuan flavors to a broad new audience and reshaped the U.S. condiment market.
Phoebe Chen Huang – Judge Ronald S.W. Lew Visionary Award
Phoebe Chen Huang is a distinguished community leader, entrepreneur and cultural ambassador who served as president of the Roundtable of Chinese American Organizations（RCAO）from 2019 to 2023.
She currently serves as president of the California Entrepreneur Alliance and the U.S. Sichuan-Chongqing General Chamber of Commerce. Since 2003, she has operated multiple automotive fuel retail and convenience store businesses while also working in real estate development and marketing. She was appointed a Global Ambassador for Berklee College of Music in 2016 and received the “Outstanding Asian Women Leaders” honor from China Institute in 2023.
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