【ANN NEWS, SEATTLE】
The Asian Hall of Fame, an Asian cultural heritage platform founded in Seattle, held its Founders Gala at the Washington Athletic Club on August 14. Leaders from Seattle’s business, philanthropic, cultural, media and community sectors gathered to witness the announcement of the Class of 2026 and further expand the Asian Hall of Fame’s community impact through scholarships, philanthropy and cultural programs.
That evening, Seattle philanthropists Jerry Lee and Charlene Lee were inducted into the Class of 2026, with fellow Asian Hall of Fame inductees Omar Lee and Christine Lee presenting the honor.
The Class of 2026 ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on November 5. Emmy Award-winning KOMO News anchor Molly Shen served as master of ceremonies for the gala.
Jerry Lee, former CEO of MG2, and his wife Charlene Lee have long been involved in philanthropy and community service in Seattle. Notably, Jerry Lee was also one of the Asian Hall of Fame’s four founding committee members and helped conceive and advance the organization’s original establishment.
Jerry and Charlene Lee said that, as Chinese Americans, they were deeply grateful to be inducted into the Asian Hall of Fame. Jerry Lee said his understanding of philanthropy and giving back to the community came largely from the example set by his parents.
His parents built their lives from the ground up, raised six children and operated a grocery store in downtown Portland for more than 30 years. At the time, the neighborhood where the store was located faced significant public safety problems, with nearby businesses frequently experiencing vandalism, graffiti and even burglaries, yet his father’s grocery store was never broken into.
Jerry Lee recalled that when his father encountered people who could not afford food, he would often let them take what they needed and even allowed them to buy on credit. On one occasion, his mother found a large stack of white slips in the cash register and discovered that his father had allowed many customers living on retirement income to purchase groceries on credit. Remarkably, they all later returned to repay what they owed, without a single unpaid debt.
In Jerry Lee’s view, the store was protected by the entire community because people knew it was more than just a grocery store——it was a place that belonged to the community, where people felt safe and cared for. His parents’ kindness toward their neighbors and willingness to help others also had a profound influence on his life, inspiring him to continue giving back through philanthropy and community service.
Asian Hall of Fame CEO Maki Hsieh said those invited and recognized that evening were not honored because of how much wealth they had or what titles they held, but because they were kind, compassionate people who were willing to help others.
She said Seattle is the birthplace of the Asian Hall of Fame, giving the Founders Gala special significance. Seattle is not only a city known for progressive ideas but also home to the headquarters of many major companies. She expressed hope that the Asian Hall of Fame would continue to demonstrate leadership, creativity and innovation in the city and extend that influence to the broader community.
Proceeds from the gala will support the Asian Hall of Fame’s Women In Tech, Entertainment, Science & Sports scholarship program. The program is open to women of all ethnic backgrounds.
This year, 107 women applied for scholarships, representing 32 states and Puerto Rico. Three scholarship recipients from Washington state ultimately walked the red carpet at the gala and received scholarship checks and awards: Samantha Rosales, Stormy Woodenlegs-Boling and Brianna Pavan Lopez.
The evening’s charitable activities received support from the Seattle community and numerous organizations and individuals, including Microsoft, Gobo Enterprises, Omar and Christine Lee, Mary Knell, Jon and Bobbe Bridge, Aaron Olson, Derek Chinn and the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe.
The gala also brought together several musicians closely associated with Seattle. Asian Hall of Fame Ambassador and Nirvana member Krist Novoselic attended alongside Asian Hall of Fame inductee and Soundgarden member Kim Thayil, adding a strong element of Seattle’s musical culture to the evening.
Music Director Ed Roth performed alongside Soundgarden founding member and Asian Hall of Fame inductee Hiro Yamamoto, as well as Daniel Pak（Totem Star）, Maki Mae（America’s Got Talent）, Ben Smith（Heart）, Danny Godinez（Heart）and Derek Chinn.
In recognition of five consecutive years of support for the Asian Hall of Fame, Port of Seattle Commissioner and Asian Hall of Fame inductee Sam Cho presented Sapphire Awards to Jon and Bobbe Bridge, as well as Mike Flood, who attended on behalf of the Seattle Seahawks.
Global Council founder Mary Knell presented an award to the Robert Chinn Foundation, founder of the Asian Hall of Fame, with Karen Wong, Letitia Fong, Aaron Olson and Taylor Safstrom accepting on its behalf.
A charity raffle was also held during the evening, with prizes donated by inductees and partner organizations, including Seattle SuperHawks owner and president Jacqueline Yang, the Washington Athletic Club, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, and Asian Hall of Fame inductee and Din Tai Fung managing partner David Wasielewski.
Natalie Worthy（Miss Washington 2026）, Amber Elizabeth Pike（Miss Washington 2025）and Amanda Hoang（Miss Bellevue 2023）participated in drawing the winning entries.
Other guests attending the gala included representatives from the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Seattle（TECO Seattle）, Seattle SuperHawks owner Pierre Crockrell Sr., Seattle Magazine Person of the Year Jonathan Sposato, St. John Person of the Year Kristen Lui, Emmy Award winner Mimi Gan, Dalma Ashby（Miss Emerald City 2026）and Maricres Castro（Miss Washington International 2021）, among others.
About the Asian Hall of Fame
Founded in 2004, the Asian Hall of Fame aims to advance and preserve Asian and Indigenous heritage through cross-cultural collaboration while benefiting diverse communities. Its areas of work include Trauma Advocacy, Legacy Preservation, Workforce Development, and Women In Tech, Entertainment, Science & Sports.
