Asian American Coalition Chicago successfully holds a colorful Gala

The 2025 Lunar New Year Gala of the Asian American Coalition of Chicago (AACC), the oldest and most prominent organization devoted to diversity, took place at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare on Saturday, February 22, 2025. This year's theme is "ONE". In honor of the Year of the Snake, the largest Asian-American gathering in the Midwest is a black-tie affair.The Indonesian American community hosted the esteemed event, which united over 1,000 people in a colorful celebration of heritage and cultural solidarity.

The main objective of the AACC is to bring all Asian organizations together under a common cause. They aim to unite people of all denominations and origins in the spirit of harmony and improved understanding.
The Lunar New Year celebration is hosted by a different Asian community each year. This year, the Indonesian American Community is hosting the Asian Pacific American community's most significant event of the year, something it has done twice previously (in 2006 and 2015).

Numerous well-known figures from TV, movies, music, and theater were involved in the opening ceremonies, along with Dr. Agus Sunandar, a stunning Malang Flower Carnival by Maestra Fashion Carnival, and Ondel Ondel Betawi by Modero Co., which featured amazing Indonesian costumes! Cultural diversity dance arts and its creative director, Liah I. Tehan presented a Unity Dance called "Rhythms of One" at the gala. Other cultural entertainment featured included the Nataliayaya Designs Couture Fashion Show, a new segment with an "All-Star Singing Ensemble" performing the National Anthem, and more.

On that evening, the Coalition recognized the recipients of its Youth Who Excels Awards, its 2025 Exemplary Community Service Awards, and its esteemed Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial Award. In 1996, in honor of the late great Chicago civic leader Ping Tom, the Coalition renamed its Pan Asian Award. One of the early founders of the Asian American Coalition was Ping Tom. The Sandra Otaka Memorial Award, the Coalition's Grand Asian Award, is presented at regular intervals to a non-Asian friend of the Asian Pacific American community. This year's presentation of the 2025 Entrepreneurial Award.

The event brought together the creative and cultural manifestations of several Asian countries.The annual Lunar New Year Celebration Gala of the Asian American Coalition of Chicago drew more than a thousand attendees. The festivities begin at 4:00 p.m. with a fashion show, art displays, and calligraphy classes, and they go on until the Gala starts.

At 6:30 p.m., the guests were led into the dining hall, where the stage performance got underway. Both exceptional members of the Asian communities represented at the event and people or groups working to enhance the image of Asian Americans were among the recipients of the awards. The event ended with a cultural performance, and many well-known elected officials arrived to greet the crowd. Then Dinner was delivered.
The Governor of Illinois, US Senators, the Illinois Secretary of State, the Mayor of Chicago, and many others sent a message to the audience and the Asian population in Chicago, wishing them a happy new year for the Year of the Snake.

Chinese instrumental arts demonstration, and a classic, iconic performance by a local performer were among the many performers that graced the stage throughout the occasion. In the middle of this, guests were given red envelopes containing tiny sums of money and given the chance to take part in a ceremony. These envelopes, one of the most recognizable symbols of the Lunar New Year, are meant to bring luck and well wishes for the months ahead.

There was an exhibit booth and a reception at the festive event. Awards, dinner, political forum, entertainment, and keynote address. Illinois lawmakers, Asian diplomats, and corporate leaders. Every year, a different Asian community hosts Lunar New Year's Eve. People from Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, China, the Philippines, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thai, and Vietnamese make up the community. This year's chairperson was Martino Tangkar, a well-known member of the community.

Martino Tangkar, chair of the 42nd Annual Lunar New Year Gala, said, "Today in Chicagoland we bring joyful celebration to the community, preserve our cultural traditions, and celebrate cultural diversity with faith base leaders and mainstream leaders in the Chicago area."

The show began with traditional dances and the American Anthem, followed by cultural performances from several Asian countries.
Legendary TV broadcaster and trailblazing anchor Linda Yu received the Coalition's highest distinction, the 2025 Pan Asian American Ping Tom Memorial honoree.
The honoree of the Coalition's 2025 Grand Asian American Sandra Otaka Memorial Award is Michael Frerichs, the Treasurer of the State of Illinois. Periodically, a non-Asian individual who has significantly impacted the Asian Pacific American community is given this honor. In 2010, in honor of the late Judge Sandra Otaka of the Cook County Circuit Court, the Coalition renamed its Grand Asian Award.

This year, the President of Ribbon Webbing Corporation in Chicago, Illinois, Mr. Jae Chul Chang, received a brand-new accolade called the 2025 Entrepreneurial recognition.

The 2025 Exemplary Community Service Award from the Coalition went to the following people. Tejas Shah, Asif Malik, Hon. Banna Pradist, Teresa Tran, Ira Sigar, Ikuko Nichols, Kiran Kim, Johnny Zheng, Cleo Aquino, and Chee Keong Tan.
The following recipients of the Coalition's 2025 Youth Excels Award were recognized. Erica Kim Yoo, Kayleigh Lim, Nattapak Chankaew, Sylvia Dinh, Evan Mendiola, Zachary Wong, Maya Agrawal, Katelyn Tran, Kanato Foley, and Yaseen Ahmed
The AACC offers a platform for social, cultural, and political exchange and was founded to promote unity and collaboration among Asian American communities. Honoring the achievements and efforts of Asian Americans in the United States, the 42nd Lunar New Year Gala remains a significant event each year.