The nonprofit organization Gold House, dedicated to supporting Asian American Pacific Islander creatives, entrepreneurs, and leaders, hosted its fifth annual Gold Gala at the Music Center in Los Angeles on Saturday.
The event recognized the nonprofit’s Gold100 list, which “celebrates the 100 leaders most responsible for shaping culture over the past year.”
Onstage honors went to actors Charles Melton, Jet Li, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Simu Liu, as well as Olympian Eileen Gu and Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi.
Beyond the awards and celebrity, the event also featured activations and experiences from brands that share Gold House’s mission. Gold House CEO and founder Bing Chen said these partnerships represent brands authentically engaging in the AAPI culture.
This alignment made each brand’s presence feel more integrated than the typical event activations. Guests were invited to interact not just because the brands were there, but because they created a shared community experience.
Sponsorship revenue continues Gold House’s efficiency rate of making $17 in cultural GDP for every $1 raised, Chen said. In the past five years, Gold House has created $500 million in cultural GDP, or “net new dollars invested in artists, companies, and more that help reshape culture.” Gold Ventures is part of that reinvestment in culture.
Maybelline and L’Oreal team up for a cultural tradition
The cosmetics companies teamed up to provide a karaoke room, with a makeup room just offstage. The message of the activation was empowering communities for expression, rather than simply marketing to them.
Performers included Academy Award-winning filmmaker Maggie Kang, who co-directed the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters, actors Ross Butler and Saagar Shaikh, singer-songwriter Eric Nam, and Spotify’s Priscilla Chan.
“Karaoke is one of those rare cultural treasures where barriers disappear and people unite in joy and spirit,” said Alexander Wang, director of marketing at Maybelline New York. “Gold House has built something truly special: a platform where brands don’t just show up visibly, but meaningfully—and we’re proud to be part of it.”
