Our Past Honorees
Through the years, AJSOCAL uplifts individuals and organizations with awards that recognize their positive impact on the AAPI community. Typically, these honorees are recognized at AJSOCAL’s annual gala.
2020s
October 10, 2024 (41st Anniversary Dinner)
Public Image Award: Sony Pictures Executive (retired) Fritz Friedman
Joseph Ileto Courage Award: SIPA Mental Health Advocate Eddy M. Gana
October 12, 2023 (40Forward 40th Anniversary Dinner)
Ruby Hero Award: Honorable Judy Chu, U.S. House of Representatives
Ruby Hero Award & Joseph Ileto Courage Award: Hometown Hero Brandon Tsay (Lai Lai Ballroom)
Ruby Hero Award: Walter & Shirley Wang, Wang Family Foundation
April 24, 2023 (40Forward LA Chefs’ Ruby Table)
Ruby Hero Award: Actor and Activist Lisa Ling
Ruby Hero Award: Actor and Activist Daniel Wu
October 22, 2022 (39th Anniversary Dinner)
Joseph Ileto Courage Award: Survival Arts CEO Jamie Yancovitz
October 21-22, 2021 (38th Anniversary Dinner & Virtual Gala)
Public Service Award: CA Attorney General Rob Bonta
Community Partner Award: Founder and CEO of NextShark, Benny Luo
Public Image Award: Filmmaker and Producer Melvin Mar
Public Image Award: Actor and Activist Dr Ken Jeong
Joseph Ileto Courage Award: Victim Advocate Hong Lee
October 17, 2020 (37th Anniversary Virtual Gala)
Public Service Award: SIPA CEO John Eric Swing (passed from COVID in 2020)
2010s
October 17, 2019 (36th Anniversary Dinner)
Public Service Award: CA Governor Gavin Newsom
Corporate Impact Award: Bank of Hope
Community Partner Award: Ethnic Media: Asian Journal, Korea Daily, Sing Tao, Lawyer Talk, Rafu Shimpo, US News Express
October 17, 2018 (35th Anniversary Dinner)
Lifetime Achievement Award: Stewart & Pat Kwoh, Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles
October 26, 2017 (34th Anniversary Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: The Walt Disney Company
Community Partner Award: Korean Resource Center
Community Partner Award: Orange County Congregation Community Organization
Pro Bono Service Award: Sidley Austin LLP
Public Service Award: Speaker Anthony Rendon, Honorable Speaker of the Assembly
October 6, 2016 (33rd Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Wage Justice Center
Legal Impact Award: Chief Justice of California Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye
Education Impact Award: Senator Kevin de León, Honorable President Pro Tem
Philanthropy Partner Award: Ming Chen Hsu and the J.T. Tai & Co. Foundation
October 15, 2015 (32nd Anniversary Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: Southern California Gas Company
Philanthropy Partner Award: California Community Foundation
Community Partner Award: Empowering Pacific Islander Communities
Unsung Heroes Award: Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of Freedom for the El Monte Thai Workers
October 23, 2014 (31st Anniversary Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: IW Group, Inc.
Philanthropy Partner Award: The California Endowment
Pro Bono Service Award: Duane Morris LLP
October 10, 2013 (30th Anniversary Dinner)
Public Image Award: George Takei
Special Recognition: Wallace H. Coulter Foundation
October 11, 2012 (29th Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Los Angeles County
Community Partner Award: Orange County Asian American Bar Association
Corporate Impact Award: The Walt Disney Company
Pro Bono Service Award: Caldwell Leslie & Proctor, PC
October 19, 2011 (28th Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: South Asian Helpline and Referral Agency
Legal Impact Award: Goodwin Liu, California Supreme Court Associate Justice
Pro Bono Service Award: O’Melveny & Myers LLP
Public Image Award: AngryAsianMan.com / Phil Yu
October 14, 2010 (27th Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Guam Communications Network
Community Partner Award: Office of Sāmoan Affairs
Community Partner Award: Pacific Islander Health Partnership
Community Partner Award: Tongan Community Service Center
Corporate Impact Award: The Nielsen Company
Public Service Award: Walter & Shirley Wang
2000s
October 6, 2009 (26th Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Los Angeles Taxi Workers Alliance
Community Partner Award: School/Community Coordinators from the Alhambra Unified School District
Corporate Impact Award: Kaiser Permanente
Legal Impact Award: Ramon Alcaraz (posthumous)
Legal Impact Award: Franco Arcebal
Legal Impact Award: Faustino “Peping” Baclig
Legal Impact Award: Tagumpay Nañadiego
Pro Bono Service Award: Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
Pro Bono Service Award: Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Special Recognition Award: Frank J. Quevedo
October 21, 2008 (25th Anniversary Dinner)
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) AT&T
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Bank of America
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) BP America Inc.
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Burger King Corporation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Fannie Mae
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Hitachi, Ltd.
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Kaiser Permanente
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) LA-18 / KSCI-TV
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Merrill Lynch
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Prudential Financial
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Southern California Edison
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Southern California Gas Company
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Union Bank of California
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Verizon
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Washington Mutual
Silver Anniversary Award: (Corporation) Wells Fargo
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) California Community Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) California Consumer Protection Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) The California Endowment
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) The David and Lucile Packard Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Emma Lazarus Fund
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) J.T. Tai & Co. Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) The James Irvine Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) The Kresge Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Levi Strauss Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Marguerite Casey Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Open Society Institute
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) The Rockefeller Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) Rosenberg Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) S. Mark Taper Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Foundation) W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) George & Sakaye Aratani
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Andrew & Peggy Cherng
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Michael F. Eng & Judy Chu
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) The Kwoh Family: Edwin & Beulah (posthumous), Stewart & Pat, Mary Ellen & Jack
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) The Lee Family: Jack & Betty, Martin & JoAnne, Scott & Karen, Jennifer & Miles
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) John S.C. Lim
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Sandy Sakamoto & Nolan Maehara
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Julie Su
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Marie & Chor Chai Tan
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Cyrus Tang
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Donald & Jean Tang
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Walter & Shirley Wang
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Delbert (posthumous) & Dolores Wong
Silver Anniversary Award: (Individual) Wilbur & Beth Woo
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks & Lincenberg
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Jones Day
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Kirkland & Ellis LLP
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Lim, Ruger & Kim, LLP
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Sidley Austin LLP
Silver Anniversary Award: (Law Firm) Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
October 18, 2007 (24th Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: API Equality-LA
Corporate Impact Award: BP America Inc.
Public Service Award: Yul Kwon
November 14, 2006 (23rd Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: NALEO Educational Fund
Corporate Impact Award: AT&T
Public Service Award: Cyrus Tang
October 20, 2005 (22nd Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Garment Worker Center
Community Partner Award: Sweatshop Watch
Corporate Impact Award: Timothy J. McCallion
Public Service Award: Antonio R. Villaraigosa, City of Los Angeles Mayor
October 28, 2004 (21st Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: PALS for Health
Corporate Impact Award: Bank of America
Legal Impact Award: Christopher Chiu and Family
Pro Bono Service Award: Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, Drooks & Lincenberg
Public Service Award: Ki Suh Park
October 16, 2003 (20th Anniversary Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center
Corporate Impact Award: Washington Mutual
Pro Bono Service Award: Frank W. Chen
Pro Bono Service Award: Bill H. Seki
Pro Bono Service Award: Carol Anne Sobel
Public Service Award: Wilma Chen, California Assemblymember
Public Service Award: Judy Chu, California Assemblymember
Public Service Award: Carol Liu, California Assemblymember
Public Service Award: Alan Nakanishi, California Assemblymember
Public Service Award: George Nakano, California Assemblymember
Public Service Award: Leland Yee, California Assemblymember
October 17, 2002 (17th Annual Awards Dinner)
Community Partner Award: Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Corporate Impact Award: ABC7
Legal Impact Award: South Asian American Leaders of Tomorrow
Pro Bono Service Award: Howard Hom
Special Recognition Award: Jacqueline H. Nguyen, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
Special Recognition Award: Tammy Chung Ryu, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
October 24, 2001 (16th Annual Awards Dinner)
Community Partner Award: South Asian Network
Community Partner Award: Thai Community Development Center
Corporate Impact Award: Paula Madison
Legal Impact Award: Wen Ho Lee
Pro Bono Service Award: Loyola Law School
Pro Bono Service Award: Kenneth T. Tanaka
Public Service Award: Vilma S. Martinez
October 25, 2000 (15th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: Leland Wong
Legal Impact Award: Norman Mineta, United States Secretary of Commerce
Pro Bono Community Partner Award: Orange County Asian and Pacific Islander Community Alliance
Pro Bono Service Award: James C. Sun
Pro Bono Service Award: UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Students Association
Public Service Award: The Garment Worker Leaders
Public Service Award: Lilly V. Lee (posthumous)
Special Recognition Award: The Joseph Santos Ileto Hate Crimes Prevention Fellowship
1990s
October 28, 1999 (14th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: Fritz Friedman
Legal Impact Award: Bill Lann Lee
Pro Bono Community Partner Award: Korean Resource Center
Pro Bono Community Partner Award: National Korean American Service & Education Consortium
Pro Bono Service Award: Luci-Ellen Chun
Pro Bono Service Award: Erin Oshiro
Pro Bono Service Award: Youlee Yim You
Public Service Award: The Ileto Family: Joseph (posthumous), Lilian, Ismael & Deena, Carmina, Raquel
Public Service Award: Bill Imada / Imada Wong Communications Group, Inc.
October 15, 1998 (13th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: Merrill Lynch
Legal Impact Award: Lance A. Ito, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
Legal Impact Award: Delbert E. Wong, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
Pro Bono Impact Litigation Award: Bird, Marella, Boxer & Wolpert
Pro Bono Service Award: Roberto H. Aldape
Pro Bono Service Award: Roderick T. Field
Pro Bono Service Award: Francesca Frey
Pro Bono Service Award: Shane Y. Kao
Pro Bono Service Award: William Pyoung Soo Min
Pro Bono Service Award: UCLA Asian Pacific Islander Law Student Association’s Legal Services Projects
Public Service Award: K. Connie Kang
Public Service Award: Patricia Kinaga
October 23, 1997 (12th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Impact Award: Southern California Edison Company
Legal Impact Award: Ming W. Chin, California Supreme Court Associate Justice
Legal Impact Award: Joyce L. Kennard, California Supreme Court Associate Justice
Pro Bono Service Award: Robert W. Chong
Pro Bono Service Award: Robert M. Kawahara
Pro Bono Service Award: (Equal Protection) Kari Manheim
Public Service Award: Jeri Okamoto Floyd
October 17, 1996 (11th Annual Awards Dinner)
Community Service Award: Royal F. Morales
Corporate Impact Award: Los Angeles Times
Legal Impact Award: Ernest M. Hiroshige, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge
Pro Bono Service Award: Paul J. Estuar
Pro Bono Service Award: Robin Shigenobu Toma
Public Service Award: Wendy Tokuda
Special Recognition Award: Judith Hoye
October 26, 1995 (10th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Corporate Award: ARCO
Corporate Award: AT&T
Corporate Award: Coca-Cola Bottling Company
Corporate Award: GTE
Corporate Award: Pacific Bell
Corporate Award: Southern California Gas Company
Pro Bono Service Award: Mary Chu
Pro Bono Service Award: Alex H. Fukui
Pro Bono Service Award: Dean Hansell
Pro Bono Service Award: William C. Hsu
Pro Bono Service Award: Michael M. Murata
Pro Bono Service Award: Christine Ta
Public Service Award: Ronald S.W. Lew, United States District Judge
Public Service Award: Robert M. Takasugi, United States District Judge
Special Recognition Award: Robert Tomas Olmos
October 27, 1994 (9th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: Hughes Aircraft Corporation
Legal Impact Award: Brobeck, Phleger & Harrison
Pro Bono Service Award: Shun C. Chen
Pro Bono Service Award: J. Charles Ferrari
Pro Bono Service Award: Anna Y. Park
Public Service Award: Tritia Toyota
Special Volunteer Award: Nancy Peilan Pappas
October 14, 1993 (8th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: Bank of America
Decade Award: Casimiro Tolentino
Legal Impact Award: Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law
Pro Bono Service Award: Sung Hwang
Pro Bono Service Award: Japanese American Bar Association of Greater Los Angeles’s Community Education Committee
Pro Bono Service Award: Derek W. Li
Pro Bono Service Award: Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association’s Community Law School Committee
Public Service Award: Korean Youth and Community Center
Public Service Award: KSCI-TV Channel 18
October 15, 1992 (7th Annual Awards Dinner)
Bridging Communities Award: Southern Christian Leadership Conference
Bridging Communities Award: Thai Buddhist Sangha Council of U.S.A.
Corporate Award: William L. Callender
Legal Impact Award: Korean American Bar Association
Pro Bono Service Award: Lisa Kim
Pro Bono Service Award: Christopher Leong
Pro Bono Service Award: Hisako Muramatsu
Pro Bono Service Award: Justin Shrenger
Pro Bono Service Award: Virgil Sy
Pro Bono Service Award: Polly Thomas
Public Service Award: Warren T. Furutani, City of Los Angeles Board of Education Member
October 17, 1991 (6th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: Hitachi, Ltd.
Legal Impact Award: Howard Berman, United States Congressmember
Legal Impact Award: Frederick W. Hong
Legal Impact Award: Maria L. Hsia
Legal Impact Award: John Huang
Pro Bono Service Award: Michael F. Eng
Pro Bono Service Award: Patricia A. Kinaga
Pro Bono Service Award: Yun W. Suh
Public Service Award: Gloria M. Ochoa, Santa Barbara County Supervisor
October 4, 1990 (5th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: Hugh A. Jones
Legal Impact Award: City of Garden Grove
Legal Impact Award: Ho Young Chung
Legal Impact Award: Orange County Human Relations Commission
Pro Bono Service Award: Maria Corazon Angeles
Pro Bono Service Award: Albert J. Chang
Pro Bono Service Award: Ruth Hirai
Pro Bono Service Award: Bert S. Nishimura
Pro Bono Service Award: Angela Oh
Public Service Award: Korea Times, U.S.A.
1980s
October 26, 1989 (4th Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: William Clossey
Legal Impact Award: Don Nakanishi
Public Service Award: Judy Chu, City of Monterey Park Mayor Pro Tem
September 29, 1988 (3rd Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: Robert & Marilyn McIntyre
Legal Impact Award: Robert T. Matsui, United States Congressmember
Public Service Award: March Fong Eu, California Secretary of State
October 1, 1987 (2nd Annual Awards Dinner)
Corporate Award: David E. Anderson
Legal Impact Award: Minoru Yasui (posthumous)
Public Service Award: Lilly V. Lee
October 9, 1986 (1st Annual Awards Dinner)
Gerald D. Foster
Norman Y. Mineta, United States Congressmember
Michael Woo, City of Los Angeles Councilmember
