GoldenTV and Character Present: A New Ceremony Honoring AAPI Leaders Shaping the Future of Business, Culture, and Innovation
LOS ANGELES, April 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From the producers of the Unforgettable Awards, the longest-running awards celebrating Asian and Pacific Islander excellence in entertainment, GoldenTV and Character proudly announce the honorees for the inaugural Character Honors, a celebration of AAPI visionaries and icons shaping culture, business, and the future. Taking place on Friday, May 1, during AAPI Heritage Month, the event officially launches Character’s new chapter, marking its transition from Character Media into a broader editorial platform spanning business, innovation, culture, and global leadership.
The inaugural class of honorees includes:
- Jiro Egawa, Senior VP, Platform Growth and Monetization, Xumo — Innovation Leadership Award
- Bobby Hundreds, Global Creative Director, Disney Consumer Products and Co-Founder of The Hundreds — Global Trailblazer Award
- Lisa Ling, Journalist and Media Personality — Global Impact Award
- Nanxi Liu, Co-CEO & Co-Founder, Blaze.tech — Emerging Visionary Award
- Ally Maki, Founder & CEO, Asian American Girl Club — Community Builder Award
- Thai Nguyen, Fashion Designer — Design and Culture Award
- Vicky Tsai, Founder, Tatcha — Toyota Call Your Shot Award
- Albert Yang, CEO, Din Tai Fung North America — Cultural Game Changer Award
The honorees will be featured on the cover of Character’s debut print issue, to be unveiled at Character Honors, alongside a dedicated editorial feature highlighting their achievements and contributions across industries. Held at The London West Hollywood, the ceremony will bring together founders, investors, and industry leaders, and will be hosted by Helen Hong and Gene Kang, with a performance by Katherine Ho.
“Character Honors was created to spotlight the breadth of AAPI leadership shaping the future across industries,” said Takashi Cheng, CEO of GoldenTV. “As Character enters its new chapter, this inaugural class embodies that expanded vision, driving meaningful impact across business, innovation, design, and media.”
Proceeds from the event, including funds raised through a silent auction, will benefit Make Noise Today, a nonprofit initiative dedicated to empowering AAPI youth through storytelling as a catalyst for equity and cultural change.
GoldenTV and Character Media’s inaugural Character Honors is co-presented by sponsor Toyota and executive produced by Kelly Mi Li and Kimmie Kim. For more information, visit www.charactermedia.com/character-honors.
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SOURCE Character Media
