Randall Park, Manny Jacinto, and The Pitt Team Recognized at CAPE’s 35th Anniversary Celebration

On Saturday evening at Downtown Los Angeles’ Vibiana, a converted 19th‑century cathedral, the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) marked 35 years of advancing Asian and Pacific Islander representation across film, television, and media.

Founded in 1991 by publicist Fritz Friedman, television producer Wenda Fong, and film producer Chris Lee, CAPE originated from a private meeting at the Mandarin in Beverly Hills. The founders assembled a small group of friends and industry contacts to build a coalition that would open doors for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders seeking to overcome decades of stereotypical portrayals and a stark lack of representation.

Although many of those challenges persist today, a new generation of AAPI leaders continues to advocate for greater visibility, authentic storytelling, and leading roles that dismantle historic barriers.

The evening highlighted the accomplishments of director Kitao Sakurai; Kalikolehua Hurley, Head of Cultural Trust at Walt Disney Animation Studios; actor Ben Wang; and Jinny Howe, Head of UCAN (U.S.–Canada) Scripted Series. Honorees Randall Park, Manny Jacinto, and the women of the hit series The Pitt also took the stage to accept their awards, while the musical group Chanpan—featuring Grace Dumdaw and twin brothers Lance and Matthew Tran—performed midway through the ceremony.

Accepting the Renaissance Award, Park—who co‑starred with Ali Wong in Always Be My Maybe and made his feature directorial debut with Shortcomings in 2023—deadpanned, “I say this with humility; I can’t think of anyone more deserving of this award than myself.” He then added more seriously, “The best work comes from our families, friends, and community. I want to thank my family, my friends, and all of you, because you are my community.”

The women of the Emmy‑winning series The Pitt took the stage to accept the Radiance Award. Executive producer‑writer Simran Baidwan and writer Valerie Chu were joined by Lily Singh, Kristin Villanueva, Tal Anderson, and Isa Briones. Baidwan noted that the award recognized the “hard work that happens both behind and in front of the camera,” and described the moment as “a recognition that representation matters.” She concluded, “Our stories matter. We matter.”

As guests moved from the main hall into the courtyard lit with strings of lights, the cultural theme continued with a 360‑degree outdoor bar hosted by Martell, offering mooncake pairings alongside cognac in an intimate mahjong lounge. Bottles of Martell Blue Swift—a VSOP cognac finished in bourbon casks—were poured while tiles shuffled and conversation blended with smooth after‑party tracks.

The night concluded with exciting news from CAPE, which announced it had raised $357,146 toward its $500,000 campaign goal by the end of 2026, surpassing the evening’s target.

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