In The Know by yahoo! AAPI Changemakers
In The Know by yahoo! AAPI Changemakers

DOORS OPEN IN...

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

DOORS OPEN IN...

Days
Hours
Minutes
Seconds

WHAT'S
ON TAP

We’re changing. We’re making. We’re celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, so let’s make it count! A panel of AAPI creators and entrepreneurs will share how their brands came to life. Hear how they balanced honoring heritage while leaning into their unique vision. You’ll get insights, learn about can’t-miss AAPI-owned businesses, and did someone say open bar? Enjoy drinks and light bites on the house. Plus a shoppable gift bag experience and an exclusive entry to grand prizes throughout the event.

GET TIX

(Just $20. Get 'em before they run out. Must be 21+ to attend.)

Get on the Waitlist

The event has reached maximum capacity – Please enter your details below to be added to the waitlist. We will notify you if a spot to attend becomes available.
 

Featured speakers

Christine Chang

CHRISTINE
CHANG

Co-founder, Glow Recipe

See full bio
Sean Ro

SEAN
RO

Co-founder, Lunar Hard Seltzer

See full bio
Trisha Sakhuja

TRISHA
SAKHUJA-WALIA

Founder, Brown Girl Magazine

See full bio
Jason Wang

JASON
WANG

CEO, Xi'an Famous Foods

See full bio
Poppy Shen

POPPY
SHEN

Moderator,
Associate Video Producer,
In The Know by Yahoo

See full bio

AGENDA AT A GLANCE

6:30 PM

Doors open

7:15 PM

Panel

7:45 PM

Audience Q&A

8:00 PM

Eat, drink, shop

9:00 PM

Time to roll out

COVID-19 PLAN

We’re thrilled to be in person at Philippe Chow Downtown.

The health and safety of our event participants, staff, and partners is our top priority. We are implementing procedures based on the latest guidance from federal, state, and local health officials on preventing the transmission of COVID-19.

  • The venue staff will be fully vaccinated.
  • Masks and hand sanitizer will be available to all attendees.
  • Attendee temperatures will be checked upon entrance.
  • We will abide by state and local guidance on indoor masking, social distancing, and density of participants.

What you need to know:

  • We require everyone who joins us to provide valid proof of vaccination and follow all other safety protocols for a safe yet  enjoyable experience.
  • Proof of vaccination includes a CDC vaccination card (a photo is not accepted), Excelsior app (NY); Docket app (NJ); or Clear app.
  • There will be NO onsite COVID-19 testing. Attendees must be fully vaccinated or will be denied entry without refunds.

If you have questions about what qualifies as valid proof, please contact us at events@yahooinc.com.

FAQS

The venue is located at 355 W 16th St, between 8th and 9th Avenue. The closest subway stations are:

  • 14th St & 8th Ave: A, C, E, L
  • 18th St & 7th Ave: 1

The closest bus stops are:

  • 9th Ave & W 18th St
  • 8th Ave & W 17th St

Each ticket is $20. 

Yes, one person may purchase multiple tickets. The purchaser will receive a unique QR code per ticket bought, and each QR code must be shown when entering the event.

The ticket will cover event admission, open bar and food for the duration of the event along with gift bags that you can fill with complimentary items from AAPI-owned businesses. Attendees will also be entered to win exciting prizes from highly-coveted AAPI brands.

We require proof of vaccination upon entry. Note that the last date of vaccination MUST be 15 days prior to the event date in order to be fully vaccinated. Attendees must be fully vaccinated according to CDC guidelines which requires receiving all recommended doses in the primary series of their COVID-19 vaccination or will be denied entry without refund. We will be practicing hygienic ways to socialize and be together. It is recommended that guests practice social distancing. Masks are optional.

Only the following methods will be accepted as proof: Excelsior app (NY), Docket app (NJ), Clear app, or your vaccination card.

There will be no onsite COVID-19 testing. A negative test result will not be accepted. Attendees must be fully vaccinated or will be denied entry without refund.

Please register by Friday, April 22.

Christine Chang

CHRISTINE
CHANG

Co-founder, Glow Recipe

Biography

Combining her passion for skincare with an extensive background in marketing, brand & business development, sales and product development, Christine Chang maintains a wealth of knowledge when it comes to international beauty. Christine’s foray into beauty started at L’Oreal where she spearheaded global business development, retail, marketing and digital strategy. Christine’s expertise in skincare formulations paired with her strategic experience in launching and growing brands is invaluable to Glow Recipe’s mission to become the U.S. hub for the best of Korean-Beauty inspired solutions. Christine was a featured speaker at the Conde Nast Intl Luxury Conference hosted by Suzy Menkes, Vogue Business Sustainability Forum, The Millennial 20/20 Forum, The Glossy Conference, and others. Christine lives in New York with her husband and young daughter.

Sean Ro

SEAN
RO

Co-founder, Lunar Hard Seltzer

Biography

Sean is a co-founder of Lunar Hard Seltzer, the first and only Asian American craft hard seltzer that’s “born & raised here” in New York and made with real fruit juice and premium ingredients from Asia. Since its launch during the pandemic, Lunar has been trailblazing the craft hard seltzer category with flavors like yuzu, lychee, plum, and passion fruit, and limited edition “Heritage Line” flavors like the pineapple cake.

Trisha Sakhuja

TRISHA
SAKHUJA-WALIA

Founder, Brown Girl Magazine

Biography

With only a few words of English under her belt, Trisha Sakhuja-Walia immigrated with her parents to Queens, New York in the early 90s. Years later, she would found Brown Girl Magazine while scrolling on Facebook for a journalism class assignment in college. Brown Girl Magazine was created by and for South Asian women, who believe in the power of storytelling as a vehicle for community building and empowerment.  Almost a decade later, Trisha has grown her mission-driven business to include over 250 contributors, and has worked with brands like Nordstrom, Adobe, Facebook, and Instagram, among others.

Jason Wang

JASON
WANG

CEO, Xi'an Famous Foods

Biography

Xi’an native Jason Wang grew up in New York City and planned to pursue a corporate career. When his father, a veteran of Chinese kitchens, opened the first Xi’an Famous Foods in 2005, Jason saw the potential of the business and decided to expand his father’s vision. Xi’an Famous Foods now boasts multiple locations, serving Chinese families who expect authenticity, and New Yorkers looking to explore new flavors. Wang has been recently named Nominee for Outstanding Restaurateur of the James Beard Awards in 2020, Zagat’s 30 Under 30 listee, and more.

Poppy Shen

POPPY
SHEN

Moderator,
Associate Video Producer,
In The Know by Yahoo

Biography

Poppy Shen is an Associate Producer for In The Know by Yahoo, where she produces social-first videos and tells stories about food, Gen-Z changemakers and the AAPI community. Poppy was born in China and moved to the U.S. when she was 14. Storytelling has always been her biggest passion, through which she finds ways to uplift her community. Prior to Yahoo, she worked at CNN and spearheaded several video projects covering immigrant and refugee stories. She received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.

Amissa Pitter

AMISSA
PITTER

Moderator, In The Know by Yahoo

Biography

Amissa Pitter is a programming manager at In The Know by Yahoo, where she mainly analyzes and maximizes exposure for various content. Before In The Know by Yahoo, she wore many hats managing digital content strategy and creation at Nickelodeon, Fuse TV, and Townsquare Media’s The Boombox. Born and raised in New York, Amissa received her Bachelor’s degree in Multimedia Journalism from CUNY Lehman College. She is big on culture and community and is committed to living life to the fullest, usually doing something active and outdoorsy. 

Fe Noel

FE
NOEL

Founder/designer of
Fe Noel womenswear

Biography

Fe Noel is a womenswear designer from Brooklyn, NY with a passion for travel, a love of vibrant colors, and a penchant for bold prints. She entered the industry at 19, opening a brick and mortar boutique for vintage lovers and trendsetters in Brooklyn. That boutique served as a catalyst for today’s namesake clothing and lifestyle womenswear brand ‘Fe Noel’ and further stimulated her desire to help women embrace their femininity.

Fe is heavily influenced by her Caribbean heritage and large, close-knit family. She especially holds her mother and grandmother in high regard, crediting them for showing what drive, determination and humble hearts will earn you. Aside from designing, she enjoys helping other young women start their own businesses, which she is able to accomplish through the Fe Noel Foundation, a program for young girls who are passionate about entrepreneurship.

Myles Loftin

MYLES
LOFTIN

Photographer,
Brand collaborator

Biography

Myles Loftin is an artist, storyteller, and creative collaborator based in Brooklyn but very much on the world’s radar. Brands like Calvin Klein and Nike commission him for ad campaigns, and publications like Paper, Garage, and i-D turn to him for editorials that resonate with discerning audiences. Myles’ work, known for an often playful sensibility and an intimacy that unite viewer and subject, is driven by his desire to show up for underrepresented and misrepresented groups—because as a queer Black man, he knows the power of visibility.

Darian Hall

DARIAN
HALL

Co-founder of HealHaus

Biography

Darian Hall received his Bachelor’s degree from Arizona State University. He led a successful 10-year career in the medical device sales field and worked for some of the top companies such as Johnson and Johnson and Stryker. After 15mil in sales and managing one of the most competitive markets in New York, Darian set out to travel the world for 8 months.

During his travels he learned a lot about himself and became more passionate about the commonalities that connect us as humans. One common thread he realized was the various traumas that his male friends shared. This prompted him to start thinking about the lack of accessible healing spaces for men. He set out to explore this question, which led him to co-found build HealHaus. HealHaus is a Brooklyn based wellness company.

Brittney Escovendo

BRITTNEY
ESCOVEDO

Founder of Beyond 8

Biography

Brittney Escovedo is the CEO and founder of Beyond 8, an experiential event production company with teams in New York and Los Angeles. Under her leadership, Beyond 8 has become highly-sought after in just five years with a client list to support the demand: Pyer Moss, Solange Knowles, Culture Con, Saint Heron, Gucci, Complex, Google, HBO Max, Motown Records, H&M, Master & Dynamic are a few names on the list. Prior to starting her company, she worked as an in-house and freelance producer for Seventh House PR, Factory PR, Team Epiphany, Bureau Betak, and others producing more than 500 fashion shows and events. Born and raised in the Bay Area (Richmond, California), Escovedo prides herself on fostering authentic professional relationships and being an advocate for women in business and creatives of color.

Brandon Blackwood

BRANDON BLACKWOOD

Founder/Creative Director/CEO
of Brandon Blackwood New York

Biography

Brandon Blackwood is the founder, Creative Director, and CEO of contemporary accessories brand Brandon Blackwood New York. Brandon is a first-generation American, born and raised by Jamaican and Chinese parents in Brooklyn, New York. While studying neuroscience at Bard College, he secretly pursued a career in fashion, interning at magazines such as Elle and Nylon. Following his graduation, he started working at a consignment shop where he was influenced by the industry and the need to create something people could be proud to wear. In 2015 he created Brandon Blackwood New York, in which inclusiveness is at the core of his designs.