Photo Flash: Aasif Mandvi And Juju Chang Celebrate AALDEF's 45th Anniversary In NYC With 2019 Justice In Action Awards

On March 27, more than 650 people attended the 45th anniversary gala of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), a New York-based national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian Americans.

The gala, held at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers in New York City, included the presentation of AALDEF's 2019 Justice in Action Awards to Michael C. Wu, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary of Carter's, Inc., and Vanita Gupta, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, the nation's largest and oldest civil rights coalition.

The emcees were Juju Chang, co-anchor of ABC News' Nightline, and Sree Sreenivasan, digital and social media strategist and co-founder of Digimentors. Special guest, Aasif Mandvi, a writer and comedian who received the 2014 Justice in Action Award, also spoke to the audience, urging them support AALDEF's important work at a time when the civil rights of immigrants and communities of color are facing unprecedented attacks.

AALDEF presents Justice in Action awards annually to individuals for their outstanding achievements and contributions to social justice. Proceeds from the gala support AALDEF's litigation, advocacy, and community education programs in the areas of immigrant rights, economic justice, educational equity, housing and environmental justice, and voting rights and democracy.

The Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF), founded in 1974, is a national organization that protects and promotes the civil rights of Asian American! s. By combining litigation, advocacy, education, and organizing, AALDEF works with Asian American communities across the country to secure human rights for all.

Photo Credit: Lia Chang

Margaret Fung, AALDEF executive director with Aasif Mandvi

AALDEF anniversary gala emcees Juju Chang and Sree Sreenivasan

Juju Chang, emcee; Tommy Shi, AALDEF board president; Margaret Fung, AALDEF executive director, Ted Shaw, presenter - Professor at University of North Carolina School of Law and former Director- Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Vanita Gupta, 2019 JIA award recipient, Michael C. Wu, 2019 JIA award recipient, Samuel S. Choy, presenter - Partner, King & Spalding, Sree Sreenivasan, emcee

Ted Shaw, presenter - Professor at University of North Carolina School of Law and former Director- Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Vanita Gupta, 2019 JIA award recipient; Michael C. Wu, 2019 JIA award recipient, Samuel S. Choy, presenter - Partner, King & Spalding 

Emcee Juju Chang, co-anchor of ABC News' Nightline

Shaifali Puri and her husband Aasif Mandvi

Samuel S. Choy, presenter - Partner, King & Spalding with Michael C. Wu, 2019 JIA award recipient

Ted Shaw, presenter - Professor at University of North Carolina School of Law and former Director- Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund with Vanita Gupta, 2019 JIA award recipient

Margaret Fung, AALDEF executive director with U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit)

U.S. District Judge Kiyo A. Matsumoto (Eastern District of New York); Kathy Hirata Chin, partner at Crowell & Moring LLP; Justice Doris Ling-Cohan, New York State Supreme Court (Appellate Term); U.S. Circuit Judge Denny Chin (U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit).

2019 Justice in Action Awards

From L to R: John G. Chou, AmerisourceBergen; Parkin Lee, Rockefeller Group; Sandra Leung, Bristol-Myers Squibb; Javade Chaudhri, Partner at Jones Day (former general counsel at Sempra Energy); Michael C. Wu, Carter's, Inc.; Don H. Liu, Target; Alan Tse, Jones Lang Lasalle; A.B. Cruz, III, Chair of Minority Corporate Counsel Association (former general counsel of USAA)

Ted Shaw, presenter - Professor at University of North Carolina School of Law and former Director- Counsel, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund; Ayaz R. Shaikh, AALDEF board secretary; Aasif Mandvi, Vanita Gupta, 2019 JIA award recipient

2nd Line Jazz Band

Aasif Mandvi

Aasif Mandvi donates his tie for AALDEF''s live auction; with emcee Sree Sreenivasan

John G. Chou, General Counsel, AmerisourceBergen, was the winning bidder.

Aasif Mandvi with John G. Chou, General Counsel, AmerisourceBergen, who placed the winning bid for Mandvi''s tie.

AALDEF anniversary gala emcees Juju Chang and Sree Sreenivasan

Vanita Gupta, 2019 JIA award recipient, Margaret Fung and AALDEF board vice president Irene Chang-Cimino

Chinh Q. Le, Khin Mai Aung, honoree Vanita Gupta, Glenn D. Magpantay

Richard Wu; honoree Michael C. Wu; Helena Wu; Richard Kim, partner at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz; Tommy Shi, Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Day Pitney and AALDEF board president; Harrison Shi; Margaret Fung, AALDEF executive director; Sree Sreenivasan, co-founder, Digimentors; Durga Sreenivasan

2019 Justice in Action Awards