Staff Ying Liang greeting guests

Volunteer Nate Kerr checking in guests

Reception at Pao Arts Center

Board Members Bartholomew Jae (L) and Paul Bi (R)

Quincy Leadership Council member Chris Moy and Board President Eugene Mahr

Comcast guests at reception

Reception at Pao Arts Center

Comcast guests

Ambassador Paul Chan with sponsors Betty Chan and Nick Chau

Pao Arts Center Leadership Council member George Yip and Ambassador Marian Tse

Board President Eugene Mahr, Chief Development Officer Joann Yung, and CEO Ben Hires

Board members Bartholomew Jae and Jenny Hong

Pao Arts Center Leadership Council member Elaine Shiang, CEO Ben Hires, and Ambassadors Stephanie Fan and Paul Chan

Staff Ryan Simshauser, Jean Quintal, Joann Yung and volunteers Nate Kerr, Kelly Yardley, and Alison Guo

Board President Eugene Mahr welcomes guests

Guests watching the video about participant stories

Staff Ying Liang leads guests to the Chinatown Gate

Guests heading to the Chinatown Gate

Performance by the Boston Guzheng Ensemble

Board member Ada Chu welcomes guests at the Chinatown Gate

CEO Ben Hires shares remarks at the Chinatown Gate

Elected officials share remarks

Representative Aaron Michlewitz shares remarks

Quincy City Councilor, Nina Liang shares remarks

City of Quincy, Mayor Thomas Koch shares remarks

Boston Chinatown Liaison from Mayor Wu's Office, Chulan Huang, shares remarks

Boston City Councilor, Ed Flynn and Representative Aaron Michlewitz

CEO Ben Hires leads the lantern lighting ceremony

Guests raising lanterns to create pathways to brighter futures

Staff Emma Grugan prepares to lead guests to restaurants

Korean drum performance by Jennifer Lin and colleagues IJ Chan, Flora Kim, and Lynn Frederiksen

Guests watching performances

Guests heading to restaurants

Board member Ada Chu, Director of Childcare Bernadette Davidson, and guests

Quincy City Councilor Nina Liang, Board members Bartholomew Jae and Paul Bi and guests

Guests from Presenting Sponsor Comcast

Guests from Platinum Sponsor State Street Corporation

Guests from Presenting Sponsor Comcast

Ambassador Paul Chan and guests from Sponsors Santander Bank and Tai Tung Pharmacy

Guests from Sponsor First Republic Bank and Ambassador Karen SooHoo

Guests with BCNC Director of Youth Program Cin Wong, Board member Jenny Hong and Ambassador Frank Ho

Board member Karen Wong, volunteer Geoff Kronik and guests

Guests from Sponsor South Cove Community Health Center

Chief Financial Officer David Jacobs with guests from Sponsors Vertex and Ironwood

Guests with Ambassadors Perry Wu and Marian Tse and Sponsors John and Megan Grugan

Guests from Platinum Sponsor State Street Corporation

Lion dance performance from Nüwa Athletic Club

Guest giving a red envelope to the lion

Giving red envelopes to the lion

CEO Ben Hires with guests from sponsor Liberty Mutual Insurance

Guests with Board member Betty Szeto

Guests from Altman Solon

Lion dance at China Pearl

Feeding the lion a red envelope

Guests with Nüwa Athletic Club

Ambassador Rachel Somer and guests

Board member Jeannette Hsu, Ambassador Shirley Chung and guests

CEO Ben Hires, Board President Eugene Mahr, Staff Ryan Simshauser, and guests

Pao Arts Center Leadership Council member Brian Chu, Ambassador Ellie Chu, and guests

Pao Arts Center Director Cynthia Woo, Consultant Heang Rubin, Pao Arts Center Leadership Council member George Yip, and Cheryl Lu and Family

Board member Nancy Wang Adams, Ambassador Millie Liu, and guests

Guests of Sponsor Rockland Trust

Guests of Sponsors Capital One and Peter & Rosana Chow

Board member Emily Sy, Team BCNC members Cynthia Lin and Steven Hanton, and guests

Guests of Platinum Sponsor Tufts Medical Center

Guests from Platinum Sponsor Tufts Medical Center

Chief Program Officer Yoyo Yau and guests of Sponsor Verrill

Photo Credit: Lee-Daniel Tran

On Tuesday, May 17, 2022, we came together to restore and empower Asian and new immigrant families at our first in-person gala since 2019. The Lantern Festival Gala is BCNC’s biggest event and fundraiser of the year, bringing in over $500,000 to support our programs.

Sponsors enjoyed a reception with wine, food from local restaurants, a signature cocktail from Boston Baijiu Bar, and a viewing of the latest exhibit at Pao Arts Center.

Afterwards, guests were escorted to the Chinatown Gate on the Rose Kennedy Greenway where State Representative Aaron Michlewitz, Boston City Councilor Ed Flynn, Quincy City Councilor Nina Liang, Honorary Co-Chair, City of Quincy, Mayor Thomas Koch, and Boston Chinatown Liaison, Chulan Huang, joined Ben Hires, BCNC CEO, to give speeches about empowering Asian and new immigrants to better their lives in the Greater Boston area. The guests also enjoyed a traditional Chinese Guzheng performance by Boston Guzheng Ensemble, and a Korean Drum Dance performance by Jennifer Lin and colleagues IJ Chan, Flora Kim and Lynn Frederiksen.

The final highlight of the evening was a 10 course banquet at one of two restaurants, China Pearl or Empire Garden. Nüwa Athletic Club provided a loud and energetic lion dance performance at each of the restaurants. All guests enjoyed a festive night while supporting the Asian and new immigrant community.

Special thanks to our sponsors, supporters, staff members, and volunteers for making this a memorable night!

Thank you to those who helped to make this Gala possible:

See press from Boston Orange (中文)