Fang Family Makes Major Gift to Recognize AAPI Month
The Florence Fang Family Foundation, in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, on Thursday (May 18) opened a new exhibition space at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco. Located on the second floor of the museum’s main hall, the Fang Family Launchpad will serve as a permanent platform for emerging Asian and AAPI artists to exhibit their talents to the world.
Listen to KCBS report on the event>>
The Fang Family Launchpad was formally opened on May 18 with the Remembrance and Reinvigorate Award Ceremony, recognizing the accomplishments of prominent figures in the AAPI community. Among the honorees was Bay Area Council Chair Kausik Rajgopal, Chief of Human Resources for PayPal, who delivered an impassioned speech about the contributions of Asian Americans to our nation’s development and culture. Other prominent speakers included San Francisco Mayor London Breed, state Board of Equalization Chair Malia Cohen, Fremont Mayor Lily Mei, and Florence Fang. California Treasurer Fiona Ma served as master of ceremonies. Dedication letters from 24 public officials were also presented during the ceremony, including from Governor Gavin Newsom, Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senators Alex Padilla, Dianne Feinstein, and Mazie Hirono.
The event concluded with a ribbon cutting at the Fang Family Launchpad in front of exhibitions from Brooklyn-based Afruz Amighi and China’s best-known contemporary artist, Liu Jinhua. A plaque now affixed to the gallery reads “On-going support for the Launchpad is provided by the generosity of Mrs. Florence Fang, her sons James, Ted, and Douglas, and the Fang Family, and in the memory of John Ta Chuan Fang. The Fang Family was a guiding force in the museum’s move to Civic Center and in making the transformation project possible.”
From all of us at the Bay Area Council, our congratulations and admiration to Mrs. Fang and the Fang Family Foundation for your many contributions to the Bay Area Asian and AAPI communities.
