A night at the YouTube AAPI gala
Dec 17, 2024 – [[read-time]] minute read
When asked why Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) creators started their YouTube journey, the answer is usually the same: a fellow AAPI YouTuber inspired them. Last week, we celebrated this cycle of inspiration with our 2nd annual YouTube Creator Collective AAPI Gala hosted at our Los Angeles offices!
The evening reflected the spirit of YouTube Creator Collective events, uniting creators with teams at YouTube to foster connection, support, and belonging, celebrating the remarkable impact of our AAPI creator community.
YouTube CEO Neal Mohan opened the event by sharing YouTube’s mission and acknowledging that the iconic voices celebrated at the event have inspired a generation of Asian creators to take to YouTube and build their own communities and businesses.
Throughout the night, amazing Next Generation stars honored the awesome YouTube Icons that inspired them to start their careers as creators on YouTube. Here are some of the most memorable words, moments and scenes from the night:
Michelle Phan
“Throughout my whole career I followed my intuition despite people asking ‘Why are you doing YouTube?’...and thank goodness I was stubborn and I listened to my intuition.”
Timothy Chantarangsu
“When I first started making YouTube videos in 2006, I was just trying to be an actor and there was just nothing out there for people that looked like us…but I remembered YouTube came along and even with my initial uploads I felt like there was so much representation.”
Jason Y. Lee
“They would say ‘how are you going to make money?....That was what it was described like in 2012. And what brings me so much joy is that today the truth is so dramatically different.”
Jenn Im
"Whether you started watching me since my 2010 clothesencounters era or if you just started a few days ago, I appreciate each and every single one of you. I would not be in the position I am without you guys and I never ever forget it! Thank you to YouTube for providing a platform where evolution and effort are always celebrated."
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These original, iconic voices didn’t just share their stories – they’ve inspired an entire generation of AAPI creators to step forward, creating a ripple effect that’s sparked cultural movements, broadened perspectives, and carved out space for new narratives.
The AAPI Gala is a way to continue to recognize the important work AAPI creators do in inspiring new generations of creators, YouTube employees, and fans. We are grateful to all of the creators who attended the gala, and we look forward to continuing to support the AAPI community on YouTube.
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