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American Kahani: Kal Penn Receives Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Justice in Action Award
The Indian American actor was honored for his advocacy for representation in media and his service on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Indian American actor Kal Penn received Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund’s Justice in Action Award for his advocacy for representation in media and his service on behalf of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Penn was honored at AALDEF’s Lunar New Year Gala on March 9, celebrating the Year of the Tiger, at the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers in New York City. It was a hybrid event, taking place virtually via live stream and in-person amidst the city’s lifting of some pandemic restrictions.
Former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and ‘Jurassic Park” actor BD Wong, George Takei of “Star Trek,” were some of the high-profile guests in attendance. Emmy Award-winning reporter Cindy Hsu of CBS2 and Sree Sreenivasan of Digimentors were co-emcees.
In a video, award-winning filmmaker Mira Nair, who cast Penn as the lead in her 2006 film “The Namesake,” described him as “an activist and an artist,” who “has never shied away from his roots.” Nair said Penn “is unapologetic about who he is, and yet is an incredible bridge builder, creating a strong sense of allyship and solidarity with other communities.”