TRAILBLAZERS. ICONS. LEGENDS.HONORING AANHPI BROADCAST PIONEERS
What: An iconic gathering of AANHPI journalists
When: Thursday, July 31, 2025
Doors open at 8 p.m.
8:30 p.m. Welcome and Icon Awards
Where: Edgewater Hotel
Olympic Ballroom, 4th Floor 2411 Alaskan Way
Seattle, WA – They were some of the first to break through the newsroom ceiling and they did it with power, grace, and grit. This summer, The Very Asian Foundation (VAF) is proudly shining a spotlight on three legendary Asian American broadcasters: Janice S. Gin, Curtis Kim, and Lloyd LaCuesta.
Coinciding with the 2025 Asian American Journalists Association Convention, the journalists will be recognized as VAF ICON Honorees for their decades-long careers, steadfast dedication to journalistic excellence, and their lasting influence on generations of AANHPI storytellers.
Janice S. Gin
Award-winning journalist, Janice S. Gin, has been a broadcast journalist for more than 42 years. Gin’s first paid job was at KTXL-TV40 in Sacramento before moving to the San Francisco Bay Area – where she worked at KGO and KTVU. Gin covered big stories that included the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, Nelson Mandela and the shooting death of Oscar Grant, which won a Peabody Award.
It was at an AAJA convention when she decided to make a change behind the camera, pivoting to a TV manager role in Greensboro, North Carolina in 1991, going on to hold management positions in Phoenix, San Francisco, Oakland, and Hawaii – where she retired as the News Director at KITV. After leading news teams to 6 Regional Emmys, 4 Murrows, 2 Peabodys, 2 AP Mark Twain Awards, Gin is now a lecturer at the University of Hawaii, Manoa teaching journalism writing, multi-media, and journalism ethics.
Curtiss Kim
Curtiss Kim is a Bay Area broadcast veteran in both radio and television in a career that spans 50 years with affiliates that include NBC, CBS and CNN.
Kim reported for KNBR – AM/FM, NBC Radio Hourly and KCBS All-News Radio. Some of the big stories he’s covered include the arrest and trial of Patty Hearst and the assassinations of San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk.
Kim’s television career spanned 25 years at independent KFTY-TV in Santa Rosa, a CNN affiliate as a reporter and morning news anchor and North Bay Report. He’s won multiple recognitions in both radio and television, including a Regional Edward R. Murrow Award for the 2017 Tubbs Fire, awards from the Associated Press and national Telly awards. Kim received the Lifetime Achievement Award from AAJA in 2012.
Lloyd LaCuesta
He’s been dubbed the “dean of reporters” by colleagues. LaCuesta’s resume reflects more than four decades in journalism, including 35 years as South Bay bureau chief with KTVU Channel 2 News. LaCuesta highlighted the cause of justice by reporting on vital social, equity, and inclusion issues. His advocacy increased the presence of Asian Americans and other underrepresented journalists in the newsroom.
LaCuesta reported major stories, including the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989, the L.A. riots in 1992, the Columbine shooting in 1999, and ventured to Vietnam to produce a series about three fathers looking for the children they left behind.
LaCuesta became the Asian American Journalists Association's first elected national president in 1979. In 1991, he co-founded and served as the first president of the UNITY alliance, whose mission is to increase diversity in the news. LaCuesta taught journalism at San Jose State and Menlo College.
He’s been honored six Emmys, “Best of the West” awards by the Associated Press, and a national 2004 Edward R. Murrow Award for Newscast Excellence. He’s received the 2004 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Asian American Journalists Association and the Sigma Delta Chi Award for reporting while a student at San Jose State.
“As Asian American journalists, Lloyd, Janice, and Curtiss have brought a vital, nuanced perspective to the industry, paving the way for future generations,” said VAF co-founder Gia Vang. “Their legacy empowers us to continue the important work of storytelling and truth-seeking, which is more crucial than ever in today’s world. Their contributions remind us that our diverse voices and experiences are essential to understanding and navigating the complexities of our time,” Vang said.
The Very Asian Foundation is a 501(c)3 founded by journalists whose mission is to shine a light on Asian experiences through advocacy and celebration. It was founded by broadcast journalists Michelle Li and Gia Vang after a television viewer left a racist voicemail for Li that ultimately sparked a global moment of unity in 2022. The viewer complained Li was being “very Asian” for talking about the tradition of eating dumplings on New Year’s Day during a newscast. It sparked global merchandise sales that raised tens of thousands of dollars for AAJA and other causes. VAF now works as a journalist-founded organization to help people solve problems – whether that’s with community partnership or the group’s signature programs, The May Book Project and Creators Microgrant Program. The national FBI office also recognized The May Book Project as a way to fight anti-Asian hate responsibly and thoughtfully. VAF understands that to be a part of narrative change means being a community builder at local levels.
