De Shields was honored alongside Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council, and Mukund Padmanabhan, Founder of the Guru Krupa Foundation

FLUSHING, NY (TIP): Flushing Town Hall, on June 15, held its annual gala, Around the World & Home Again. The gala celebrated the Smithsonian Affiliate’s mission to bring people together through arts and culture from around the globe. This year, the gala honored Broadway Deity André De Shields, President and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC) Wayne Ho, and Founder of the Guru Krupa Foundation Mukund Padmanabhan. Veronica Y. Tsang was the presenting sponsor for this year’s gala. As the nonprofit’s main benefit event of the year, the funds raised at the gala are critical for Flushing Town Hall to achieve its mission. “We are an arts presenter as well as an Arts Council, with a crucial mission to bring people together by presenting arts and culture from all around the globe,” said Flushing Town Hall Executive & Artistic Director Ellen Kodadek. “We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world with culturally relevant programs featuring master culture and tradition bearers. We strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing remonstrance of 1657.”

In attendance were Elaine Fan, a representative of New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Senator John Liu, Queens Borough President Donovan Richards, New York State Assemblyman Ed Braunstein, New York State Assemblyman David Weprin, New York City Councilwoman Sandra Ung, and New York City Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo.

As the 150 attendees arrived, they were greeted by the musical offerings of the HONK Family Band. The collection performed a medley of instrumental covers from bands such as Nirvana and Talking Heads, as well as original compositions.

Honoree André De Shields said, “The shifting cultural paradigm calls for every artist to advocate for Foundational Democracy–the doing of the greatest good for the greatest number of people. During the month of February in both 2021 and 2022, Flushing Town Hall provided the forum for my demonstrating the intersection of art and activism by inviting me to perform my tribute to Frederick Douglass–Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory–in commemoration of Black Heritage Month. Accepting the Award for Life Achievement and serenading the audience with song are my expressions of immense gratitude.”

The second honoree was Wayne Ho, President and CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council (CPC), who said, “I am very thankful for this recognition from Flushing Town Hall because, like CPC, Flushing Town Hall has been an institution not only in the Flushing community but, also serving all of Queens and serving all of New York City.” The final honoree was Mukund Padmanabhan, the founder of the Guru Krupa Foundation, who said, “I just like the idea of this place…[Flushing Town Hall] is the one place I can come to, and I don’t need to come very far, where I can experience music from all over the world.”

About Flushing Town Hall

Flushing Town Hall is a not-for-profit organization and receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; The City of New York, Mayor Eric Adams; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Commissioner Laurie Cumbo; Queens Borough President Donovan Richards; The New York City Council, Speaker Adrienne E. Adams, and New York City Council Members Sandra Ung, Tiffany Caban, Shekar Krishnan, Linda Lee, Vickie Paladino, Lynn Schulman, and Jessica Won; Howard Gilman Foundation, Guru Krupa Foundation, Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation.

Flushing Town Hall (FTH), a Smithsonian affiliate, presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and international artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City’s Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

Flushing Town Hall is a proud member of the Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), a collective of 34 nonprofit museums, performing arts centers, historical societies, zoos, and botanical gardens across all five boroughs with a distinct private-public partnership with the City of New York and a commitment to serving all New Yorkers.