New York’s fashion and creative crowd gathered Wednesday evening at Chelsea's newest cocktail bar, The Eighth, to celebrate Lunar New Year: Year of the Horse, an intimate benefit hosted by Mei Kwok and produced in collaboration with 4AM, supporting The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) and its work advancing the AAPI community nationwide.

The event blended music, fashion, and philanthropy, with DJ sets from Mei Kwok, Mona Matsuoka, and Tre, alongside cocktails by LALO Tequila, culinary offerings from The Eighth, and traditional New Year dumplings from Mimi Cheng’s.

A stylish co-host committee, including Jiajia Fei, Mona Matsuoka, Beverly Nguyen, Kim Shui, Ezra J. William, and Faith Xue, helped bring together a cross-section of New York’s cultural community. Guests in attendance included Melissa King, Diane Brill, Jack James of The Muses, Legendary Damon, Timo Weiland, Tokyo Rose, Niks, and Richie Romero.

For Kwok, the night carried special meaning beyond the dance floor: “This is exactly the time to shout from the rooftops, to celebrate our culture loudly, to honor our immigrant stories, to acknowledge what's happening in the world and choose pride anyway."

The evening served as both a festive start to the Lunar New Year and a reminder of the power of gathering in celebration and support of community.

Image credit: Danté Crichlow/BFA