On January 24, the Asian American Committee’s (AAC) meeting included the panel discussion, Founders to Future, featuring Directors Kabir Akhtar (Resident Alien), Henry Chan (Fresh Off the Boat), Michael Goi (American Horror Story) and Chris Tashima (Day of Independence) and UPM Victor Ho (She-Hulk: Attorney at Law), all current or former Co-Chairs of the Committee.
In a conversation that was held both virtually and in-person at DGA Headquarters in Los Angeles and moderated by current AAC Co-Chair Kai Kim (The Young and The Restless), early AAC Co-Chairs Chan and Ho recalled the formation of the Committee and working alongside Director/Former Co-Chair Wenda Fong to rally support amongst the larger Asian community and creating the AAC’s first big event, a screening of Ang Lee’s soon-to-be DGA Award-winning feature, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Former Co-Chair Tashima spoke on struggle of maintaining participation and the value of networking. Recent AAC Co-Chair Goi and current Co-Chair Akhtar addressed the future steps for the Committee and the importance to keep Asian members involved and part of the larger Guild and of the opportunities available to participate.
ABOUT THE PANELISTS:
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 Director/AAC Co Chair Kabir Akhtar
Akhtar’s directorial credits include episodes of the series, Never Have I Ever, Resident Alien, The Mysterious Benedict Society, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Sex Lives of College Girls, BH 90210, The Unicorn, Mumbai Calling, Saved by the Bell and Grown-ish; the pilot episode of Primo; and the relaunched edition of Unsolved Mysteries. Akhtar was nominated for the 2020 DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Children’s Programs for his “Opening Night” episode of the series, High School Musical: The Musical: The Series; and he also won a Primetime Emmy for his editing work on Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. Akhtar has been a DGA member since 2005 and serves as a co-chair of the Asian American Committee.
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 Director/Former AAC Co Chair Henry Chan
Chan’s directorial credits comprise more than 40 sitcoms including A Different World, Living Single, Sister, Sister, Moesha, Girlfriends, The King of Queens, The Fresh Beat Band, Let’s Stay Together, Zoe Ever After and Fresh Off the Boat, to name a few. Along with his sitcom work, he has directed the feature film Gas and the Chinese language film 100 Days. A DGA member since 1985, Chan is a founding co-chair of the Asian American Committee, has served on five Negotiating Committees and been a Diversity Task Force Committee Member since 2004. |
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 Director/Former AAC Co Chair Michael Goi
Goi’s directing credits include the feature films Megan Is Missing and Voyeur; the pilot of Avatar: The Last Airbender; and episodes of the television series Big Sky, Sexy Urban Legends, Pretty Little Liars, and American Horror Story. He is also known as an acclaimed cinematographer with over 70 narrative credits and earned Emmy nominations for his cinematography work on Glee, American Horror Story and My Name Is Earl. A DGA member since 2015, Goi currently serves as a Co-Chair of the DGA Television Diversity Task Force, as an Alternate to both the DGA National Board and Western Directors Council and is a member of the DGA Special Projects Committee and Co-Chair of its Digital Day Subcommittee. Goi previously served a co-chair of the DGA’s Asian American Committee from 2016-2020. |
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 Director/Former AAC Co Chair Chris Tashima
Tashima’s directorial credits include the feature film Day of Independence; the “Chisai Samurai” segment of the series Popcorn Zen and the “Visas and Virtue” segment of the series Independent Lens; and the short films Old Shoes, Delta’s Children and Investigation of Fear. A DGA member since 2003, Tashima previously served as a Co-Chair of the Asian American Committee from 2009-2011. |
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 UPM/Former AAC Co Chair Victor Ho
Ho’s Production Management credits include feature films such as Anthony & Joe Russo’s Cherry, Gavin O’Connor’s The Way Back, Mike Flanagan’s Ouija: Origin of Evil, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s Beyond the Lights, Richard Linklater’s Fast Food Nation and Alexander Payne’s Election; movies for television such as Alex Winter’s Ben 10: Race Against Time and David Bourla’s When Time Expires; and episodes of the series Yellowstone and She-Hulk: Attorney at Law. A DGA member since 1997, Ho is a co-founder and Co-Chair Emeritus of the Asian American Committee.
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 Director/AAC Co Chair Kai Kim (moderator)
Kim began his directing career by helming multiple episodes for the daytime drama, The Young and The Restless. He launched his career in the entertainment industry in creature effects, custom props and as a camera operator with multiple Daytime Emmys for his camerawork on The Young and The Restless. A DGA member since 2014, he previously served as a co-chair of the Asian American Committee from 2020 to present, as alternate co-chair of the Committee from 2018-2020 and on the DGA Committee of Joint Co-Chairs. |
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About the Asian American Committee:
The Asian American Committee (AAC) was created as a networking group to provide a forum for interests and issues that concern Asian-American Guild members. Through outreach efforts in the entertainment industry that emphasize career development and skills enhancement, the committee provides a variety of networking opportunities as well as screenings, seminars and discussions with industry professionals. The current AAC Co-Chairs are Directors Kabir Akhtar, Maureen Bharoocha and Kai Kim.