More than 260 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) leaders, creatives, executives, storytellers, entrepreneurs, and community builders gathered at Rideback Ranch in Historic Filipinotown for the inaugural Across the Industry event on Sunday, May 31st. The gathering, hosted by Augie Max Vargas and Narumi Inatsugu and presented by The Vargas Company and Rumiville Inc., was created to strengthen connections across the AANHPI entertainment community and the broader creative industries during AANHPI Heritage Month.
Attendees represented a broad cross-section of the entertainment industry, including professionals from film, television, streaming, technology, music, business, culture, philanthropy, and public service. Members and leadership from major entertainment guilds, academies, unions, cultural organizations, community groups, and civic leadership circles participated, creating a rare opportunity for AANHPI professionals from across the entertainment ecosystem to connect in a shared environment focused on conversation, collaboration, and relationship-building.
Unlike traditional industry events, Across the Industry was intentionally designed without panels, awards, fundraising, red carpets, or extensive programming. Instead, the gathering centered on creating space for authentic connection among professionals whose paths do not often intersect despite working throughout the same industry. The event featured professional headshot activations, curated brand participation, community experiences, and opportunities for attendees to build new relationships across disciplines.
"The idea was to bring together the absolute best Above-The-Line and Below-The-Line AANHPI entertainment professionals working across television and film," said Augie Max Vargas, founder of The Vargas Company and co-host of the event. "A common thread I heard all night was a feeling of joyful emotion where attendees felt inspired and, more importantly, part of a community that is larger and stronger than many people realize."
"What happened in that room was bigger than networking," said Narumi Inatsugu, CEO of Rumiville Inc. and co-host of the event. "It was a reminder that community is one of the most powerful forces in our industry. When people from different generations, disciplines, and backgrounds come together with a shared sense of purpose, new ideas emerge, new relationships are formed, and the future becomes a little more connected. That's what we hope this gathering continues to foster."
The success of the inaugural gathering has already sparked conversations about future editions of Across the Industry and the continued development of the platform as an annual opportunity to strengthen community, collaboration, and connection across the AANHPI entertainment community and beyond. This event matters because it addresses a critical gap in the entertainment industry: the lack of informal, cross-sector networking spaces for AANHPI professionals. By fostering genuine relationships across different levels and sectors, the initiative has the potential to increase collaboration, mentorship, and representation in an industry where AANHPI voices remain underrepresented in leadership and creative roles.
