Meet Our 2016 Fashion for a Passion Performers

Dallas-based nonprofit Against The Grain Productions is proud to announce the lineup of performers for their eighth annual Fashion for a Passion charity event on Saturday, Oct. 29, at sixty five hundred near Love Field Airport. This year’s show will feature a wide variety of Asian American talent, including two youth acts, an emerging local singer and the return of last year’s popular violin sensation Yut and The Hot Four.

“Every year, our lineup of talented performers just gets better and better,” said Against The Grain President Tammy Nguyen Lee. “We are excited to change it up with the addition of seven-year-old hip hop dancer Ayden Nguyen and the musical stylings of adorable pop singers The Sun and Stars, one of whom is the daughter of Chef Uno Immanivong of Chino Chinatown, who will be catering our event with delicious vegan-friendly fare.”

This year’s Fashion for a Passion emcees include veteran Ben Smithee (CEO of The Smithee Group) and Dr. Diana Tran-Yu (former Ms. Asia Houston), both past panelists for ATG’s other signature event Groundbreakers Speak: A Conversation with Asian American Movers and Shakers. The evening includes a fashion show with live auction, raffle, art exhibit, tasty bites and sips and will again conclude with an extended wrap party for guests, artists and volunteers to mix and mingle until midnight.

Proceeds from the evening’s ticket sales, art and lives auctions as well as generous sponsors benefit ATG’s supported orphanages and underprivileged children in Asia, scholarships for student artists and leaders and community outreach programs in the U.S. to inspire, educate and entertain the community.

General Admission and VIP Reserved Tickets range from $65 to $125 and are on sale at www.AgainstTheGrainProductions.com/events/ffap until Oct. 28.

The 8th Annual Fashion for a Passion Musical Talent Line-Up:

Ayden NguyenAyden Nguyen

Ayden Nguyen is a seven-year-old dancer, actor and model from Garland, Texas. From a very young age, Ayden has always been a natural performer, entertainer and lover of dance. Those characteristics have launched him onto a path that leads directly into the entertainment industry. He enjoys all aspects of performing and juggles a pretty hectic schedule of school, photo shoots, casting calls and auditions, rehearsals, soccer and dance training. He has been in several print ad campaigns for department stores such as Belk, JCPenney and Neiman Marcus. He has also been featured in various industry videos for Chuck E. Cheese and Hasbro. His main passion is dance, hip-hop specifically, and he has trained with some of the best choreographers in the world – even having the opportunity to dance on stage with Justin Bieber.

Ultimately, he’s just a little boy with very big dreams.  Follow Ayden on his journey, to make his dreams come true.

Instagram | @ayden_nguyen
Facebook | aydentnguyen
YouTube | AydensDanceChannel
About 6 year old Ayden Nguyen (Jan 2016)


a2367410437_10Mijee Park

Mijee Park is a Korean American singer-songwriter based out of Richardson, Texas. With a mother who played piano and a father who played guitar, it only made sense for Mijee to pick up and learn from her parents. As a little girl, she sang and jammed out with her parents, started writing her own music and performing at her church choir. At 15, Mijee started working with producer Sang Ham at UG Productions, eventually performing alongside artists such as Joseph Vincent and Decipher. Outside of music, she is working on a nursing degree at the University of Texas at Austin.


The Sun and Stars

The Sun and Stars

This young band was created when two best friends Ryan Fox and Emma Immanivong came together to share their love for music. Inspired by the movie “Pitch Perfect”, the girls started harmonizing and mashing up popular songs. This led them to write their own music and discover their own distinct style. Through the encouragement of friends and family, they are now performing at various events and mainstream venues. Check out their performance here: http://youtu.be/V1VKSPfDYuE .

#sunandstarsband #youngandtalented #kidscandoanything


Jessica KimJessica Kim

Jessica Kim is a registered nurse living in Dallas, Texas, who is currently pursuing her Masters in Nursing. She is passionate about promoting health and wellness and enjoys working out and singing in her free time. This is the first year she has actively pursued her singing career and is excited to be a part of the ATG family! Feel free to follow and support her on Instagram | Jellykimbeans.

Yut - Photo

Yut Chia

Yut Chia is a Colombian violinist of Chinese descent, who came to New York City at the age of three in pursuit of the American Dream. As a young child, he was inspired by classical music that he heard and had always wanted to play the violin. However, despite a lifelong interest in the violin, he did not have the opportunity to start playing till the age of 12.

Chia began his classical training and eventually attended Queens College with full scholarship, under mentorship from renowned professors including Daniel Philips (The Orion String Quartet). His hard work and talent paid off. Chia started to make a name for himself through playing in the subways. He gained recognition as an up and coming violinist to watch through numerous major media outlets including The New York Daily News, The New York Times and the front page of aol.com.

As leader and founder,  Chia was inspired to form Yut and the Hot Four because he wanted to entertain people and to reach new audiences.

About ATG Against The Grain Productions, Inc.

ATG Against The Grain Productions, a Dallas-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, promotes Asian American cultural awareness through compelling media projects and raises funds for international orphanages and underprivileged children. In addition to hosting outreach events, it also awards annual scholarships to exemplary Asian American student artists and leaders. ATG produced the feature documentary, Operation Babylift: The Lost Children of Vietnam, which has screened at more than a dozen film festivals nationwide and received the Audience Choice Award for Best Feature Film at the Vietnamese International Film Festival and the Documentary Audience Choice Award from the Philadelphia Asian American Film Festival. For more information, visit www.AgainstTheGrainProductions.com or www.TheBabylift.com.

#ATGProds   #FFAP2016   #beCAUSE

www.AgainstTheGrainProductions.com/Events/FFAP

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