More than 260 AANHPI leaders, creatives, executives, storytellers, entrepreneurs, and community builders gathered at Rideback Ranch in Historic Filipinotown for the inaugural Across the Industry, a new gathering created to strengthen connections across the AANHPI entertainment community and the broader creative industries.
Hosted on Sunday, May 31st by Augie Max Vargas and Narumi Inatsugu and presented by The Vargas Company and Rumiville Inc., the event brought together professionals from across film, television, streaming, technology, music, business, culture, philanthropy, and public service during AANHPI Heritage Month.
Members and leadership from major entertainment guilds, academies, unions, cultural organizations, community groups, and civic leadership circles attended the unofficial gathering, creating a rare opportunity for AANHPI professionals from across the entertainment industry 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 focused on creating space for authentic connection among professionals whose paths do not often intersect despite working throughout the same entertainment ecosystem.
"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."
Attendees represented a broad cross-section of the entertainment industry, including professionals connected to major guilds, academies, production companies, studios, networks, cultural institutions, nonprofit organizations, community groups, and public service organizations.
The event also featured professional headshot activations, curated brand participation, community experiences, and opportunities for attendees to build new relationships across industries that do not often gather together in the same room.
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.
