Awkwafina Helps Cleary Gottlieb Celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

On Wednesday, May 15, Cleary Gottlieb’s New York office hosted its Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Celebration: An Evening With Awkwafina, American actress, writer, rapper, and musician.

Over 500 participants attended the event featuring the artist, whose given name is Nora Lum and who hails from Queens, New York. Brief welcome and introductory remarks were provided by Managing Partner Michael Gerstenzang and service desk analyst Wally Lum (Awkwafina’s father), while partner Victor Hou held a fireside chat and associate and member of the Committee on Retention and Promotion of Women Pekham Pal provided closing remarks.

Lum discussed her life and career leading up to becoming a breakout talent in 2018, when she played the role of Peik Lin in Warner Bros’ Crazy Rich Asians, opposite Constance Wu, Michelle Yeoh, Henry Golding, and Ken Jeong. She also hosted Saturday Night Live on October 6, 2018.

Additionally, Lum appeared in Warner Bros’ box office hit Ocean’s 8, which featured an ensemble cast including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Rihanna, and Helena Bonham Carter. Prior to that, she starred in the indie comedy Dude, written and directed by Olivia Milch, which follows four best girlfriends in the last two weeks of their senior year in high school.

Noted for the satire of her hilarious original music, Awkwafina became a viral video sensation in 2012, followed by her 2014 debut album Yellow Ranger. Her first book, Awkwafina’s NYC, a travel guide to New York, was published by Penguin Random House in 2015.