From left: William C. Louie, founding design partner of the worldwide architectural firm, Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates; Nancy Kwan, Hong Kong born American actress who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian ancestry in major Hollywood film roles; Savio Tung, Chief Investment Officer of Investcorp; and Nancy Yao Maasbach, president of Museum of Chinese in America pose for a group photo at Museum of Chinese in America's annual Legacy Awards Gala on Tuesday night at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan. Hong Xiao / China Daily

Paying tribute to "benefactors and builders", the Museum of Chinese in America (MOCA) held its annual Legacy Awards Gala on Tuesday evening at the Pierre Hotel in Manhattan.

"There are pioneers who have contributed quite a lot and have led the way for Chinese Americans in their journey when it was difficult to do so, when China was not popular," said Nancy Yao Maasbach, MOCA's president.

This year's honorees were: CV Starr Scholars, the Starr Foundation with recognition by Savio Tung, chief investment Officer of Investcorp; Nancy Kwan, the Hong Kong-born American actress who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian ancestry in major Hollywood film roles; and William C. Louie, founding design partner of the worldwide architectural firm Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates.

"These three individuals and institutions really led the way, and I think it's important to recognize them, to celebrate them and to say thank you to them," Maasbach said.

Maasbach said The Starr Foundation, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, "has done incredible work at a time when Chinese Americans were not receiving much education, when there was an Exclusion Act in the US".

"CV Starr took the initiative to really give back and invested in young people, specifically Chinese Americans ... so many of those early scholarship-receivers have reached success in different areas," Maasbach added.

Tung, who was honored at the gala, was one of the early scholarship recipients.

"Forty to 50 years ago, I was given a chance to get a good education and my life changed a lot. ... I think I've been successful," Tung said, adding that he was pleased to give back to the foundation and not let it down.