Sue Wong Receives Three Humanitarian Awards at “Coming Home with Nick Palance and Friends” Charity Benefit

The golden girl of the moment, innovative and inspirational fashion designer Sue Wong, received three awards for outstanding humanitarian contributions from the California State Assembly, State Senate, and State Legislature at the “Coming Home with Nick Palance and Friends” charity benefit for social services agency OPCC, held June 28, 2015 at the Casa Del Mar Hotel in Santa Monica, California.

“It was indeed a great honor and humbling experience receiving three awards,” said Ms. Wong, thanking State Legislature members for the recognition they bestowed upon her for “humanitarian contributions in self-empowerment and effortless extension of the Sue Wong design mantra and fashion career.” 

The awards were presented at a charity banquet for the benefit of OPCC (formerly Ocean Park Community Center), a non-profit social service organization which works tirelessly and successfully to assist needy members of the community, including homeless individuals, victims of domestic violence, and at-risk youth.

Said Ms. Wong, “In endorsing the commendable work of the OPCC and their excellent services to the traumatized and vulnerable members of our community, I reiterate the crucial message of my design mantra: Beauty, Magic, and Transformation; awaken from within and live to the quantum potential which you were born to achieve. This message of transformation is embedded in all my Sue Wong gowns.”  

This fabulous charity gala at the beautiful Casa del Mar Hotel was conceived by world-acclaimed pop opera singer Nick Palance, referred to as the “American Bocelli” and famous for his romantic singing style.  Commenting on his motivation for staging such an event, Palance said, “It has been my passion to help those who are being overlooked. When a person hits hard times and becomes homeless, not only do they lose their place to live and position in society, but they also lose their identity, and it is a difficult, if not impossible, thing to come back from.  I created this event to raise awareness and bring like-minded people together to make a difference and restore hope to those who need it. Let’s take the ‘less’ out of homelessness.”

The singer serenaded guests with his melodic operatic voice as they sipped premium wines donated by Peaceland Vineyards, Alma Fria Vineyards, Notre Vin Vineyards, and Vinium. A silent auction was held as the sun set over the beachfront venue, with a special Sue Wong dress among the items up for bids, the sale of which brought in a tidy sum for the charity. Later came a delicious sit-down dinner from Executive Chef Alberico Nunziata and the awards presentation and entertainment.

Also receiving awards were TV and radio host Estella Sneider, OPCC Executive Director John Maceri, executive producer Romulo Canizales, and Nick Palance.

The guests included State Senate Pro Tem Leader Kevin De Leon, Congresswoman Linda Sanchez, Sofia Milos (CSI Miami), Greg Germann (Alley McBeal), Ron Whitaker (Guns N Roses), and Prince Mario-Max Shaumburg-Lippe from Germany.
 
Sue Wong’s acceptance speech was truly inspirational. The following is a salient excerpt: “At a time when the global economy is still highly volatile, self-empowerment and emancipation is a crucial topic – the root to overcoming adversity and to manifesting our dreams. The great Buddha said that the root of all suffering is Ignorance. Knowledge is Power precisely because Self-Knowledge is ULTIMATE Freedom. Wisdom is knowledge from within. THINK, ACT, BECOME–these are the three words that create destiny. We become what we think, what we speak, and what we act upon. In the words of the great mastermind Albert Einstein: ‘Everything is energy and that’s all there is to it.’ Match the frequency of the reality you want and you cannot help but get that reality. It can be no other way. This is not philosophy. This is physics. In manifesting one’s destiny and improving on one’s life quality, destiny starts from within the internal landscape of our minds. ‘You are a living magnet. What you attract into your life is in harmony with your dominant thoughts,’ said Brian Tracy. This is the secret to self-empowerment. External forces can wage wars to liberate a people, but the real liberation lies solely in the individual. True freedom and self-empowerment lies in the ultimate knowledge that we are always the Masters of our own Destiny. Therefore, be careful for that which you ask–you just might get it! That is the secret to Alchemy and Magic.”

Amen!

Sue Wong has built a global fashion brand with her timeless designs, and will soon enter another venue with the launching of her online clothing boutique and perfumery.  Her signature Eau de Parfum line is new, and has been personally developed by Ms. Wong after considerable testing and research.

Sue Wong gowns and dresses are simply dazzling, with an élan only seen in high fashion. Her elegant fabrics and exotic embellishments lend an ethereal quality to her creations.

She takes her inspiration from old Hollywood, 1930’s Shanghai, Manhattan’s Jazz Age, and Weimar Germany, artfully incorporating both mystery and glamour into her designs to honor the goddess in every woman.  “I like to empower women through beauty because beauty is a powerful healing agent,” she says.

2015 has been a banner year for Ms. Wong.  She was also named Designer of the Year by Marymount University’s Faculty of Design and Merchandising and received the Fashion Designers Golden Halo Lifetime Achievement Award from the Southern California Motion Picture Council. Amen, again!