will.i.am’s i.am.angel Foundation’s Trans4m Gala
Once again, the Grammy Awards had Los Angeles buzzing with high-profileevents. For the fifth year, Empire was called upon by the visionary artist,entrepreneur and philanthropist will.i.am to produce the annual TRANS4M Gala,benefiting his i.am.angel Foundation. This year’s Gala honored Producer NormanLear and was co-hosted by Marc Benioff, Ron Conway, Laurene Powell-Jobs, Seanand Alexandra Parker, and Dean Kamen. The foundation supports transfomation andrevival in will.i.am’s hometown of Boyle Heights in east Los Angeles byproviding opportunities in STEAM education (Science, Technology, Engineering,Arts and Math) and college readiness.
On the evening of February 11, 2016, over 200 supporters gathered atwill.i.am’s studio and headquarters known as ‘The Future’ for an intimateevening that showcased the Foundation’s programs and students. i.am.angel’s donorsenjoyed cocktails and hors d'oeuvres as they made theirway through The Future’s space, engaging with students in a variety of demonstrationsrelated to i.am.angel’s STEAM programming.
Students showed off their innovative technology projects including a solarcar, catapult, hand-built robots and ESRI maps. Guests also had the opportunityto view and bid on work by artist Janne Kyttanen,best known for his revolutionary work with 3D printing. In addition, “Made ofJapan”, a 3D-printed light sculpture, was available for guests to bid on. Thiswork was originally created as the centerpiece for Onitsuka Tiger’s multiaward-winning Electric Light Shoe campaign and features a network of Tokyo-inspiredstreets and highways.
After cocktails, guests made their way to Milk Studios, which had been transformedinto an elegant dining room with long rustic wooden tables. Flourishes includinghanging greenery, pin-spotted tabletop florals, and flickering candlelight gavethe space a warm yet forward-looking style.
Cynthia Erenas, an i.am.angel success story, kicked off the program andwarmed the stage with her heartfelt tribute to will.i.am for his commitment toSTEAM education. will.i.am,was joined on stage by i.am College Track SiteDirector Silvestre Vallejo, i.am.angelDirector of STEM Lilly Kam, STEM Academy of Boyle Heights Teacher Leo Magallon,and their students.
As the evening progressed, auctioneer Zack Krone took the stage and ledguests to bid on a 3D Printed FashionMasterclass, tickets to the GRAMMY Awards and After-Party, an autographedguitar from Sting, a private tour of DEKA Research and Development Facilitywith Dean Kamen, yoga with Russell Simmons, and tickets to the taping of TheTonight Show with Jimmy Fallon with a backstage tour with The Roots.
The evening’s highlights also included aperformance by the first lady of neo soul, Erykah Badu, and an intimateconversation between the evening’s honoree, Norman Lear, and Touré that coveredMr. Lear’s seven decade career. Guests wrapped up the evening by dancing thenight away with DJ Adam 12.
Empire is honored to continue our long-term partnership with thei.am.angel Foundation and to serve as producer of this exclusive event.
For more information on this innovative foundation, please visit www.iamangelfoundation.org
Guests received their first taste of technological innovation at registration, where they were welcomed by name on a reactive LED screen installation covering the full width of the entry wall. A large lunch café was created with a décor scheme that incorporated custom-built, ceiling-high steel LED frames draped with foliage to create smaller, intimate restaurant-style spaces that displayed both technology and nature.
A series of breakout sessions presented content targeted to attendees’ varied interests, while imagery displayed throughout the venue showcased real-life applications of how products designed to empower developers help to unleash the power of data and reimagine possibilities that will improve our world.
Every element of Microsoft Connect(); from registration, breakfast and keynote, to lunch and evening cocktails, were custom-designed to communicate exacting brand messaging and to deliver a high-touch guest experience to this important audience. The keynote and breakout sessions were livestreamed through an onsite studio built for this purpose and content was watched online by millions around the world.
Empire is proud to collaborate with Microsoft on this annual, top-tier business communication event.
To view excerpts of Connect(); 2017, please visit https://www.microsoft.com/connectevent
