With over 53 scholarship applications pouring in from across Southern California this school year, selecting the recipients was no easy task. Each applicant showcased incredible talent and potential, making the decision process especially challenging.
This brings our total to 51 scholarships awarded in just 3.5 years, supporting aspiring creatives across Southern California.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the recipients on their remarkable achievements. Over the next few months, we’ll be sharing their incredible talents and inspiring stories with all of you—so stay tuned! We can’t wait for you to meet some of these exceptional students in person at the Doan Gala on July 25, 2026.
A special thank you goes out to our generous donors and scholarship sponsors. Your dedication to empowering the next generation of creatives has made this milestone possible. Together, we’re creating opportunities and paving the way for a brighter tomorrow!
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#doanfoundation #nonprofit #giving #scholarship #art
THE DOAN GALA IV
July 25, 2026
For 2026, The Doan Gala steps fully into Golden Hour. Guests are invited to dress in gold or gold accents as we celebrate creativity, legacy, and community at its brightest.
Featuring a live performance by Amanda Perez.
Proceeds support scholarships, artist grants, and expanded creative access across Southern California.
Purchase tickets now: (Link in bio)
doangalaiv.eventbrite.com
Sponsorship opportunities coming soon.
Partnership details will be announced.
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#DoanGala #GoldenHourGala #TheDoanFoundation #AllGoldEverything #ArtWithPurpose #CreativeImpact #doanfoundation
We were blown away by the number of powerful and inspiring applications we received for this round of the Roots & Resilience Artist Grant. With over 120 applicants, choosing only 6 recipients was nearly impossible.
From San Diego to Los Angeles, each of these artists reflects the heart of this grant - honoring cultural heritage, uplifting community resilience, and using art as a tool for storytelling, healing, and connection. They will each received a $1000 grant to bring their projects to life.
Congratulations to our 2026 Roots & Resilience Artist Grant Recipients (Round 2):
Yeu Q Nguyen: Ocean Mother Blues
A multidisciplinary visual practice centered on memory, identity, and the Vietnamese diaspora, exploring inherited history and personal narrative through art.
Lenny Gerard: Access: Granted
A photography-based project documenting subcultures, community, and lived experience, capturing stories often overlooked in mainstream representation.
Suchi Branfman: Freedom Time
A movement and performance-based project working with incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals, using dance as a form of expression, healing, and liberation.
Ines Nefzi : CPMCC Little Library
A community-rooted storytelling project examining migration, belonging, and cultural memory through visual and archival-based work.
Karina Ramos Villalobos : Spinning Forward
A multimedia project exploring border identity, displacement, and resilience, amplifying lived experiences shaped by migration and geopolitical boundaries.
Natalia Ventura : Border Alchemy
A large-scale public art project reflecting on land, history, and collective memory, using visual storytelling to create space for dialogue and reflection.
In the coming weeks, we will be highlighting each of these artists individually - sharing their past work, their upcoming projects, and the meaningful stories they are bringing to life with the support of this grant.
We are deeply grateful to The California Endowment for funding this grant cycle and for continuing to invest in artists and communities whose voices deserve to be seen and supported.
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#RootsAndResilience #DoanFoundation #art #CreativeCommunity
""I pay close attention to the nuances in daily life. A fleeting glance exchanged between strangers. The warm light through a window. The quiet stillness before rain— the petrichor afterwards. Even silence tells a story. Small details become the foundation of my illustrations, giving them depth, emotion, and a sense of life. My art should awaken something within others — the courage to take their own first flight, to trust the winds of uncertainty, and to keep moving forward even when the sky darkens with storms.
I imagine my art as a soft light—bringing others the same warmth and courage that Miyazaki’s stories once brought me. More than anything, I hope my work helps someone, somewhere, believe that even when they lose their “flight,” they can learn to soar again.""
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#doanfoundation #scholarship #arts #education #nonprofit
The Doan Foundation proudly recognizes Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego for their support of the Fourth Annual Doan Gala.
For generations, Rady Children’s has stood as one of the most trusted institutions serving children and families throughout our region. Their work represents care at its highest level, supporting young people not only through medicine, but through compassion, advocacy, and hope during life’s most difficult moments.
Their support of this gala reflects a shared belief that investing in youth extends beyond treatment. It includes creating environments where young people feel seen, supported, inspired, and connected to possibility.
Because of partners like Rady Children’s, we are able to continue funding scholarships, supporting artists, and creating programs that uplift the next generation across Southern California.
We are deeply grateful for their support and their continued commitment to the well-being of our community.
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#charity #nonprofit #support #opportunity #community
ONLY 100/400 SEATS REMAIN
Please secure your tickets soon. We cannot hold!
We look forward to seeing everyone there for another historic night.
July 25, 2026
The Doan Gala IV: Golden Hour
Tickets available at doangalaiv.eventbrite.com
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#charity #nonprofit #support #opportunity
""There is a human desire to leave a mark, to say, “I was here.” Through these one-of-a-kind handmade pieces, I have found a way to fulfill that desire. My work allows me to connect with others, to make an impact in their lives, and to remind them that they are unique and valued.""
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#nonprofit #support #scholarship #art
The Doan Foundation proudly recognizes Sin Lee Food Wholesale for their support of the Fourth Annual Doan Gala.
As a longtime part of San Diego’s food distribution landscape, Sin Lee Food has played an important role in helping supply and support countless restaurants, businesses, and communities throughout the region. Their work happens largely behind the scenes, yet it helps sustain many of the spaces where culture, family, and community come together every day.
Their support of this gala reflects a commitment not only to business, but to the people and communities that make San Diego what it is. It is partnerships like these that allow grassroots organizations like ours to continue growing while staying deeply connected to the communities we serve.
Because of partners like Sin Lee Food Wholesale, we are able to continue funding scholarships, supporting artists, and reinvesting directly into cultural initiatives across Southern California.
We are grateful to have them stand with us in this work.
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#charity #nonprofit #support #opportunity #community
The Fourth Annual Doan Gala is almost here, and as always, space is extremely limited. Every year this event sells out, and this year is moving even faster than expected. If you plan on attending, we highly encourage securing your tickets soon before we reach capacity.
July 25, 2026
The Doan Gala IV: Golden Hour
Tickets available at doangalaiv.eventbrite.com
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#charity #nonprofit #support #opportunity
The Doan Foundation proudly recognizes Digicom Networks for their support of the Fourth Annual Doan Gala.
In a world that depends on connection, Digicom Networks plays a critical role in building and maintaining the infrastructure that keeps people, businesses, and communities moving forward. Their work is grounded in precision, reliability, and long-term thinking- values that mirror how we approach our mission.
Their support goes beyond sponsorship. It is an investment in people. In young creatives finding their path. In artists building something of their own. In communities that deserve access, visibility, and opportunity.
Because of partners like Digicom Networks, we are able to continue funding scholarships, supporting artists through our Roots & Resilience grants, and reinvesting directly into the cultural fabric of Southern California.
We move further because of those who choose to stand with us. Digicom Networks is one of them.
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#charity #nonprofit #support #opportunity #connection
Both acting and drawing have shaped who I am by giving me confidence, purpose, and a creative outlet. I want to continue pursuing both because they have provided me with meaningful experiences and lasting fulfillment. Looking ahead, I aspire to become a professional voice actor, performing in television shows and video games, the same forms of media that inspired me to begin my artistic journey.
One day, I hope my work can inspire others to create, just as art once inspired me.
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#scholarship #doanfoundation #actress #theatre #creative
Golden Hour is approaching.
The Fourth Annual Doan Gala is almost here, and as always, space is extremely limited. Every year this event sells out, and this year is moving even faster than expected. If you plan on attending, we highly encourage securing your tickets soon before we reach capacity.
To our sponsors, performers, media partners, and everyone working behind the scenes to help bring this night to life, thank you. Your support continues to help us create opportunities for students, artists, and communities throughout Southern California while sustaining the work that so many people now rely on.
If you are still interested in sponsoring this year’s gala, please reach out to us as soon as possible. Final placements and acknowledgements are currently being organized.
July 25, 2026
The Doan Gala IV: Golden Hour
Tickets available at doangalaiv.eventbrite.com
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#goldenhour #doangala #doanfoundation #fundraiser #art
