Three changemakers from diverse fields receive a combined $60,000 to further their sustainability efforts
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / May 5, 2025 / Gold House, the leading Asian Pacific cultural ecosystem, and Garnier USA, a global leader in beauty and haircare, are thrilled to announce the recipients of the second annual Gold Green Grant - winners Climate Cardinals, Global Coralition, and Protect & Preserve Hawaiʻi. The grant will provide a combined $60,000 in funding, annual National Park passes, mentorship from Garnier's executive leadership, and invaluable amplification opportunities from Gold House to empower changemakers dedicated to sustainability and the Asian Pacific community.
In today's increasingly complex global landscape, sustainability has become one of the most pressing challenges of our time. From environmental activists to creatives, entrepreneurs, and community leaders, the critical need for all industries to advance sustainability has never been greater. In its second year, the Gold Green Grant expands its funding amount and eligible recipients to emphasize the importance of an all-encompassing approach to sustainability-one that integrates environmental stewardship, cultural inclusivity, and social responsibility.
This year's three grant recipients represent leaders dedicated to preserving ecological biodiversity and mobilizing communities to take climate action. They receive a total of $60,000 in funding, mentorship from Garnier's executive leadership, and invaluable amplification opportunities to advance their work. The three recipients are:
Climate Cardinals, focused on educating and empowering youth-led, grassroots climate action
Global Coralition, focused on uniting art, science and communities to regenerate marine ecosystems across 50 reef sites
Protect and Preserve Hawaiʻi, focused on protecting Hawaiʻi's native ecosystems and cultural heritage
"We began as a small group of high school students - many of us Asian American children of immigrants - translating climate information for our families and communities. It's incredible that what started with $500, a Squarespace site, and Google Classroom accounts is now being recognized by Gold House and Garnier USA," said Sophia Kianni, Founder of Climate Cardinals.
"We are so grateful for the support in our mission to revive marine ecosystems, build climate resilience for coastal communities and steward a globally sustainable future. This grant will allow us to document and scale our project in the Dominican Republic, where we have launched our sculpture Atabey, built a land-based coral farm, marine protected the area and planted 1.2 million mangroves across the island. This grant will also support us to seed this project in our next site, which we aim to be in the Asian-Pacific region of the world," said Angeline Chen, Founder of Global Coralition.
"[T]his grant … reaffirms the power of community-driven solutions during uncertain times. This support not only fuels our efforts to restore Hawaiʻi's ecosystems through hands-on education and native species revitalization but also amplifies our work to empower the API community by instilling aloha ʻāina-a love for the land that bridges cultural heritage and environmental action. These funds will [also] help us expand youth mentorship programs and community partnerships, ensuring sustainability is rooted in both tradition and innovation," said Tyrone Montayre, founder of Protect and Preserve Hawai'i.
"We're incredibly proud to partner with Gold House for the second year of the Gold Green Grant, furthering our commitment to supporting the AANHPI community," said Amy Whang, President of Garnier, Maybelline, and essie U.S. "At Garnier, sustainability and inclusivity are at the heart of everything we do, and this continued partnership allows us to make a tangible difference while championing both these vital values."
"Climate Cardinals, Global Coralition, and Protect & Preserve Hawaiʻi represent the innovative spirit and deep commitment to collective impact that drives the Asian Pacific diaspora. We're grateful to partner with Garnier USA to nurture a future where cultural heritage and environmental stewardship go hand in hand," said Rose Yan, Head of Marketing for Gold House.
An open call for applications was whittled down to ten finalists. A selection committee consisting of five cross-industry leaders in sustainability and a public voting process that garnered thousands of votes contributed to the final selection process. The other seven finalists include:
Aditi Mayer, Founder, The Artisan Archive
Gina Shi, Founder, Munchrooms
Niharika Elety, Founder & Designer, Tega Collective
Olivia Chen & Pauline Ang, Co-founders, Twrl Milk Tea
Rebecca Hui, Founder, Roots Studio
Saad Amer, Activist & Founder, Justice Environment
Sirintip, Artist
For more information about the Gold Green Grant, visit https://goldhouse.org/futures-network/goldgreengrant/.
Contact Information
Rose Yan
VP of Marketing
press@goldhouse.org
SOURCE: Gold House
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
