Amanda Nguyen Helps Safiyaa Kick Off Its ‘Made To Lead’ Dinner Series

It took a while for the inaugural Made To Lead dinner hosted by fashion brand Safiyaa to take place—but once the idea came to life, as it did last night, there’ll be no stopping this concept. Daniela Karnuts, the CEO and creative director of the label, envisioned the evening as a way to celebrate female resilience, game-changers, change-makers, and leaders who inspire a more positive and powerful space for others—which made civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen the perfect co-host for the first-ever installment of the passion project.

Nguyen, the founder of the NGO civil rights organization Rise, is a formidable campaigner against gender-based violence (not to mention, a nominee for the Nobel Peace Prize, a Time Magazine Woman of the Year, and a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree) greeted attendees as they gathered at Hutong’s private dining room in Midtown East. Once everyone was seated, she gave emotive and eye-opening remarks about her experience as a victim-turned-advocate and lobbyist and discussed what motivates her, stating: “Being first is only great, as long as you hold the trail open for others.”

As Made to Lead offers a platform and encouraging environment for women to share their stories and advance change, the series will continue with new hosts each time. Next up, Nguyen nominated composer, pianist, and singer Chloe Flower, who was in attendance, to carry the baton. While many of us know Flower for her musical abilities, she’s also an ardent advocate of anti-human trafficking, who serves on the boards of the United Nations Office on Drugs and The Liberace Foundation.

Among those who joined for the elegant evening, enjoying the famed Chinese eatery’s delicious dishes and marveling at candle-lit, floral-laden tablescapes decorated by Nicolas Cogrel, were Patina Miller, Dr. Michelle Henry, Hannah Stoudemire, Nikki Ogunnaike, Faran Krentcil, Christine Yi, Eman Mabrouk, Britt Theodora, Kathy Lee, Lucy Feldman, Tenique Bernard, and Alisha Haridasani Gupta, among others.

Images: Courtesy

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