Mahjong is a traditional Chinese tile-based game that transcended its origins through cultural exchange and the reach of diaspora communities. Often played as a means of social connection, mahjong continues to influence conversations around identity, globalization, and the power of cultural expression. 

Spend the evening with us on August 20 from 6 - 8 pm PT for a seminar on the historical, cultural, and diplomatic significance of mahjong as a tool of soft power. Members will hear from Angie Lin, Founder of East Never Loses & Founding Member of Mahjong Mistress, and Jessie Kornberg, President and CEO of the Skirball Cultural Center. The conversation will be followed by small group lessons on mahjong gameplay. 

Please note that attendance will be limited to 30 individuals.

If you have any questions, please contact events@pacificcouncil.org. 

About East Never Loses

East Never Loses is a cultural producer of Mahjong events in the Los Angeles area. Their mission is to authentically reclaim and revitalize the game of Mahjong for a new generation. You can read about their events via PAPER Magazine, VICE, or the LA Times.

Guest Speaker

 

Jessie Kornberg became the President and CEO of the Skirball Cultural Center in July 2020.

To the Skirball’s leadership team, Kornberg brings two decades of civil rights work—a career dedicated to dismantling systemic inequality. This commitment began with frontline anti-poverty services at the largest provider of homeless family housing in New York City. Kornberg went on to work with the NAACP and NOW before founding Ms. JD, an online community dedicated to supporting and advancing the careers of women in the legal profession. Next, she co-chaired the pro bono program at the Beverly Hills litigation boutique Bird Marella, focusing the firm's resources on prison condition reform, including a groundbreaking class action on behalf of the death row inmates at Angola state penitentiary in Louisiana.

In 2014, Kornberg became the CEO of Bet Tzedek (Hebrew for "house of justice"), one of the nation's leading free legal aid providers. Under her leadership, the agency grew to address the most pressing legal issues facing low-income families, including the establishment of the nation’s first transgender medical-legal partnership and a family preparedness program to respond to growing concerns surrounding the deportation of undocumented parents.

In 2020, Kornberg co-chaired LA Represents, an unprecedented pro bono legal initiative in scope and scale, established to support residents and businesses in need during the COVID-19 crisis. She currently serves as a trustee for the Los Angeles Urban League, the Motion Picture & Television Fund, and UCLA School of Law, where she earned her JD. Kornberg lives in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles with her spouse, Aaron Lowenstein, and their young children, Asa and Sadie.

Guest Speaker

Angie Lin is a cultural producer dedicated to reclaiming and revitalizing Mahjong for a new generation. She is a founding member of Mahjong Mistress and the founder of her own Mahjong company, East Never Loses. Through teaching, events, and community-building, Angie brings a fresh, inclusive perspective to the traditional game. Outside the world of Mahjong, she offers creative consulting for musicians and independent music labels, bridging her passions for culture, strategy, and storytelling.