OMG!!! They’re engaged! Congrats to @RosieABC13! Jason Nguyen proposed on stage at #AAJA24!! pic.twitter.com/cff1ps2ZKm
— Miya Shay (@miyashay) August 11, 2024
According to reports, the Asian American Journalists Association’s 2024 annual convention, held last weekend in Austin, was a great success.
One particularly memorable moment from AAJA24 was when KPRC 2 Houston Senior Investigative Producer Jason Nguyen asked ABC13 KTRK Race and Culture Journalist Rosie Nguyen to marry him on stage before the entire convention!
A video taken by fellow ABC13 reporter Miya Shay shows the longtime couple on stage in front of 750 attendees. Then Jason drops to one knee, Rosie looks surprised and then says yes!
"On Saturday, our love story came full circle when Jason asked me to be his wife," Rosie posted. "We met 10 years ago as emcees for the Miss Asia Utah pageant."
I caught up with Jason to see just how he planned to pop the question in such a unique way.
Mike McGuff: How did you pull that one off?
Jason Nguyen: You’ve followed my career, and you probably know by now I’m a brave person who takes calculated risks.
Originally, I was going to propose later this year. Once we were confirmed to emcee the 2024 AAJA GALA SCHOLARSHIP & AWARDS BANQUET is when I started to kick things into overdrive.
I asked AAJA’s Executive Director Naomi Tacuyan Underwood, and the Gala Event Consultant and Producer Ivory Zorich if it would be a possibility to propose while we were on stage. They liked the idea, and that’s when I started to notify a small group of people what I needed done.
MM: Did anyone know it was coming, or was it a total surprise to the room?
JN: Once I got the approval to do the proposal, I turned my attention to our families.
I did a FaceTime with Rosie’s mother and sister and got their permission. I then informed my family what was about to go down at #AAJA24.
When it comes to AAJA, other than Naomi and Ivory, I brought in ESPN’s Howard Chen, who is also the AAJA Texas Vice President. I’ve known Howard since I was in college at the University of Toledo, and we’ve kept in contact throughout all my market jumps.
I asked Howard if he would FaceTime Rosie’s mom and sister and come on stage with me during the proposal. He didn’t hesitate to say, “it would be my honor.”
Those were the only three who knew what was going to happen during the planning process.
MM: What were you doing on stage right before the ring came out?
JN: We came on stage after the announcement of AAJA 2025’s host city of Seattle was made. What was scripted was that we would say something to the effect of we hope you had a great time in Austin, ate some good BBQ that you won’t get there, and enjoyed what Texas had to offer.
Then, I took things out to left field and proposed.
MM: Anything else you want to add?
JN: I’m glad it went so well! It was great way to wrap up the convention after the GOAT Connie Chung took the stage with Juju Chang, and hearing from Viet Thanh Nguyen about ‘The Sympathizer.’
This was truly a historic night on many levels.
--- end of interview ---
The TV couple arrived in Houston back in December 2021 from working together at ABC4 News KTVX Salt Lake City, Utah.
Rosie was a was a 7pm anchor for sister station CW30 KUCW.
Jason was ABC4's investigative reporter.
