Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson hosted the first Lunar New Year celebration in the borough Feb. 20., bringing together elected officials, seniors, and community members for a festive afternoon in the South Bronx.
The afternoon featured a series of cultural performances, including a Mongolian string instrument performance, followed by Green Tara dancing, a traditional Buddhist dance, before guests gathered for a light lunch buffet featuring Chinese food.
Among those in attendance were New York State Assemblywoman Grace Lee, the first Korean-American assembly member and Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark, along with dozens of community members who gathered to ring in the Year of the Horse.
“Today, we celebrate not only the new year, but we celebrate the rich contributions of our Asian American communities here in the Bronx and now, beyond, who helped to make our city vital, resilient and strong,” said Borough President Vanessa Gibson.
Gibson also took the opportunity to recognize those who have helped build and sustain those communities, presenting awards to several local leaders.
The honorees, which were recognized for their leadership and contributions to the Asian American community were: Andy Lin, Chairman of the United Nations Commutech Group; Lana Tu, Chairwoman of the Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Committee at the NYC Administration for Children’s Services and the Kalmyk Heritage Center.
The celebration featured a live calligraphy table where attendees could receive personalized Spring Festival Couplets (春联) — traditional Chinese writings typically hung on doorways during the Lunar New Year to bring good luck and prosperity. For many, it became one of the highlights of the afternoon.
Krystine Burton, a resident of Morris Park, held up her piece with a smile. “I got this wonderful piece of calligraphy where they spelt my name in Chinese,” she said. “I will put it up in my home.”
The event was also a learning experience for many in the room. Carmen Lee, a local resident, said she left with a new appreciation for the holiday.
“I love the event. It was so beautifully decorated, colorful, exciting, happy,” she said, “I learned a few things about the Chinese Lunar New Year — red, for instance, the color red is for prosperity.”
Assemblywoman Lee, the first Korean American elected to the New York State Legislature, reflected on the importance of this communal celebration for the Asian community.
“When I fought to make Lunar New Year a statewide holiday, it was events like this that I envisioned — our diverse communities coming together to celebrate our traditions,” she said.
In her speech, she also highlighted landmark achievements including securing over $30 million annually for Asian American-serving organizations and the passage of the AANHPI Education Act.
In an interview with the Bronx Times, Lee added that “it is very special to be here in the Bronx, celebrating Lunar New Year. This is a diverse area and we are proud to celebrate with the community here.”
The event also drew a large group of seniors from Bronx House, a senior care center, who were brought by Brittany Hampton, the organization’s associate director. Hampton said the residents were thrilled to have a celebration so close to home.
“They always look forward to community events like these,” Hampton said, noting that while the group has attended Lunar New Year events before, “We used to have to travel on a bus downtown, so they were very happy there was a Lunar New Year event so close to us.”
For many in attendance, the celebration carried a deeper personal meaning. Gerald Wang, a Taiwanese-American and staff member at the Bronx DA’s office, said the event was a chance to share his culture with his neighbors.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for people to learn about this important tradition and to experience the joy of celebrating together as a community,” he said.
Carol Chen is a student at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. For more coverage, subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
