Queens District President Donovan Richards celebrated the Chinese New Year of the Snake on January 30th at the Queens Borough Hall in New York City, showcasing a variety of performances with traditional Asian cultural characteristics to honor six outstanding Asian individuals who have made significant contributions to the community.
President Richards kicked off the event with a speech, emphasizing the significance of the Year of the Snake in the Chinese zodiac, symbolizing wisdom, flexibility, and creativity. He highlighted the diversity of Queens with immigrants from 190 countries speaking over 350 languages and dialects, emphasizing the borough’s commitment to defending values of freedom and supporting immigrant communities, stating that Queens will continue to build bridges rather than walls.
As a special guest at the event, Peter Du, Chief Advisor of the Flushing Chinese Business Promotion Association, explained the customs of the Lunar New Year, such as visiting relatives on the second day of the new year, expressing gratitude to President Richards for annually organizing celebrations that embrace Asian traditions.
The event also recognized the contributions of William Wang, Vice President of Market Development at Health First, Michelle Wang, President of the New York Chapter of the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association (APAPA), Leona Chin from the park advocacy organization Kissena Synergy, as well as Richard Lee, Eun-Kyung Kim, and Lana Tu from the Korean, Vietnamese, and community, respectively, thanking them for their dedication to the community.
Students from Public School 203 dressed in ethnic costumes and performed traditional lion dances and Korean drumming, adding to the festive and diverse atmosphere of the event. The celebration was a vibrant display of cultural richness and integration in Queens.