Lunar New Year celebrated at the White House

President Biden greeted guests at the first White House observance of Lunar New Year.

Before celebrating the Lunar New Year in the White House, President Biden asked Congressmember Judy Chu, who represents Monterey Park, if it would be appropriate to continue the event so soon after the mass shootings in California.

“Judy, what should I do? Should I continue to — should I be in California or should I still have this celebration?” said Biden. "And she felt very strongly. She said, 'We have to move forward.'”

"Her message was: Don’t give into fear and sorrow. Don’t do that. Stand in solidarity in the spirit of toughness that this holiday is all about."

For the first time ever, the White House celebrated Lunar New Year last Thursday.

“For all the progress, this community has experienced profound hate, pain, and violence and loss,” Biden said. “As I’ve said before, hate can have no safe harbor in America. No person deserves to be treated in a hateful way.”

The President also made notice of Brandon Tsay, 26, who was at a second dance studio a few miles from the scene of the tragedy in Monterey Park when the same gunman entered his dance studio, holding his weapon. Tsay was able to wrestle the weapon away from the gunman, who then fled.

Biden said he spoke to Tsay and called him a "genuine hero."

Biden was introduced by Elaine Tso, CEO of Asian Services in Action in Ohio.

"It means so much to the Asian American community that the White House is hosting this first-ever Lunar New Year event," said Tso. "You know, and because of it, you know, we feel seen, we feel heard. (Applause.) And more importantly — more importantly, we feel valued and — and acknowledged as members of this amazing country that — that welcomes and supports a vibrant community from — from diverse origins."

The President also pointed to the diversity in his administration, stressing to the AAPI audience that more than 13% of his administration is of Asian and Pacific Islander background.

Biden noted that from Day One, the administration has taken steps and introduced policies to improve recognition and support for Asian Americans, including legislation to study the creation of a National Museum of Asian Pacific American History and Culture, as well as a bill to combat the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans stemming from the pandemic.

“We cannot be silent,” Biden said Thursday. “I will not be silent.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

California Governor signs bill making Lunar New Year as an official holiday for state employees

San Francisco's Chinese New Year's Parade is the largest in the nation.

In a flurry of bill signing before the end of September, among the dozens of bills signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom was a bill that would make the Lunar New Year an official holiday for state employees.

“Recognizing this day as a state holiday acknowledges the diversity and cultural significance Asian Americans bring to California and provides an opportunity for all Californians to participate in the significance of the Lunar New Year,” said Newsom in a proclamation.

in signing the bill authored by Assemblymember Evan Low (San Francisco), Newsom did not specify a date to the new holiday, which would apply only to state employees. Various ethnicities celebrate the Lunar New Year, but the actual date of the event fluctuates among the different cultures and depends on the Lunar cycle.

According to the US Census, Asian Americans make up 15% (or, 6-7 million) of California's total population. Chinese Americans number around only about 1.3 million out of a total of almost 40 million but are concentrated in politically powerful urban centers such as the San Francisco Bay Area and the Los Angele-Orange County metro region.

Although earlier this year, Newsom proclaimed Feb. 1 a state holiday, to celebrate Chinese New Year, the best known of the Lunar New Year celebrations. In the US, the Vietnamese and some Hmong have altered their celebrations to coincide with the Chinese New Year, although in the countries of origin, the dates might differ. For example, the Hmong celebrate the new year in early December and the Thai usher in the new year in April.

Chinese New Year is defined as the second new moon after the winter solstice; thus it begins sometime between late January and mid-February, approximately at the beginning of Spring (which, in the Chinese calendar, starts forty-five days after the winter solstice). It is celebrated not only in China, but also in Korea, Vietnam (where it is known as Tet), and in Chinese communities throughout the world.

“I am signing AB 2596, which authorizes any state employee to utilize 8 hours of vacation, annual leave, or time off in lieu of receiving 8 hours of personal holiday to observe the Lunar New Year,” specified Newsom.

The new holiday does not create an extra day off for state workers. The proclamation allows employees to use existing vacation time to take the day off if they wish. In the past, workers who wished to take the Lunar New Year's day off, had to use personal time. The state proclamation does not mandate the holiday for private businesses or other local jurisdictions.

"I am extremely proud of the richness of the diversity and backgrounds represented in our state and understand the importance of watnting to see one's own experience reflected in our state holidays," said Newsom in his proclamation.

EDITOR'S NOTE: For additional commentary, news and views from an AANHPI perspective, follow @DioknoEd on Twitter.

U.S. Post Office offering stamps honoring Asian Americans

Even if you're not a hard-core "philatelist," that's another way of saying "stamp collector," you might spend a few coins to save these new stamps honoring Asian Americans to help our U.S. Postal Service for their role in the Nov. 3 Presidential elections..

Among the new stamps the U.S. Postal Service will be issuing in 2021 are three honoring the Lunar New Year, the Japanese American "Go For Broke" boys of WWII and a Chinese American scientist.

“A handwritten letter shows the recipient how much you care. The stamp you choose to adorn your envelope adds an extra important touch,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Director William Gicker. 

“The new 2021 stamps are designed to look beautiful on your envelopes, to be educational and to appeal to collectors and pen pals around the world. As always, the program offers a variety of subjects celebrating American culture and history, and this year, we made a special effort to include a little fun.”

In today's social media parlance, think of the stamp as the emoji of old-fashioned so-called "snail mail."

Lunar New Year • Year of the Ox

In 2021, the Postal Service will issue the second of 12 stamps in a new series of Lunar New Year stamps. Calling to mind the elaborately decorated masks used in the dragon or lion dances often performed during Lunar New Year parades, these three-dimensional masks are a contemporary take on the long tradition of paper-cut folk art crafts created during this auspicious time of year. Art director Antonio Alcalá designed the stamp with original art by Camille Chew. 

Chien-Shiung Wu
Chien-Shiung Wu (1912-1997) was one of the most influential nuclear physicists of the 20th century. During a career that spanned more than 40 years in a field dominated by men, she established herself as the authority on conducting precise and accurate research to test fundamental theories of physics. Art Director Ethel Kessler designed the stamp with original art by Kam Mak.

Go for Broke: Japanese American Soldiers of WWIIWith this commemorative stamp, the Postal Service recognizes the contributions of Japanese American soldiers, some 33,000 altogether, who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. The stamp, printed in the intaglio method, is based on a photograph. “Go for Broke” was the motto of the all-Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team and came to represent all Japanese American units formed during World War II. The stamp was designed by art director Antonio Alcalá.

The Citizens Stamp Advisory Committee selects the subjects of future stamp issues in a process that usually takes several years. All stamp designs are preliminary and subject to change.

The Trump administration tried to slow the mail down during the Presidential elections as a ploy of eliminating millions of ballots if they arrive too late. Trump-appointed Postmaster Louis DeJoy said that by eliminating postal machines that could sort mail much faster than human beings would make the Postal Service more efficient. Huh?

The Postal Service is not a business and is not meant to make a profit. Forced by the coronavirus, more than ever, voters depended on mail-in and early voting to assure that their ballots counted resulting in the one of the most secure elections in U.S. history, free from any potential electronic interference from foreign countries.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shop, by calling 800-STAMP24 (800-782-6724), by mail through USA Philatelic, or at Post Office locations nationwide.