Monroe Community College’s R. Thomas Flynn Campus Center came alive Saturday with the sights and sounds of the Lunar New Year. Students, faculty and community members gathered to celebrate the holiday with lion dances, traditional music, cultural exhibits and food.
The celebration held deep meaning for many in the local Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community who have long wished for more recognition of their cultures. Sungmin Shin, a music professor at the University at Buffalo and president of APAA Rochester, said that hearing people express how much they wished for an event like this growing up made the celebration even more meaningful.
"We've heard so much, so many stories. People saying, 'I wish we had this when I was growing up,' and how meaningful it was for their families and individuals. So that's really the highlight for us — to come together as a community and also share our culture and our heritage for all folks in the community in the Rochester, Monroe County community, to enjoy," said Shin.
The festival also focused on education and intergenerational storytelling. Mimi Lee, co-coordinator for the cultural tables and president of the Asian/Pacific Islander/American Association (APAA) of Greater Rochester, led two activities for children: a heritage games station and a storytelling session about the 12 zodiac animals.
“This year, the snake — often viewed as gallant and kind, in contrast to Western interpretations — marks the new year,” Lee said.
She added that the characteristics of each zodiac animal are believed to influence the people born in that year, making the Lunar New Year not only a time for celebration but also for reflection on identity and heritage.
Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, is the most important holiday in China and many other Asian cultures, marking the start of the lunar calendar year.
Public schools in New York state were closed for one day last month to mark the start of the Lunar New Year. That's after a law was signed in the last couple of years to establish that school holiday,.
