New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
‘Hope looks like getting back up’
Lunarfest returns to New Haven after pandemic hiatus
NEW HAVEN — As someone who used to celebrate Lunar New Year in New York City’s Chinatown, when Shirley Chock moved to Connecticut more than two decades ago the holiday was just another day at work.
“It was a very empty and disenfranchised feeling to have your biggest holiday go by completely unacknowledged,” said Chock, a founder of the Milfordbased New England Asian American Cultural Center.
But after the Yale-China Association started the annual Lunarfest in New Haven about 12 years ago, Chocks said now her children can have the same celebratory experience as she did growing up, where their culture is affirmed and appreciated.
Red-themed decor, drum hits, a lion dance, a martial arts performance and a sea of people returned to the city’s arts district Saturday for the first time after a pandemic hiatus to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.
The celebration, which many said gave them hope, occurred as the Asian American community nationwide has been facing anxiety that comes with a dramatic spike in anti-Asian hate crimes om the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s been a hard week,” said Shirley Kuang, an executive administrative assistant to the mayor, referring to the Monterey Park and the Half Moon Bay shootings.
Kuang said she asked herself “what does hope look like in the midst of tragedy?” and said “hope looks like getting back up” — something she said everyone was doing Saturday to gather, mourn, remember and celebrate.
“Maybe you felt sad this past week. Maybe you felt scared,” she said. “But you got up and you are here.”
Hope also looks like “being in community,” she said, by eating food, dancing, having fun and advocating together — to also address local issues such as gun violence in New Haven.
“Even as we grieve, this is how we heal,” Kuang said.
Mayor Justin Elicker told CT Public last week the Lunarfest would have enhanced security and that the city was in contact with the FBI to monitor potential threats. Police said two officers were present Saturday to patrol the event.
The annual Lunarfest began with a parade and a lion dance in the morning on Whitney Avenue between Trumbull and Grove streets. Speeches and a kung fu dance show followed in front of Hong Kong Market.
Other activities including an open mic, a Chinese dragon automaton workshop and “Bng Qua Nc: Across Land, Across Water” art exhibition took place throughout the day at the New Haven Museum, New Haven Free Public Library and Eli Whitney Museum.
John Frisbie, president of the Yale-China Association, said this year’s Lunarfest was his first in-person event since joining the group in 2021. He said he was excited for the lion dance, which he said was one of the best in the area.
“Apparently the family that’s been doing this, they’re in their fourth or fifth generation,” he said. It was also “a good weather day,” he said, which means “it’s going to be a great year.”
Christine Kim, a founder of aapiNHV who was there with her two children, said they have been coming to Lunarfest since her nine-year-old daughter was a baby.
“It’s amazing, the energy is fantastic,” she said. “Yale-China has been so amazing for also having activities” at other local organizations “and having things for people to see all different aspects of the cultures that celebrate Lunar New Year” including Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean.
As her group was founded when Asian hate was heightened to support and connect Asian Americans in Greater New Haven, Kim said in-person events like this are “even more important” to humanize the community members and tell their stories.
“During COVID, we were all so separated and isolated so no one really understood the human dimension of who Asian Americans are,” Kim said. “It was so easy to stereotype and have myths and lies take over.”
Asked for a new year resolution, Kim said “health and happiness,” noting that she always thought those were “so boring.”
“Now that I’m older and middle-aged, I really think health and happiness are the most important things,” she said.
Cindy Qiu said she had an option between going to a similar event in Queens, N.Y., or coming to New Haven. She chose the latter, hoping to see “something interesting.”
Qiu said while the news of the California shootings heightened fears, the possibility of a similar incident happening in New Haven is “pretty low.”
“I think it’s more risky to drive here and be killed by a car accident,” said Qiu, who took a train to the city from her home in Wilton.
Christopher Bresky of Hamden was dancing after the parade with his young daughter, who was there for her first Lunarfest, as attendees were leaving the area. He said it was “the most beautiful” Lunar New Year celebration that he has ever been a part of.
“She couldn’t stop dancing. It’s so wonderful to share and learn about it, as well,” Bresky said. “I’m trying to expose (his children) to as many other cultural celebrations as possible so they can learn about how big and beautiful the world is.”