By Ellen Kodadek
Denoting Lunar New Year as a public school holiday was a welcome and wonderful decision by Mayor de Blasio, and sends a message of inclusivity in a city that has historically attracted and embraced cultures from across the globe.
This recognition speaks to the growing strength and presence of our city’s Asian communities that celebrate this most important holiday. On behalf of the Flushing Council, I thank the mayor and his administration, as well as our elected officials that have led efforts to designate this holiday, including Council members Peter Koo and Margaret Chin, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng, Assembly member Ron Kim and state Sen. Toby Ann Stavisky.
At Flushing Town Hall, we traditionally have marked the Lunar New Year with more than a month of activities for the young and old. This past year we held nearly a dozen performances and events, including the first-ever—and incredibly popular—Lunar New Year Bazaar.
Our hope is that, as Chancellor Carmen Fariña noted at the announcement for the holiday, this public school holiday will serve as a teachable moment, and Flushing Town Hall will gladly continue its tradition of serving as a venue to capture and celebrate that moment and many more.
Ellen Kodadek
Executive and Artistic Director
Flushing Council on
Culture and the Arts
