New York City Council Deputy Leader Sandra Ung held her first-ever Lunar New Year celebration in her district on Sunday, Feb. 15, at Tangram, located at 133-33 39th Ave. in Flushing.
The celebration, honoring the Year of the Horse, brought together families, community leaders and local organizations for a fun afternoon of vibrant cultural performances, food and valuable community resources.
“I was incredibly proud to host my first-ever Lunar New Year celebration right here in Flushing and to join the many festivities taking place across our community,” Ung said. “This holiday is a time for families and neighbors to come together, celebrate our traditions and share in the joy and hope that a new year brings. When I was growing up in Flushing, there were not many events like this to celebrate Lunar New Year. Today, seeing so many families gathered together reminds us why these celebrations matter. They help us stay connected to our traditions and pass them on to our children and grandchildren so they can carry them forward.”
There were dynamic performances at the event from the New York Chinese Cultural Center, the Korean American Youth Choir of New York and NYBBC Taekwondo Martial Arts School. These organizations’ performances each showcased rich cultural traditions that reflect the diversity of the Flushing community.
Attendees of the event were welcomed by and able to receive assistance from volunteers from Kissena Synergy, the Alliance of Youth Leaders in the United States (AYLUS) and the Key Clubs from Queens High School for Language Studies and Bronx Science.
Several community organizations, including the Queens Public Library, the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs, the Administration for Children’s Services, the United States Tennis Association, the Korean American Family Service Center, Korean Community Services of New York, Asian Americans for Equality, the Coalition of Asian-American IPA (CAIPA), MetroPlus, Fidelis Care, the South Asian Council for Social Services, the Flushing YMCA, Garden of Hope and Rep. Grace Meng’s Office, were on hand to provide resources, information and free giveaways to Flushing residents.
FayDa Bakery, Nan Xiang, UA3 and Young Hwan Kim provided food for this Lunar New Year celebration.
In addition to Ung, other notable attendees of the Lunar New Year celebration included Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz, Assemblymember Sam Berger, Council Member Phil Wong, Queens Public Library President and CEO Dennis Walcott, Queens Municipal Court Judge Evelyn Gong and Queens Supreme Court Judge Frances Wang.
“I want to thank my colleagues in government who joined us, the performers who shared their talents, the volunteers who gave their time, the organizations that provided resources and everyone who came out to celebrate with us,” Ung said. “This event was truly a community effort, and it was wonderful to create another space where people could come together and celebrate. I wish everyone a very Happy Lunar New Year and a healthy and prosperous Year of the Horse.”
Flushing Library Director Yang Zeng was honored at the celebration by Ung, who presented her with a New York City Council Proclamation for her outstanding leadership and dedication to serving the community.
“Anyone who knows Flushing knows that the Flushing Library is truly the heart and soul of this community,” Ung said. “Under Yang’s guidance, the Flushing Library has only become more welcoming, innovative and responsive to the needs of its diverse patrons, cementing its role as a cornerstone of the community. It was my honor to present her with a City Council Proclamation in recognition of her outstanding service and her unwavering commitment to the people of Flushing.”
