By Nari Choi
Texas House Rep Gene Wu (D-137) Wednesday successfully moved for the state to officially recognize Lunar New Year.
Rep. Wu took to the House floor to remind his colleagues that Lunar New Year may also be called Vietnamese New Year, Chinese New Year, or Korean Lunar New Year.
He says he tries to call it Lunar New Year because “…it is more inclusive, and because this is a calendar based on the lunar cycle.” Further, he contended that Lunar New Year does not land on the same day across cultures that recognize the holiday. Despite differences, he says Lunar New Year is celebrated across Asian cultures and that this year, January 29th is generally recognized as the official Lunar New Year.
Representative Angie Chen Button of District 112 joined Wu in supporting the resolution. She opened her speech by wishing everyone a happy Lunar New Year in Chinese and then acknowledged her Taiwanese American community. She then shared the three things one must do during Lunar New Year. First, wear your best outfit. Second, eat plenty of good food, whether that be Chinese food, Korean food, or even BBQ. Third, don’t work too hard on the Lunar New Year day. Rep. Button thanked everyone for standing beside her, showing their support for this resolution and furthering Asian American visibility in Texas.
The Speaker of the House then recognized Representative Hubert Vo of District 149. Like Rep. Button, Rep. Vo opened his speech by wishing everyone, “…a very happy Lunar New Year, and…an abundance of wealth and prosperity.” Entering the year of the snake, he called on attendees to remember what the snake symbolizes: adaptability, renewal, and wisdom. He argued the House members to, “…devote ourselves to this season, to adapt to these new times, renew our commitment to the people of Texas, and seek wisdom with all our endeavors.” Rep. Vo ended his speech with wishing the House, once again, a Happy Lunar New Year, this time in Vietnamese.
Representative Suleman Lalani of District 76 then came forward to speak. Rep. Lalani, being of South Asian origin, expressed his solidarity and extended his heartfelt wishes to those celebrating Lunar New Year. Rep. Lalani further affirmed that Lunar New Year “…is a time of reflection, renewal, unity, and a moment of honoring our past, celebrating our present, and embracing the promise of future.”
He echoed what the snake symbolizes and attributed those same qualities of, “…wisdom, transformation, [and] resilience,” to the Asian American community in Texas. He went on to uplift the Asian American community in Texas in how they play a key role in the economic and cultural integrity of the state, as well as its rich diversity. Rep. Lalani closed his speech by reiterating that in commemorating Lunar New Year, it is to recognize the importance of “…inclusion, and respect for the tradition[s] that make our communities stronger.”
Finally, Representative Salman Bhojani of District 92 came forward. Acknowledging the great progress that has already been made, Rep. Bhojani expressed his hope to fellow House members to “…continue our work together to celebrate diversity in our state.” The most moving part in the presentation of House Resolution Fifty-Two was when Rep. Bhojani closed with wishing everyone Happy Lunar New Year in three languages: Vietnamese, Chinese, and Korean, followed by Rep. Wu wishing everyone a Happy Lunar New Year in Cantonese. The wishes of Rep. Wu translates to: “The new years may come to you,” and “May you have many blessings, and have great prosperity.” With no objections, the resolution was adopted, recognizing January 29th, 2025 as Lunar New Year in the state of Texas.
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