The Lunar New Year was in full swing as Brooklyn Borough Hall took an evening out to celebrate Asian culture and honor local Asian-Americans who are making a difference in their communities on Fri., Feb. 15.
“Brooklyn Borough Hall’s heritage events celebrate significant contributions made by Brooklynites in the arts, business and other aspects of civic life,” Borough President Eric Adams said in a statement for this newspaper. “Last Friday’s celebration welcoming the Year of the Pig was a fun-filled occasion that reflected the importance of promoting peace, generosity and good fortune for everyone in our borough.”
With 2019 being the“Year of the Pig,” young dancers from Circle Arts & Dance Studio wore pig costumes for their performance, one of several that entertained the crowd of attendees.
Among the highlights, the New York Lotus Light Association performed the “lion dance,” a 2,000-year-old tradition emulating the movements of a lion. In Asian culture, lion dancing is seen as a good luck symbol. The dance is performed annually at the Lunar New Year or at any celebration such as a birthday or a business opening where a little luck might be needed.
Brooklyn is home to a substantial and fast-growing Chinese population. The event was put together by the Office of the Borough President and the Sino American New York Brooklyn Archway Association who have also been partners in creating a new “Friendship” archway in Sunset Park.
“Our borough’s strength comes from our many diverse communities, and embracing our hyphens as Chinese-Americans, Korean-Americans, Vietnamese-Americans or whatever they may be is what the Brooklyn experience is all about,” Adams said.
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