The forthcoming Year of the Snake will begin a little more spectacularly for kids throughout New York.
For the first time, the Lunar New Year will be observed as an official holiday in public schools throughout the state on January 29. Additionally, New York is the first state to require school closures for the event. The start of the state vacation was on a Saturday last year, and pupils were not granted an extra day off.
The holiday offers a chance for kids from all backgrounds to think and learn about Asian customs, according to New York Assemblymember Grace Lee, who spearheaded efforts to enact a bill that brought about the shift, as she told NBC News.
Lee, who is also co-chair of the Assembly’s Asian Pacific American Task Force, stated that recognizing Lunar New Year as a statewide holiday is a way to communicate to Asian Americans and other New Yorkers that we belong here and that we are New Yorkers. In my opinion, it’s also a tribute to the numerous historical contributions Asian Americans have contributed to New York in the almost 200 years since we arrived.
In September 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul approved legislation implementing the mandate. At the end of the month, the Lunar New Year, which encompasses Chinese New Year, Seollal in Korea, Tet in Vietnam, and more, begins, marking the beginning of over two weeks of celebrations. The event is widely regarded as the most significant holiday of the year among East Asian civilizations, including the Vietnamese, Chinese diasporas, and other East Asian communities.
Asian Americans, the state’s fastest-growing racial group, have historically made up a sizable portion of the population in New York. Approximately 10% of pupils are Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander, based on 2023–2024 public school enrollment data. When considering New York City schools, where the racial group outnumbers white children, the number climbs to 18.7%.
Lee, who was elected to the Assembly in 2022, claims that more Asian Americans in state leadership have given the push necessary to bring about reforms throughout New York, even though schools citywide started celebrating the holiday about seven years ago.
Lee, who represents Chinatown in his district, stated, “I entered the state Legislature at a historic juncture for New York.” In both the State Assembly and the State Senate, we had a record number of Asian American lawmakers, and I believe that representation is crucial.