In 2025, for the first time, the Chinese Lunar New Year was officially recognized as a public school holiday on the calendar. To celebrate this milestone, State Assemblywoman Grace Lee hosted a celebration event at the Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (CCBA) on January 24.
The bill had been advocated for years by State Assemblyman Coughton and finally signed into law with the cooperation of State Senators Carvana and Lee in 2023. However, in 2024, the Lunar New Year fell on a Saturday, meaning no extra holiday for children. Therefore, January 29, 2025 (Wednesday), marked the first Lunar New Year holiday on the calendar.
The event was chaired by Wang Di, co-founder of the Chinatown Civil Rights Alliance, with attendees including Chairman Liang Hanben of the United States Congress, President Wu Jianshi of the New York Ningyang Club, Chairman Mei Luosheng of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Democratic Assemblyman Wei-Li Tjong from the 65th District, Assistant Ian Chan to the State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and community members. They all expressed that now, “we finally have a very important holiday to share with the entire city of New York.”
Chairman Zhu Chaoran of the New York Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association thanked Assemblywoman Grace Lee for advocating for this holiday two years ago, stating, “This is very important because New York State recognizes the contributions of the Chinese people to the state.”
Looking back, Lee recalled the numerous bills awaiting approval at the time. In order to push this bill onto the voting agenda, she even went without sleep for several days, saying, “This was the second-to-last bill passed during the legislative session,” and adding, “I say these things not to boast about my efforts, but to show that as a community of Asian Americans, we need actions like these to ensure that our voices are heard by the government and leaders.”
She emphasized that the Chinatown community is currently engaged in difficult struggles, with community leaders at the forefront advocating for the community. While celebrating this day, they will continue to work hard to ensure that the community’s voice is heard and seen.
Wei-Li Tjong, a Democratic Assemblyman from the 65th District, mentioned that when he was a student at P.S. 124, where many students were Chinese, they never had a day off for the Lunar New Year. The establishment of this holiday will indeed make the Chinese community feel that their culture is being respected. Lu Yuanlong, who grew up in Chinatown, also shared this sentiment, saying that the legalization of this holiday is “a major advancement for the entire Asian community” and that it “will have long-term significance in promoting our integration into society.”