On Tuesday, May 13th, New York City Mayor Adams gathered with representatives from the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community at the Gracie Mansion for a celebration of AAPI Heritage Month. Over 500 members of the AAPI community were in attendance as the mayor honored five AAPI representatives who have made significant contributions to the community, with four of them being of Chinese descent.
Mayor Adams emphasized the importance of the event, marking it as the first community activity of the summer at Gracie Mansion. He highlighted the contributions of the AAPI community to both the United States and New York.
“I thank you all for coming and for serving your constituents. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have a long, rich, and proud history in our city and our country. From the arrival of the Japanese trade delegation 160 years ago to the establishment of Chinatown in the 19th century; from Korea to Bangladesh, from India to Pakistan… all of your collective contributions have shaped the America we live in today.”
The mayor mentioned that New York City recognizes the Lunar New Year as a school holiday and has taken steps to address hate crimes against the AAPI community.
“We want to make it clear that our city does not tolerate hate, no matter where, when, or how it manifests. This is a city where we stand united, and our police are actively combatting those who propagate hate.”
One of the awardees, Eric Poon, an enterprise architect at Google and a long-time volunteer at the United East Athletics Association in Chinatown, expressed his gratitude for the city’s recognition during the event. He shared his story of connecting closely with the community over the decades through volunteer work.
“I grew up in Chinatown and my parents involved me in community activities from a young age. The volunteer experiences along the way have given me the opportunity to contribute to the community,” Eric Poon said in an interview with media outlets. He hopes that this award highlights the importance of volunteering, stating, “Everyone can make our city a better place through serving the community.”
Community leaders in attendance praised the mayor’s event and expressed the desire for the government to further strengthen its connection with the AAPI community.
District Leader Yu Jinshan of the Democratic Party’s 65th district said, “The gathering of AAPI representatives from different ethnicities today shows the increasing influence of Asians in New York.” He urged the city government to pay more attention to the issues of the AAPI community during elections and daily governance, stating, “I hope the mayor can have more interactions with us.”
President of the Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce Lin Qingfu noted that while there were few Taiwanese participants at the event that night, he hopes to see more Taiwanese people engage in such activities in the future. He praised the successful event and the excellent performances, thanking the mayor’s team for their thoughtful arrangement.
Taiwanese-American lawyer Cai Bi Hui pointed out the significance of the event in the current political climate in the United States, expressing joy in seeing the contributions of Asian immigrants to American society being acknowledged.