Dear Friends,
Last month, my dad pulled into a parking lot for a grocery run. He saw a swarm of cars and officers and, thinking it was ICE, immediatelyĀ drove away in fear.Ā
Only to then realize they were local law enforcement.Ā He hasĀ been a U.S. citizen for 25Ā years.Ā When he shared this, I was infuriated. I realized that if it were ICE, if he were on his feet, and ran away,Ā they would deem it as reasons to detain him.Ā
My name is Tina, and Iām AAPI Equity Allianceās Communications Manager. As a Vietnamese American,Ā this Tįŗæt (Lunar New Year) feels different for my family and meĀ in Little Saigon, Orange County.Ā Weāre still celebrating just as loudly: wearing beautiful Ć”o dĆ i (traditional dresses), eating warm bĆ”nh chĘ°ng (rice cake), and praying forĀ health and prosperity at the temple.
But, Iām staying vigilant.Ā Just earlier this year, my colleagueās sister,Ā Sithy Yi, a Cambodian refugee and survivor, was detainedĀ at her annual immigration check in andĀ 8 Chinese individuals were taken in Monterey ParkĀ across from Mark Keppel High School.
As hundreds gather to ring in the new year, I hold bothĀ joyĀ for the resiliency of my community andĀ angerĀ for the instilled fear that now lives within many of us.Ā Both emotions fuel the journey ahead.
According to the lunisolar calendar,Ā 2026 is the Year of the Fire Horse, known for ushering inĀ fierce radical change. The horseāsĀ intuitive nature combined with the passion of fireĀ ignites bold actions, individually and as a collective.
The last Year of the Fire Horse was in 1966, whenĀ the momentum of the Black Power, Civil Rights Movement, and anti-Vietnam war protests gave rise to Asian American activism.Ā These efforts laid the groundwork for our āAsian Lunch Bunchā predecessors to coalesce and advocate for community needs in LA.
Over a decade of intersectional resistance and organizing brought upon meaningful change; the Civil Rights Act, Voting Rights Act, and desegregation; and gave us the rights to live more freely. However,Ā progress is not linearĀ and many of those rights are under threat.
Itās no coincidence that the Year of the Fire Horse returns during Black History Month, intersecting with Ramadan, Lent,Ā and a socio-political crisis of violence and oppression.Ā
Whether or not you celebrate Lunar New Year, I hope we can give ourselves permission for joy and draw strength fromĀ our shared history of resistance and our resolve for a better tomorrow.