We wanted to take a special moment to recognize the Lunar New Year in our community. It is the most important holiday in Asian culture and is celebrated across all of Asia and Southeast Asia in countries like China, Korea, and Vietnam among many other countries.
It holds a special place in the hearts of millions. The Asian population is rapidly increasing in Wake County with more than 100,000 residents celebrating this cultural holiday. During this holiday season, our families get to reunite and embrace our cultural heritage. This time of year was made for sharing memories passed down from generations. It is a day that we as Asian Americans can come together to celebrate collectively.
We believe this should be a teacher workday for four reasons.
One, Acknowledging this important cultural celebration is not only a step towards inclusivity but also reflects the diversity of Wake County. Asian students and parents alike could spread the cultures their families shared to those living in our community. States such as California and New York, as well as Chapel Hill-Carrboro County, allow their students to take the day off and celebrate this holiday.
Two, Wake County is a multicultural community, with cultures from all over the world that deserve to be recognized and celebrated. As a big part of our community, Asian people have made great contributions to building our diversity. The “Taste of China Food Festival” has been held three times and attracted more than 50,000 residents in Cary and Raleigh. The “North Carolina Chinese Lantern Festival” held in Cary brought out 216,000 residents in Wake County during 2023 alone! The “Asian Fest”, aka “Dragon Boat Festival”, was held to help citizens experience the many Asian cultural displays and performances. It featured a wide collection of ethnic foods and took place in Cary. These three festivals were a major success for Wake County in aiding its conquest of a more diverse community.
Three, We believe that recognizing the diversity within our student body and fostering an inclusive environment are essential to the values we uphold in our educational system. By making the Lunar New Year a teacher work day, we not only acknowledge the cultural richness of our community but also demonstrate our commitment to embrace and celebrate the cultural heritage of our students and their families.
Four, schools that we attended throughout our elementary years celebrated and diversified its cultural celebrations by creating activities based around the Lunar New Year. This brought much joy to children in Wake County elementary schools, and we want to share this remanence of joy with other children in the community. By making the Lunar New Year a teacher work day, children across Wake County can celebrate this holiday annually.
It’s important to recognize that taking time off from school during the Lunar New Year would benefit the entire community, regardless of which community one belongs to. Wake County is a diverse community that has helped foster strong connections among its people, shaping the way we live. The Lunar New Year is a special occasion for celebrating and connecting with family and friends, as well as a time of healing and renewal. This proposal wants to change future school calendars to create a more inclusive environment for students in Wake County.