Lunar New Year: Celebrations Begin As San Francisco Set To Apologize To Chinese Community For Past Discrimination
SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX 5) – Cities across the Bay Area are celebrating the Lunar New Year as the city of San Francisco is set to make an official apology to the Chinese American community.
On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors unanimously passed a resolution to make an official apology to the Chinese community for past discrimination.
But Tuesday was more of a celebration of what's ahead. The sounds and sights of a new year could be heard and seen with touches of gold and red for hope, joy, and an optimistic comeback.
"In 2022, Year of the Tiger, Chinatown in San Francisco will roar back like a tiger," said District 1 Supervisor Connie Chan.
Clawing back stronger like a tiger is what businesses are hoping for.
"We're still anticipating people to come back. But I don't think it's going to be the way it was pre-pandemic for at least another three or four years," said Sam Wo restaurant owner Steven Lee.
On the streets, people handed red envelopes to others for good luck, happiness, and health.
Jessica Kemball and her husband brought their young son to experience a part of Chinese culture.
"We don't see as much celebration of this stuff in other parts of the world so we want to make the most of this celebration going on," Kemball told KPIX 5.
Politicians perfected their Chinese as best they could and are now poised to officially apologize for the city's past discriminatory policies.
"The incredible mistreatment rivals how this nation mistreated Black people, how this nation mistreats Latinos now and persons of Spanish descent. It's just awful," said former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown.
"Apologizing for past transgressions can only promote healing and can only make a community feel better, that deserves to know that they've been heard," said District 2 Supervisor Catherine Stefani.
"All the things that have happened not only to the Chinese community but other Asian communities in the U.S. Just acknowledging that is a first step to making people more aware of what has happened in the past," said Kemball.
The official apology will make San Francisco the fourth city in California to do so, following Antioch, San Jose and Los Angeles.
