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News

Dinner celebrates Lunar New Year

Association of Asian American Social Workers hopes event provides insight into important holiday traditions

by KIM THAI
The Daily Cougar

The Association of Asian American Social Workers will hold a free potluck dinner Monday to commemorate the Lunar New Year and promote understanding of Asian culture on campus. 

"We celebrate because of culture and tradition," unofficial AAASW adviser and social work professor Monit Cheung said. "Most of our students are either immigrants, exchange (students) or their parents were immigrants. I think the tradition, culture and celebration is still a part of us. "We can't pass that opportunity. We (want) to keep those cultural elements for those who not only miss home, but also for students, faculty and staff to learn about Asian culture."

The annual event has been held since the organization's creation 10 years ago. 

This year's event will include information about the Lunar New Year and 12 authentic dishes ranging from curry chicken to sticky rice balls. 

"We're going to introduce every dish because each has its intrinsic meaning," AAASW faculty adviser Patrick Leung said. "The idea is to let non-Asian students, faculty and staff be aware of Asian culture in our college and community." 

Annie Chan, an exchange student and a social work senior at her home university in China, said she is interested in the cross-cultural nature of the celebration and how the mood of the Lunar New Year is strikingly different in Houston than in Hong Kong. 

"(We) have traditional food and clothes," Chan said. "We're bringing our culture, and we're celebrating our own culture in another (one). It's interesting. It's really great as an exchange student (because) I can compare and contrast. It's a fresh feeling, and we're trying to bring that to other Chinese people here."

Yuanyuan Feng, an international student and co-president of AAASW, said celebrating the Lunar New Year is important because it helps her see the value in Chinese culture and tradition. 

"When I was in China, I didn't care so much. After I came here, I re-realized my identity," Feng said. "I learned how to appreciate my own culture. I want to appreciate this difference. 

"We need to have different voices. I want people to know that being different is not bad." 

Treasurer Agnes Ho said the celebration has helped her feel like she fits into a community on campus. 

"As an international student, a sense of belonging is important to me," Ho said. "Lunar New Year is our big celebration. It's different form Thanksgiving and Christmas because that's the culture here, but it's not my culture. I need that celebration." 

Co-President Rachel Lau, who is pursuing a master's degree in social work, said she wants the event to include all Asian-Americans. 

Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean people all celebrate the Lunar New Year. 

The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place from 4 to 5:30 p.m. in Room 227, Graduate College of Social Work. 

Contact pleung@uh.edu for more information. 

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