What’s known as a day to celebrate with family had some holding loved ones closer this Lunar New Year as a California community is the latest to be at the center of another American mass shooting.
Here in the Valley, a string of performers entertained a growing crowd at Steel Indian School Park.
With over 20 strings, the 2,000-year-old instrument called a Guzheng is still today used to play modern music.
Among the mouthwatering cuisine, the line for Pokemon steam buns stretched near the center of the festival, parents were eager to give red envelopes with crisp bills inside to their little ones.
John Tang and Lucy Ross with Valley of the Sun Koi club were happy to share the culture behind the good fortune of Koi fish with kids and first-timers.
This weekend marked the first time the Lunar New year Celebration was held in person since the pandemic
"We're here, we're strong, we stand up for ourselves because our community is strong,” said Lucy Ross.
John tells us this morning he got a call from a friend that he didn't want to come to Sunday's festival, following what happened In Monterey Park, California, Saturday night. The latest city hit with a mass shooting leaving 10 dead and at least 10 others injured.
Monterey Park is a part of the San Gabriel Valley where 65% of residents are part of the Asian American Pacific Islander Community, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
“I said, you should come out anyway, and enjoy your life and so forth, because it's very very important,” said John Tang.
Jennifer Chau grew up in Monterey Park. Upon hearing the news Saturday night, she made the nerve-wracking call to family and friends to make sure they were okay, which they were.
She now works here in Arizona as an advocate, fighting discrimination with Arizona Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander for Equity, AZ AANHPI.
She says in 2021, a survey they conducted found the top issue among Arizona’s AAPI community was discrimination and racial inequity. The AAPI Victory Alliance measures nearly 80% of Asian American support strong gun safety legislation.
"It's supposed to be a time of celebration, it's the number one holiday for our community, and to see that happen, it's horrifying,” said Chau.
Lunar New Year Celebrations went on despite the act of violence.
Sunday marks the first day of the year of the rabbit.
Eva Li with Phoenix Chinese week says the rabbit represents ambition, wisdom and peace. She said the mission and importance of the Lunar New Year’s festival is to share the rich culture.
"The more we understand people’s culture the less we'll have conflict or misunderstanding,” said Li.
The organization Stop AAPI Hate issued the following statement on the Lunar New Year Shooting:
“After a day of celebration, we are waking up to a nightmare. This is devastating beyond words. We cannot imagine the pain that so many families are experiencing today. At Stop AAPI Hate, many people on our staff know this community well and feel connected to it. Our hearts are with the loved ones of all those whose lives were taken, those who were injured, and the countless others who were shaken by fear that no one should have had to experience.
Our community has faced so much tragedy and trauma over the last several years. This tremendous act of violence, on one of the most important days of the year for many Asian Americans, at a place where Asian American families come to gather and celebrate, is sending shockwaves through our community.
While the details are still developing, we do know that the shooter’s access to guns turned this into a massacre. From local parades, to LGBTQ+ gatherings, to classrooms, to grocery stores, to spas, gun violence continues to devastate communities of all stripes, including our own. As we struggle to process the pain, we must also work to prevent this from ever happening again.”
