“I thought 2020 would be the year I get everything I want, now I know 2020 is a year I appreciate everything I have.”
Melody Godfrey
So much has happened over the past year. Most of which we would never have thought we’d experience in our lifetime; a global pandemic, two shelter-in-place orders, and the unavoidable opportunity to reflect on how we got here.
We took a deep and long look at our history and our community. Over 150 years of celebrations. The rich culture of not only the Chinese in San Francisco but the generations that came after. When we reflected on all the work and dedication that got us to where we are today as an organization one thing was clear. Whether it was the early organizers that adapted a parade format to educate the city about the Chinese culture or the volunteers that helped with line formations at the street fair; whether it was the sponsors that helped us sustain and grow our celebration, or the attendees that came from all over the city, Bay Area, and country to part take in one of the biggest Chinese New Year celebrations outside of Asia, we could not have done it without you. Thank you for being a part of our story. We hope that we have become a small part of yours.
As part of this year’s celebration, we’d like to introduce you to Featured Stories. A section of our website that will shine a light on the voices within our community, the various perspectives of how this celebration looks behind the scenes as well as what this celebration means to those involved.
We invite you to share these stories with us. Let us know what the Chinese New Year Festival and Parade mean to you and why, year after year, do you keep coming back. Whether you are a seasoned volunteer, first-time spectator, or the like, we’d love to hear your stories and have the opportunity to share them with the community. Please email us your story at mystory@chineseparade.com and a picture we can share on our platforms.
During a time where we won’t be able to come together physically, we hope sharing these stories will remind us of the good times, give us hope for the future when we’ll be able to reunite with loved ones and help us feel closer together as a community.