For many Asian cultures, the Lunar New Year is a time of renewal and family, with activities meant to discard the misfortunes and negatives of the past to make room and welcome prosperity, good luck and health for the coming year. This special occasion is celebrated across several countries and other territories in Asia, including China, Vietnam, Korea, the Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In addition, communities in Canada, the United States, and Europe, with large Asian populations, also celebrate Lunar New Year festivities.
The Diversity Ox embraces several Lunar New Year greetings in different languages with a traditional upside-down 福 [fú] Chinese character. Meaning luck or prosperity, the inverse display means that “Fu” has arrived.
Diversity is integral to PG&E’s core values and our strategy. It’s part of our DNA to allow us to better anticipate, understand, and satisfy the needs of the 16 million diverse Californians we serve.
In 2013, PG&E became the first public utility in California to offer a Spanish and Chinese language energy statement. Last year, PG&E became the first California public utility to provide wildfire safety information on our website in 16 different languages.
PG&E has served and engaged with California’s Asian-American communities for more than 100 years. They have played a major role in determining how the company delivers services to its customers.
PG&E recognized the importance of in-language services more than a century ago in 1905 when it opened its first payment office in San Francisco’s Chinatown. With the company’s long history in serving diverse communities, PG&E has chosen to support the Chinese Historical Society to be the recipient of the proceeds from this Ox.
The Parade Guys are Northern California’s premier parade float company, building floats for annual events like the Chinese New Year Parade and Pride as well as victory floats for the San Francisco Giants and the Golden State Warriors. As one of only a few float builders throughout the west coast, the Parade Guys have built floats for events throughout the Bay Area and beyond, providing as many as 35 custom floats for a single event.
Aside from building floats, the Parade Guys also provide scenic work, fine art commissions, and custom prop and decor fabrication to a wide variety of clientele. Proudly combining traditional crafts with modern technology, The Parade Guys team is comprised of artists and designers who are passionate about the work they do. Their purpose is to bring color and beauty to everyday spaces, from city streets to commercial lobbies, home interiors to public event spaces and beyond.
To learn more visit www.theparadeguys.com
Learn more about the Ox on Parade and don’t forget to enter our photo contest. From February 3 – March 14, snap a picture of you and the Ox, tag us @chineseparade, and use the hashtag #oxonparade. It’s that simple! See official rules here.