Meng Remarks on Lunar New Year School Holiday

U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) today joined Mayor de Blasio in Flushing to announce the creation of a school holiday for Lunar New Year. The following are her remarks as prepared for delivery:

"Thank you Mr. Mayor for making this announcement in Queens. It's always great to have you here in my district, and we're especially excited to have you here today.

It's been a long road. But we finally made it. At long last, a school holiday for Lunar New Year will be a reality in New York City.

For me, this is very personal. Back in 2009, just after I was elected to the New York State Assembly, I was among the first to introduce legislation that sought to close City schools for Lunar New Year. And when I went to Congress in 2013, I left the bill in the capable hands of my successor Assemblyman Kim, who with State Senators Squadron and Golden did a terrific job in shepherding the measure through the legislature.

When I was growing-up in Queens, I often felt that my ethnicity was ignored or forgotten about when it came to school holidays. I always wondered why school was closed for my Jewish friends on their New Year – on Rosh Hashanah – but not for my New Year; and many kids and parents of Asian descent have continued to wonder why to this very day.

When I was served in Albany, I had urged the previous mayor to make Lunar New Year a school holiday. But he said no. That's why I was so excited when Bill de Blasio said during his campaign, that he would require schools to observe the holiday if he was elected Mayor. Well, a year-and-a-half-ago he became Mayor, and today he's proven that he's a man of his word.

Mr. Mayor, since you took office, I've continuously pushed and prodded you on this issue. I've organized and sent letters to you and your schools chancellor; I've spoken out publically; I've discussed it with your staff; I've introduced a resolution in Congress; and I've personally talked to you about the matter. During the last conversation we had in March at Grace Mansion, you assured me that you were still committed to making it happen.

Mr. Mayor, although I continued to nudge you, I always had faith in you; and never for a moment, doubted that you would come through. You get it. You understand the rich and vibrant diversity of our great city. You realize how important it is for our school system to recognize all the important holidays observed by the cultures and ethnicities that exist throughout the five boroughs.

When I first sponsored the bill that would give kids the day off for Lunar New Year, there wasn't much support for it, outside the Asian American community. But I knew deep down that momentum would eventually build for it, and that one day, with hard work, its time would finally come. And now, here we are. I've come full circle on this issue, and I could not be prouder to have led the charge on it.

The Asian American community continues to grow and mature, and the move to establish a school holiday is the right and fair decision.

Lunar New Year is the most important holiday of the year for Asian Americans, and Asian American students should not be forced to choose between celebrating with family or missing school. Thanks to the Mayor, they no longer will.

Thank you to all who have supported this effort; all who endorsed or sponsored my bill over the years; and all who joined me in the fight. Thank you very much."