Immigrants Irvine

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Celebate Hispanic American Heritage Month! ¡Celebre el Mes de la Herencia Hispana!

I’m delighted to join in celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15).

Hispanic Americans are the largest minority group in both California and the United States, and generations of Hispanic Americans have helped make our country and our state strong and prosperous. The Hispanic American community continues to shape who we are, what we stand for, and where we’re going.

I’m grateful for the extraordinary contributions that Hispanic Americans make every day to our country, our state, and our county -– as scientists and business owners,  doctors and teachers, soldiers and veterans, artists and musicians, labor leaders and public servants, and as essential workers keeping us safe during this crisis.

The Hispanic American Heritage is a vibrant legacy of leadership, vision, creativity, kindness, resilience and commitment.  I’m proud to work together with my Hispanic American friends, colleagues, and neighbors to overcome the pandemic and save lives, make our economy stronger and fairer, ensure affordable housing and healthcare for all, fix our broken immigration system, fight climate change, restore our democracy, and make our world a better place for everyone.

¡Sí, se puede!

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Celebrate Irvine’s 2020 Global Village Festival with Three Weeks of Interactive Online Experiences and Two Drive-In Concerts!

Join us for three weeks of unique, interactive online experiences and two socially distanced drive-in concerts that will highlight memories of festivals past and create new memories uniting the community.

My favorite event of the year is the Irvine Global Village Festival, founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures.  Over the years, the Global Village Festival has expanded from one day to two days, and moved from Col. Bill Barber Park across from Irvine City Hall to the much larger Orange County Great Park.

Because of COVID-19, this year’s festival will be somewhat different.  While we can’t gather in person this year, we look forward to celebrating Orange County’s premier multicultural event in innovative ways that keep the public safe, connected, and engaged.

The 2020 Global Village Festival will consist of a series of responsibly planned events that adhere to social distancing guidelines as we navigate these unusual times.

From September 21-October 10, 2020, you’re invited to celebrate Irvine’s multicultural community through music, art, food, and fun:

  • Browse photo albums and videos exploring the history of the Irvine Global Village Festival. Share your own photos of favorite memories from past festivals to see them included on the City’s social media accounts.
  • Make new memories of Irvine Global Village Festival at home. Families can take part in weekly themed art activities and classes from home, including downloadable coloring sheets for kids.
  • Explore a list of multicultural restaurants in Irvine with outdoor dining or take-home options to dine globally and celebrate Irvine’s rich diversity while staying safe at home. Share photos of your festive meals with the City so we can share them online!
  • Enjoy entertaining videos featuring the international cuisine, dance, and musical performances of previous Irvine Global Village Festivals.

The Irvine Global Village Festival also includes two drive-in concerts at the Orange County Great Park, put on in partnership between the City and Irvine Barclay Theatre. On Friday, September 25, enjoy a live show by Willie Nelson tribute band True Willie and the Boys.

Round out the festival’s celebrations on Saturday, October 10, with a show by award-winning all-female mariachi band Mariachi Divas. Park your cars and enjoy a picnic to pay tribute to the rich musical history of the Irvine Global Village Festival, all while safely practicing social distancing.

Tickets for these concerts are $25 per car for general admission and $40 per car for VIP front-row access. Pre-registration is required.

Tickets will be on sale at yourirvine.org for three weeks prior to the start of each event; the first week of sales is open to Irvine residents only, and the remaining two weeks are open to all members of the public. A $5 non-resident fee will be applied.

For more information, visit irvinefestival.org or call 949-724-6600.

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Honor Our Fallen Heroes on Memorial Day

Orange County has a long and proud military tradition.  From 1942 to 1999, Irvine was home to Marine Air Station El Toro, the largest Marine Corps Air Station on the West Coast. During World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, thousands of United States Marines, as well as airmen, sailors and soldiers, departed for war from MCAS El Toro.  Many never returned.

As the daughter of a combat veteran, as the cousin of a Marine who was killed in action, and as an Irvine City Council Member, I am proud of Irvine’s commitment to honoring our veterans, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.

For many, many years, my family and I have attended Irvine’s two beautiful Memorial Day ceremonies — a community-led candle-lighting ceremony at the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial and the official City of Irvine Memorial Day Ceremony at Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps. Memorial Park next to the Civic Center.

Sadly, this year both ceremonies have been cancelled due to the need to limit non-essential gatherings to combat the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

This year, the official City of Irvine Memorial Day Ceremony will be presented online beginning May 25, 2020, for the community to view at their convenience.  The presentation will include words from our mayor, remarks from officers from the City’s adopted 2/11 Marine Battalion, and musical performances from past ceremonies.  For more information, call 949-724-6606.

The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial, dedicated in 2010, located at 4531 Bryan Avenue, Irvine CA 92620, is the nation’s first and only memorial dedicated exclusively to listing the names of all the fallen American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq. The names of every service member who has died in Afghanistan and Iraq are engraved in granite in a permanent memorial, to ensure that generations of Americans will remember and honor them with gratitude as we do today. Regarding the Northwood Honor and Gratitude Memorial Ceremony, the following notice has been posted on their Facebook page:  

“To all our SoCal friends, it is with great sadness that we announce the City of Irvine, in keeping with the stay at home order, has CANCELED the Memorial Day Ceremony at the Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial.

The City will be generously donating a beautiful wreath of remembrance.  American flags will be placed around the perimeter of the memorial and candles for lighting for those who would like to visit during the Memorial Day weekend.

There will be staff at the community center if anyone needs help finding the name of a loved one or needs name rubbing materials.

We encourage everyone to please take a few minutes of your time to stop by and pay your respects during the holiday weekend.

To our beloved Gold Star families . . . please know that even though there is no ceremony we will never forget the sacrifices your heroes made for our freedom. Thankfully this beautiful memorial is a daily reminder that our community has not forgotten those who bravely put on our Nation’s cloth and gave the ultimate sacrifice.”

As in past years, I will thinking especially of my cousin, PFC Irwin Handler, USMC, who was killed at the Battle of Chosen Reservoir during the Korean War, and of the son of family friends, Lance Corporal Donald J. Hogan, USMC, Navy Cross, who was killed in Afghanistan.

 

I will also be remembering Irvine’s own fallen heroes:

Petty Officer Regan Young

Second Lieutenant Mark J. Daily

Lance Corporal Sean Horn

Chief Warrant Officer Steven Michael Larrabee

Major Michael David Martino

Specialist Justin W Pollard

Lance Corporal Michael S. Probst

Major Charles R. Soltes Jr.

Lieutenant Commander Keith E. Taylor

Although we are not able to gather together physically this Memorial Day, we will be gathered together in our hearts

As stated so beautifully and appropriately by the Veterans of Foreign Wars:

“Pausing to remember and honor America’s fallen service members is a practice dating back more than 100 years. Since the days of the Civil War, humble Americans have gathered together on Memorial Day to remember and pay tribute to all who have fought and selflessly surrendered the precious gift of life, so that other could live free.

Again we gather this Memorial Day, as a nation solemnly united in remembrance of the fallen defenders of our great nation. Freedom is not free. It has come at great cost, paid for with the lives of our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friends and comrades.

Every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have selflessly given their all to defend and protect our way of life. And while giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, celebrating their memory and honoring their most selfless deeds offers a start.

This Memorial Day, pause to reflect on the absolute selflessness of the 1.3 million members of our nation’s military who paid the price needed to ensure our way of life endures, and let us not forget the families whose pain will never go away, but may lessen with our thanks and prayers.”

God Bless our fallen, their families, and our men and women in uniform all over the world.

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Nowuz Mubarak! نوروز مبارک When was a New Beginning — Nowruz or a “New Day”– More Needed Than Now?

In Irvine, we love to celebrate our many heritages.  Irvine is home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

One of our biggest cultural celebrations in Irvine is the annual Persian New Year (Nowruz) Festival at Irvine’s Bill Barber Community Park, sponsored by the Iranian-American Community Group Orange County.

Sadly, this year’s Nowruz Festival in Irvine had to be cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak and the need for all of us to maintain social distancing.

In an announcement, my friend Neda Mottaghi-Movahed, a long-time organizer of the Irvine Nowruz Festival, wrote: “Dear friends and supporters, we regret to inform you that IAC 7th annual Nowruz festival which was scheduled for March 22nd in Irvine has been canceled. This was a very difficult decision due to outbreak of Coronavirus and Orange County Public Health recommendations which is to avoid large gatherings. Celebrate Nowruz with your friends and family. Eid Mobarak.”

Persian New Year, or “Nowruz,” translated from Persian to literally mean “New Day,” takes place at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, centering around the Spring Equinox. It is an ancient tradition, having been observed in Persian culture for approximately 5,500 years (older than the great pyramids of Egypt), celebrating the rebirth of the Earth after the cold of winter and welcoming the warmth of spring.

When was a new beginning — a “New Day” or Nowruz — more needed than now?

So even though we won’t have the Festival and we must keep apart from each other, let us celebrate Nowruz together with all our hearts.

May first day of Spring brings us all health, peace, happiness and joy!

Nowuz Mubarak! نوروز مبارک

 

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Irvine City Council Holding Moment of Silence for Those Lost in Iranian Downing of Passenger Airliner

Tonight, after the pledge of allegiance, the Irvine City Council will hold a moment of silence for the 176 innocent passengers and crew who tragically lost their lives last week when Iran shot down a commercial airliner.

Many of the airliner’s passengers were Iranian Canadians who were affiliated with Canadian universities as students or researchers and had traveled to Iran during Christmas break.

Some victims had ties to our own Iranian American community, which includes more than 11,000 Iranian Americans in Irvine and 36,000 Iranian Americans in Orange County.  Irvine is also the home of UCI’s Samuel Jordan Center for Persian Studies and Culture, one of the world’s leading interdisciplinary institutions for the study of Iranian culture and history.

As my friend, Irvine resident, and community leader Neda Mottaghi-Movahed has said, this has been “a very sad few weeks for all of us” in the Iranian American community, which has held memorials in Irvine for those whose lives were lost.

We are proud of saying that our city is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated.  There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

In most cases, this means that we share in each other’s holidays and celebrations.

In this case, it means we share in each other’s sorrow.

My deepest condolences to the families and friends of all who were lost, as well as to the entire Iranian American community.

My heart reaches out to my many Iranian American friends and neighbors.

I join with the Iranian American community in mourning the senseless loss of so many lives and in praying for peace.

 

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Today is Korean American Day!

January 13 has been designed “Korean American Day.”   On this day in 1903, a group of 102 courageous Korean men, women, and children  arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields.  In the next few years, they would be followed by more than 1,000 Koreans entering the mainland from Hawaii through San Francisco.

This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, cuisine, and arts.

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities.”

Irvine is also the home of the King Sejong Institute and the Korean American Center of Orange County, dedicated to promoting Korean language and culture.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran and proud recipient of the Republic of Korea Ambassador for Peace Medal, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir fighting for freedom for the Korean people, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans hve made to our city, our county, our state, and our country.

I am proud to live and serve in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my many Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Happy Korean American Day!

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We Had a Wonderful Time at the 2019 Global Village Festival at the Great Park! Help Us by Make It Even Better by Taking Our Survey!

My family had a wonderful time the 2019 Global Village Festival at the Great Park!

When many immigrant communities and religious and ethnic minorities are feeling themselves under attack, the message of the Global Village Festival — “Many Cultures, One World” — was especially welcome.  The Global Village Festival was truly a celebration of the thriving diversity that is now the real Orange County.

Last year was the first time that the Irvine Global Village Festival, formerly held at Col. Bill Barber Park next to Irvine City Hall, was held at the far more expansive grounds of the Orange County Great Park.  This year was the first time that the Festival was extended to two full days.

As in past years, my favorite parts of the Festival were visiting the many different national and ethnic organizations that hosted booths and listening to the great musical performances from many cultures.  I also enjoyed the shopping, the food, watching the children play in the newly expanded Kids Village, meeting old friends and making new ones.

The City of Irvine has created a brief survey for people who attended the Festival.  By completing it, you’ll be helping us make the Festival even better in the future.  You can find the survey HERE.

Here are some of our pictures from our time at the Festival.

I look forward to seeing more of yours!

 

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Join Me at Irvine’s Two-Day Global Village Festival at the Great Park!

My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here!  Experience sights and sounds from around the world on Saturday, October 12 through –Sunday, October 13, 2019, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., at the Orange County Great Park, at the Irvine Global Village Festival!

I am thrilled that, for the very first time, the Irvine Global Village Festival will run for two days at the Great Park!

In Irvine, we are proud of saying that our city is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated.

There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

How diverse is Irvine?  A non-English language is spoken in a remarkable 58% of Irvine homes, with more than 70 different languages spoken in residences throughout Irvine.  Nearly 40 % of Irvine’s public-school students have a primary language other than English.

Irvine is also home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

This year marks the 18th anniversary of the Irvine Global Village Festival – Irvine’s largest and most attended community event.

Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances on five stages; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

More than 40 local restaurants and gourmet food trucks serve up samples of regional and international specialties from boba smoothies, miso soup, falafel, Mexican fusion tacos and German pretzels to Japanese dumplings, Hawaiian shaved ice and the all-American bacon-wrapped hot dog. Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

At the heart of the Festival is the Community Partners Pavilion, where nonprofit, local community groups and government agencies have an opportunity to showcase their programs and services to the community.

This year, we’ve incorporated the best of Irvine’s historic fall festivals to offer a wide variety of food and music options, interactive activities, and exhibitions throughout an entire weekend. Families will delight in an expanded Kids Village with crafts, a “Seek-a-Treat” fall scavenger hunt, and a petting zoo. Attendees of all ages will enjoy samples of the best international cuisine as well as favorite festival foods for purchase; an Artisans Marketplace and the event’s first-ever art exhibition and demonstrations; and musical performances representing cultures from around the world — all while attending Orange County’s premier festival.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the many facets of Irvine’s diversity at the Global Village Festival – and I look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some important Festival details:

What: Irvine Global Village Festival

When: Saturday, October 12 and Sunday, October 13, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., at the Orange County Great Park.

Where: Orange County Great Park, 8000 Great Park Boulevard, Irvine, CA 92618

Cost: Admission is $5:00! Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.  A $20 Family Pass offers one-day admission for up to six people. Tickets are on sale now at irvinefestival.org/buy-tickets

Parking: Parking is free, but premier parking closer to the festival site will be available for $10 on-site (cash only). Disabled person parking is available. Please have the appropriate placard visible and parking directors will route vehicles to disabled parking.

Shuttle to the Festival: UCI Students and Staff: Anteater Express Shuttle service to and from the festival will be available for UCI students and staff.

Bike to the Festival:  The easiest way to get to the Festival is by bike. The City of Irvine has an extensive system of bike trails to get you to and from the event, and once inside, riders can safely and securely store their bikes at the Festival’s free Bike Valet area, hosted by the Bicycle Club of Irvine and the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Use Irvine’s Bike Map to plan your trip.

Pets: Dogs are welcome at the Irvine Global Village Festival! However, owners must be responsible for their pets; dogs must be on leash, interact well in a large crowd and remain in the charge of a person competent to restrain them.

See you there!

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Join Me to Honor our Fallen Heroes in Two Ceremonies this Memorial Day Weekend

Please join me on Memorial Day  weekend as we honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and pays special tribute to our local service members and veterans.

Orange County has a long and proud military tradition.

From 1942 to 1999, Irvine was home to Marine Air Station El Toro, the largest Marine Corps Air Station on the West Coast. During World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, thousands of United States Marines, as well as airmen, sailors and soldiers, departed for war from MCAS El Toro.

Many never returned.

As the daughter of a combat veteran, as the cousin of a Marine who was killed in action, and as an Irvine City Councilmember, I am proud of Irvine’s commitment to honoring our veterans, especially those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.
Irvine will honor our fallen heroes in two ceremonies this Memorial Day weekend:

Sunday, May 26, 2018 at 4:00 p.m. 

Candle Lighting Ceremony: Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial 

4531 Bryan Avenue, Irvine CA 92620 

The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial, dedicated in 2010, is the nation’s first and only memorial dedicated exclusively to listing the names of all the fallen American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The names of every service member who has died in Afghanistan and Iraq are engraved in granite in a permanent memorial, to assure that future generations of Americans will remember and honor them with gratitude as we do today.

The ceremony will honor our fallen heroes from all generations, with special tribute to those fallen heroes of the recent and ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. The candle lighting ceremony will include presentations from and honor Gold Star families. Please bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.

Monday, May 27, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. 

Memorial Day Ceremony: Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park 

4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine CA 92606 

Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, located next to City Hall, is named in honor of Korean War Medal of Honor recipient and Irvine resident Marine Corps Colonel William E. Barber (1919-2002).

Attendees will have the opportunity to memorialize our troops’ sacrifice by writing a brief Remembrance Card to be posted on a memory board.

As I have done in past years, I will be filling out a memorial card for my cousin, PFC Irwin Handler, USMC, who was killed in Korea, and for the son of family friends, LCPL Donald J. Hogan, USMC, Navy Cross, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Irvine will also specifically honor our own fallen heroes:

Petty Officer Regan Young

Second Lieutenant Mark J. Daily

Lance Corporal Sean Horn

Chief Warrant Officer Steven Michael Larrabee

Major Michael David Martino

Specialist Justin W Pollard

Lance Corporal Michael S. Probst

Major Charles R. Soltes Jr.

Lieutenant Commander Keith E. Taylor

Cards will be also available for well-wishers to send a message of appreciation and support to Irvine’s adopted 211/Marine Battalion.

As stated so beautifully and appropriately by the Veterans of Foreign Wars:

“Pausing to remember and honor America’s fallen service members is a practice dating back more than 100 years. Since the days of the Civil War, humble Americans have gathered together on Memorial Day to remember and pay tribute to all who have fought and selflessly surrendered the precious gift of life, so that other could live free.

Again we gather this Memorial Day, as a nation solemnly united in remembrance of the fallen defenders of our great nation. Freedom is not free. It has come at great cost, paid for with the lives of our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friends and comrades.

Every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have selflessly given their all to defend and protect our way of life. And while giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, celebrating their memory and honoring their most selfless deeds offers a start.

This Memorial Day, pause to reflect on the absolute selflessness of the 1.3 million members of our nation’s military who paid the price needed to ensure our way of life endures, and let us not forget the families whose pain will never go away, but may lessen with our thanks and prayers.”

God Bless our fallen, their families, and our men and women in uniform all over the world.

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Join Me at Irvine’s Korean Cultural Festival on Sat., May 11!

Join me at the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival on Saturday, May 11, 2019, at the Irvine Civic Center.

2019 marks the 10th anniversary of the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, an event designed to celebrate and share Korean cultural heritage and artistic traditions with the broader Irvine community and Orange County.

The Festival is a culture-filled extravaganza full of fine Korean food, games, art, music and entertainment.

The Irvine Korean Cultural Festival is committed to making the festival an educational opportunity for children and the community of Irvine. Enjoy dynamic cultural performances while sampling delicious cuisine from Irvine’s premier restaurants.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep connection to Korea and a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our nation.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Along with the Irvine Korean Festival founders, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers, I strongly believe that the festival experience will help bring about mutual understanding and appreciation of different cultures, which will result in the promotion of peace and harmony among all people in the Irvine community and beyond.

Please join me!

What: Irvine Korean Cultural Festival

When: Sat., May 11, 2019. 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Where: Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606

Free Admission!

Free On-site parking and Off-Site parking with Shuttle.

Shuttle info: 3377 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA 92612.  Ride the shuttle and get a Free Raffle Ticket!

For more information, visit the Irvine Korean Festival website here.

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Remembering Black April and Honoring Those Who Fought for and Fled to Freedom

April 30th is the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.  In Vietnamese, it is remembered as Tháng Tư Đen — Black April.

It is a time to remember and honor our more than 58,000 fallen and missing soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, our half a million Vietnam War veterans, and a million and a half South Vietnamese allies, as well as our allies from Australia, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand and the Philippines, who fought and died in the pursuit of freedom and democracy.

Vietnamese refugees fleeing communism in April 1975.

We must never forget their sacrifice.

This anniversary is also a time to recognize and celebrate the tremendous contributions that Vietnamese Americans have made to our nation and to our shared American way of life.

Large-scale immigration from Vietnam to the United States began in April 1975, when the fall of Saigon led to the U.S.-sponsored evacuation of an estimated 125,000 Vietnamese refugees.

Many of these initial post-war immigrants first arrived in America at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, which is now the Orange County Great Park in Irvine.

As the humanitarian crisis and displacement of people in the Indochina region (Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos) intensified, more refugees and their families were admitted to the United States.

Honored to stand with our Vietnamese friends and the Vietnamese community at Black April ceremony in Little Saigon.

The Vietnamese immigrant population has grown significantly since then, roughly doubling every decade between 1980 and 2000, and then increasing 26 percent in the 2000s. In 2017, more than 1.3 million Vietnamese resided in the United States, accounting for 3 percent of the nation’s 44.5 million immigrants and representing the sixth-largest foreign-born group in the country.

We must also use this anniversary to renew our commitment to ensure that human rights and freedom are one day respected in Vietnam.

Like many people in Orange County, I have been moved to tears by the heartbreaking stories of the suffering of many of my Vietnamese friends and their families — stories of their tremendous struggles and their remarkable strength in coming to this country as refugees in one of the largest mass migrations in modern history.

We must never forget the incredible hardships they endured and never cease to admire their courageous determination to live in freedom.

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Join Me for Irvine’s Persian New Year (Nowruz) Celebration!

In Irvine, we love to celebrate our many heritages.  Irvine is home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

One of our biggest cultural celebrations is the annual Persian New Year (Nowruz) Festival, taking place this year on Sunday, March 24, 2019, from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm at Irvine’s Bill Barber Community Park, sponsored by the Iranian-American Community Group Orange County.

Persian New Year, or “Nowruz,” translated from Persian to literally mean New Day, takes place at the end of winter and the beginning of spring, centering around the Spring Equinox. It is an ancient tradition, having been observed in Persian culture for approximately 5,500 years (older than the great pyramids of Egypt), celebrating the rebirth of the Earth after the cold of winter and welcoming the warmth of spring.

Enjoy Live Performances of Persian Music and Dancing, Persian Food, Tea & Cookies, Backgammon, and Children Activities!

What: Fifth Annual Nowruz (Persian New Year) Festival

When: Sunday, March 24, 2019, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm

Where: Bill Barber Community Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA. 92606

Cost: Free!

نوروز مبارک

Nowruz Mubarak!

See you there!

“I don’t know anyone who has had Persian food and didn’t like it. Seriously.” ― Rick Steves, Guidebook Author and TV host.

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Join Us for the International Sensation, “The Colours of Her Heart,” by Mallika Sarabhai and Samia Malik at the Merage Jewish Center!

Join us for a breathtaking performance of the international sensation, “The Colours of Her Heart,” by Mallika Sarabhai and Samia Malik at the Merage Jewish Center in Irvine on Saturday, March 23, 2019, at 7:00 p.m.

In “The Colours of Her Heart,” Mallika Sarabhai, dancer, activist, choreographer, columnist, speaker and one of India’s most tireless advocates for achieving social change through the arts, brings her latest music-dance creation to Irvine.

In collaboration with Pakistani lyricist, composer, painter, and singer Samia Malik, “The Colours of the Heart” presents the pains, travails and victories of women of all nations, the bonding and the sisterhood that is spreading across all nations, giving women strength, courage, and a feeling of belonging.

With songs in Urdu and English and stories that are both personal and universal, “The Colours of the Heart” draws you into the world of women and their lives.

The multi-faceted Mallika Sarabhai holds an MBA from IIM Ahmedabad (India’s most prestigious business school) and a Ph.D in Organizational Behavior. Since first making a name for herself as an actress., she has been one of India’s leading choreographers and dancers for over three decades. In constant demand as a soloist and with her own dance company, Darpana, she has been creating and performing both classical and contemporary works.

Samia Malik’s dynamic, evolving working practice encompasses music, visual art and education. Asking challenging and important questions about our common humanity, Samia’s Malik’s work has enthralled audiences from the UK to India. She writes and performs songs based on traditional Urdu Ghazal (a highly refined union of poetry with music) extending and subverting the form to explore contemporary issues around identity, race and gender.

“The Colours of the Heart” is presented in Irvine by the Ektaa Center and the Arpana Dance Company.

The Merage Jewish Center is located at 1 Federation Way, Irvine CA 92603

For more information, call the Ektaa Center at 949-300-8912 or visit www.arpana.booktix.com.

 

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Celebrating Korean American Day!

Councilmember Melissa Fox with her father, Stan, and Korean-American veterans of the Korean War.

This Sunday, January 13, has been designated by the City of Irvine as Korean American Day.

Melissa Fox’s Irvine Senior Council Representative Juno Kim

On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Korean laborers arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields.  In the next few years, they would be followed by more than 1,000 Koreans entering the mainland from Hawaii through San Francisco.

This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, cuisine, and arts.

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities.”

Irvine is also the home of the King Sejong Institute and the Korean American Center of Orange County, dedicated to promoting Korean language and culture.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran and proud recipient of the Republic of Korea Ambassador for Peace Medal, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir fighting for freedom for the Korean people, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our country.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my many Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Happy Korean American Day!

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Join Me to Celebrate Diwali at the Great Park!

Diwali is one of my very holidays celebrated in Irvine.

One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.  It is celebrated with spectacular light displays and colorful garlands, and the exchange gifts and sweets. It is a time for rejoicing and renewal, and ridding oneself of hate, anger, and jealousy.

This year marks the fifth annual Diwali Fest in Irvine, and the very first to be held at the Great Park!

Diwali Fest is November 3, 2018, from 3:00 to 9:00 p.m. at the Orange County Great Park, 6950 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618.

This is a free event open to all.  No tickets are required.

Diwali Fest 2018 will feature Indian music and dance performances, food booths, vendors, and a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony.

Featured performers include Ada Dance Academy, Amna Dance, Arpana Dance Company, Bhakti Bhav, Dhwany Academy, Indian Dance Center, Ishwara Dance Academy, Kannada Kali, Mumbai Madness, Nityashtra Dance School, NDM Bollywood Dance Productions & Studio, Prance and Dance, RRB Dance Company, Shivam Arts Kathak School, and Vicek Arya.

For more information, contact the Ektaa Center at (949) 809 9605 or info@ektaacenter.org.

We need light and love now more than ever.

See you there!

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Irvine Global Village at the Great Park was a Great Success — Take Our Survey and Help Us Make it Even Better!

As a member of the Irvine City Council, I’m very proud of Irvine’s reputation for being one of the most multicultural and harmonious cities in the world.

As Vice Chair of the Great Park, I very proud of the 2018 Irvine Global Village festival, held for the very time at the Great Park.

I loved the performances, the food, the laughing children, the smiles on people’s faces, and checking out the many items for sale from merchants representing the world’s cultures.

As always, the very best part of the Global Village Festival for me is meeting with people, especially in the booths representing Irvine’s wide-ranging civic and cultural groups and organizations.

Did you attend this year’s Global Village Festival?  If so, w e want your feedback!

Please take a quick, two-minute survey to help us continue to improve the festival.

Visit this link to participate:  cityofirvine.org/festivalsurvey.

Thanks!

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Join Me at Irvine’s Global Village Festival at the Great Park!

My favorite Irvine cultural event of the year is almost here!

Experience sights and sounds from around the world on Saturday, September 22, 2018, at the Irvine Global Village Festival!

Irvine Community Services Commissioner Melissa Fox at Irvine's Global Village Festival 2013

In Irvine, we are proud of saying that our city is not only among the most diverse cities in the nation, it is also the most fully integrated.

There are no ethnic, linguistic, religious, or cultural enclaves in Irvine: every neighborhood reflects Irvine’s harmonious ethnic, linguistic, religious, and cultural diversity.

How diverse is Irvine?  A non-English language is spoken in a remarkable 58% of Irvine homes, with more than 70 different languages spoken in residences throughout Irvine.  Nearly 40 % of Irvine’s public school students have a primary language other than English.

Irvine is also home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

This year marks the 17th anniversary of the Irvine Global Village Festival – Irvine’s largest and most attended community event.

As Vice Chair of the Orange County Great Park, I am thrilled that, for the very first time, the Irvine Global Village Festival will be held at the Great Park!

Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the day-long Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances on five stages; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

More than 40 local restaurants and gourmet food trucks serve up samples of regional and international specialties from boba smoothies, miso soup, falafel, Mexican fusion tacos and German pretzels to Japanese dumplings, Hawaiian shaved ice and the all-American bacon-wrapped hot dog. Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

At the heart of the Festival is the Community Partners Pavilion, where nonprofit, local community groups and government agencies have an opportunity to showcase their programs and services to the community.

I’m looking forward to celebrating the many facets of Irvine’s diversity at the Global Village Festival – and I look forward to seeing you there!

Here are some important Festival details:

What: Irvine Global Village Festival

When: Saturday, September 22, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Where: Orange County Great Park, 8000 Great Park Boulevard, Irvine, CA 92618

Cost: Admission is FREE! Please be prepared with cash for food and beverage purchases.

Parking: Free parking is available on-site at the Orange County Great Park. Please enter at the intersection of Sand Canyon Avenue and Great Park Boulevard and follow event signage. Carpooling is encouraged. If you are being dropped off, taking a taxi or ride share service, have your driver follow the directions above and follow signage to the drop-off location: “Great Park Tennis Complex Parking Lot.” Disabled person parking is available. Please have the appropriate placard visible when following the directions above. Parking directors will route vehicles to disabled parking.

UCI Students and Staff: Anteater Express Shuttle service to and from the festival will be available for UCI students and staff.

Bike to the Festival:  The easiest way to get to the Festival is by bike. The City of Irvine has an extensive system of bike trails to get you to and from the event, and once inside, riders can safely and securely store their bikes at the Festival’s free Bike Valet area, hosted by the Bicycle Club of Irvine and the Orange County Bicycle Coalition. Use Irvine’s Bike Map to plan your trip.

Pets: Dogs are welcome at the Irvine Global Village Festival! However, owners must be responsible for their pets; dogs must be on leash, interact well in a large crowd and remain in the charge of a person competent to restrain them.

See you there!

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Korean American Center – KAC 무료 시민권 신청 행사 Free Citizenship Application Assistance!

For the first time South Orange County, a free event will be held to help Korean immigrants with applications for U.S. citizenship on Saturday, August 25, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Northwood Community Park, located at 4531 Bryan Ave, Irvine, CA 92620.

The event will include about 10 immigration attorneys and more than 50 experienced Korean speaking volunteers, who will help complete your citizenship documents with one-on-one services.

You must make reservations by telephone at (714) 449-1125.

시민권 신청 서류 (N400) 의 작성및 법적인 검토/상담  

FREE Citizenship Application (N-400) Assistance and Legal Review

2018년 6월 23일 (토) Saturday, August 25th
오전 9시부터 오후 4시까지 9 am – 4 pm

Korean American Center 코리안 아메리칸 센터
& Korean Community Services  코리안 복지센터

Northwood Comunity Park/Center, 4531 Bryan Ave, Irvine, CA 92620.

예약 전화 번호
Call for Appointment: 714-449-1125.

Anyone needing citizenship assistance is welcomed. This event is not only for Koreans.

필수 서류 Documents to Bring:

1) ID: 운전 면허증 또는 기타 신분증 (여권), 사회 보장 번호, 영주권 카드. Idenification: Driver’s License/Personal I.D, Social Security Number, and Green Card.

2) 지난5년간 거주, 취업/학교 정보: 거주한 주소, 취업한 회사 이름과 주소/ 학교 이름과 주소. – 정확한 날자를 기억하지 못하는 경우 최선을 다해 대략의 날자를 제공해 주어야 합니다. Work, School, Residence History: Where have you lived and worked/attended school during the last 5 years. You may provide approximate dates, only if you cannot remember the exact date.

3) 지난 5년간 24시간 이상 체류한 해외 여행 기록: (년,월,일): 해외로 나간 모든 여행의 출국.입국 일자 (육로나 해상으로 멕시코나 캐나다 여행한 것도 포함) 정확한날자를 기억하지 못하는 경우 최선을 다해 대략의 날자를 제공해 주어야 합니다
Trips Outside of the United States for more than 24 hours in the last 5 years (Month, Day, Year): Dates of departure and arrival of all trips outside of the United States, including trips to Mexico or Canada by land or sea (you may provide approximate dates, only if you cannot remember the exact date).

4) 현재의 결혼 신분: 배우자의 이름, 생년월일, 현 주소, 출생 국가, 결혼 일자, 이민신분, 이혼 또는 재혼 이상인 경우 상기 정보외에 모든 전 배우자의 사망 일자 또는이혼 일자 배우자가 영주권자인 경우 영주권 번호, 귀화 시민권자인경우 시민권 선서식 장소와 날자.  Current Marriage: Name of your spouse, address, date of birth, date of marriage (civil marriage, social security number, if your spouse is a permanent resident: must provide its number, if he/she became a U.S. citizen: must provide date and location of the oath ceremony where the ceremony was held).

5) 자녀: 이름, 생년월일, 출생 국가, 현 주소, 영주권자인 경우 영주권 번호.
Children: Name, date of birth, country of birth, address where each children lives. Resident numbers if they are permanent residents.

6) 범죄 기록: 사법 기관, 경찰, 이민 세관국,또는 이민서비스국과 법적인 접촉이 있었던 경우, 구류, 체포 또는 유죄 판결관련 서류/기록을 가지고 와야합니다. 또한 운전중 티켓받은 기록도 모두 정리해서 가지고와야 합니다. Criminal History: If you have ever come into contact with law enforcement, police, ICE, or immigration services, you must bring all documents/records connected to any detention, arrest, or conviction.

Hosted By:
Korean Community Services 코리안 복지 센터
Asian Americans Advancing Justice – OC
Korean American Center 오렌지 카운티 한미 문화 센터

See the Facebook event page HERE.

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Join Me at Irvine’s Korean Cultural Festival on Sat., May 12!

Join me at the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival on Saturday, May 13th, at the Irvine Civic Center.

2018 marks the 9th anniversary of the Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, an event designed to celebrate and share Korean cultural heritage and artistic traditions with the broader Irvine community and Orange County.

The Festival is a culture-filled extravaganza full of fine Korean food, games, art, music and entertainment.

The Irvine Korean Cultural Festival is committed to making the festival an educational opportunity for children and the community of Irvine. Enjoy dynamic cultural performances while sampling delicious cuisine from Irvine’s premier restaurants.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep connection to Korea and a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our nation.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Along with the Irvine Korean Festival founders, sponsors, and dedicated volunteers, I strongly believe that the festival experience will help bring about mutual understanding and appreciation of different cultures, which will result in the promotion of peace and harmony among all people in the Irvine community and beyond.

Please join me!

What: Irvine Korean Cultural Festival

When: Sat., May 12, 2018. 10:00 am – 5:00 pm.

Where: Irvine Civic Center, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606

Free Admission. Free On-site parking and Off-Site parking with Shuttle.

Shuttle info: 3377 Michelson Drive, Irvine, CA 92612.  Ride the shuttle and get a Free Raffle Ticket!

For more information, visit the Irvine Korean Festival website here.

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Join Me as Irvine Honors Our Fallen Heroes

A nation reveals itself not only by the men it produces but also by the men it honors, the men it remembers.” — President John F. Kennedy

Please join me on Memorial Day weekend as Irvine honors the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation and pays special tribute to our local service members and veterans.

Irvine has a long and proud military tradition. From 1942 to 1999, Irvine was home to Marine Air Station El Toro, the largest Marine Corps Air Station on the West Coast. During World War II, the Korean Conflict, and the Vietnam War, thousands of United States Marines, as well as airmen, sailors and soldiers, departed for war from MCAS El Toro.

Many never returned.

Irvine has now dedicated 125 acres of the former El Toro Marine Base to serve as an Orange County Veterans Cemetery, providing a final resting place for those served, close to their families and loved ones.

As the daughter of a combat veteran, as the cousin of a Marine who was killed in action, and as an Irvine City Councilmember, I am proud of Irvine’s firm commitment to our veterans.

Irvine will honor our fallen heroes in two ceremonies this Memorial Day Weekend:

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Candle Lighting Ceremony: Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial 

4531 Bryan Avenue, Irvine CA 92620

4:00 p.m.

The Northwood Gratitude and Honor Memorial, dedicated in 2010, is the nation’s first and only memorial dedicated exclusively to listing the names of all the fallen American service members in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The names of every service member who has died in Afghanistan and Iraq are engraved in granite in a permanent memorial, to assure that future generations of Americans will remember and honor them with gratitude as we do today.

The ceremony will honor our fallen heroes from all generations, with special tribute to those fallen heroes of the recent and ongoing wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The candle lighting ceremony will include presentations from and honor Gold Star families.

Please bring lawn chairs or blankets for seating.

Monday, May 28, 2018

Memorial Day Ceremony: Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park

4 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine CA 92606

10:00 a.m.

Col. Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, located next to City Hall, is named in honor of Korean War Medal of Honor recipient and Irvine resident Marine Corps Colonel William E. Barber (1919-2002).

Attendees will have the opportunity to memorialize our troops’ sacrifice by writing a brief remembrance to be posted on a memory board.

As I have done in past years, I will be filling out a memorial card for my cousin, PFC Irwin Handler, USMC, who was killed in Korea, and for the son of family friends, LCPL Donald J. Hogan, USMC, Navy Cross, who was killed in Afghanistan.

Cards will also be available for well-wishers to send a message of appreciation and support to Irvine’s adopted 211/Marine Battalion.

Click here to download a pre-made remembrance card.

As stated so beautifully and appropriately by the Veterans of Foreign Wars:

Pausing to remember and honor America’s fallen service members is a practice dating back more than 100 years. Since the days of the Civil War, humble Americans have gathered together on Memorial Day to remember and pay tribute to all who have fought and selflessly surrendered the precious gift of life, so that other could live free.

Again we gather this Memorial Day, as a nation solemnly united in remembrance of the fallen defenders of our great nation. Freedom is not free. It has come at great cost, paid for with the lives of our sons and daughters, husbands and wives, sisters and brothers, friends and comrades.

Every American owes a great debt to the courageous men and women who have selflessly given their all to defend and protect our way of life. And while giving back to the extent they deserve is impossible, celebrating their memory and honoring their most selfless deeds offers a start.

This Memorial Day, pause to reflect on the absolute selflessness of the 1.3 million members of our nation’s military who paid the price needed to ensure our way of life endures, and let us not forget the families whose pain will never go away, but may lessen with our thanks and prayers.

God Bless our fallen, their families, and our men and women in uniform all over the world.

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Support Irvine’s Global Village Festival as a 2018 Festival Sponsor!

The City of Irvine’s Global Village Festival is my favorite Irvine cultural event of the year!

I am particularly excited for this year’s Festival, because it will be the first to be held at the Orange County Great Park!

The Global Village Festival is now taking applications for sponsors for its 2018 event, which is Saturday, Sept. 22.

A variety of sponsorship opportunities are available for the 2018 Irvine Global Village Festival.

The all-day event features more than 100 performances representing cultures from around the world; international cuisine; kids’ crafts and activities; cultural and religious exhibits; and an international marketplace.

Founded in 1998 by a group of Irvine residents to help promote understanding and build harmony within Irvine’s many diverse cultures, the Global Village Festival is now Irvine’s signature event, featuring more than 100 performances representing the cultures of dozens of countries; international cuisine and food from more than 50 restaurants; an international marketplace filled with unique crafts and textiles; interactive, educational and entertaining cultural displays, demonstrations, and performances; and an international village just for kids.

Festival admission is free.

The Global Village Festival is one of Orange County’s fastest-growing multicultural events. With more than 25,000 people in attendance, the Festival’s highly diverse audience makes it an ideal partner for businesses and organizations looking for increased visibility.

Applications for entertainment are also now open.

Applications for vendors, restaurants and exhibitors – including nonpolitical, nonprofit and governmental organizations looking to support the festival as a community partner – will open in late April.

You can find a Sponsorship Application online here.

You can find an Entertainment Application online here.

For more information and to apply, visit irvinefestival.org or call 949-724-6730.

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Join Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel for a Community Safety Meeting at the Irvine Chinese School on April 15

Join Irvine Police Chief Mike Hamel and members of  the Irvine Police Department who speak Mandarin as they answer questions regarding public safety in Irvine.

What: Community Safety Meeting at Irvine Chinese School

Date: Sunday, April 15, 2018

Time: 9:45 am – 11:45 am

Location: South Coast Chinese Cultural Center / Irvine Chinese School, 9 Truman St, Irvine, California 92620

This is a free event and is open to everyone.

To submit a question, go to the Irvine Chinese School’s WeChat account or email info@sccca.org by April 7.

Irvine Police Department Mission:

Working in partnership with the community, we will preserve the peace, uphold the law with fairness and provide quality service.”

Irvine Police Department Vision:

We will engage with our community through exemplary service and unparalleled professionalism, while employing a staff that reflects the growth and diversity of our community.

We will commit to implementing the latest technology and best practices to meet the demands of modern policing.

We will invest in the success of the men and women of the Irvine Police Department by providing unrivaled opportunities for training, advancement and personal growth.

Irvine Police Department Values:

Integrity – Recognizing right from wrong and the willingness to do what is right, no matter the consequences. Set the example.

Quality Service – Providing the highest level of service to our community.

Accountability – Accepting responsibility for our decisions and actions.

Respect – Valuing human life, having considerate and courteous regard for all persons. We follow, honor and defend the constitution of this country.

Contact Irvine Police Department:

Irvine Police Department, 1 Civic Center Plaza, Irvine, CA 92606-5207

Phone: 949-724-7000

For emergencies or to report a crime in action, call 911.

 

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Join Me for Irvine’s Persian New Year (Nowruz) Celebration!

In Irvine, we love to celebrate our many heritages.  Irvine is home to more than 80 different churches, mosques, synagogues and other places of worship, serving Irvine’s wonderful cultural and religious diversity.

One of our biggest cultural celebrations is the annual Persian New Year (Nowruz) Festival, taking place this year on Sunday, March 25, 2018, from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm at Irvine’s Bill Barber Community Park, sponsored by the Iranian-American Community Group Orange County.

Enjoy Live Performances of Persian Music and Dancing, Persian Food, Tea & Cookies, Backgammon, and Children Activities!

What: Fifth Annual Nowruz (Persian New Year) Festival

When: Sunday, March 25, 2018, 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm

Where: Bill Barber Community Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza
Irvine, CA. 92606

Cost: Free!

You can learn more about the Nowruz Festival here.

نوروز مبارک

Nowruz Mubarak!

See you there!

“I don’t know anyone who has had Persian food and didn’t like it. Seriously.” ― Rick Steves, Guidebook Author and TV host.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Happy Korean American Day!

On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Korean laborers arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields. This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

At our City Council meeting on Tuesday, January 9, we issued a Korean-American Day Proclamation, celebrating “the long and prosperous journey of Korean Americans in the United States” due to their “strong family ties, community support, and hard work.”  Accepting the proclamation on behalf of the Korean American community were a number of Irvine Korean American civic leaders, including my friend and appointee to the Irvine Senior Council, Juneu Kim.

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine has had two Korean American mayors — Sukhee Kang and Dr. Steven Choi (who now represents part of Irvine in the California Assembly).

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities.”

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, arts and cuisine.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, the cousin of a United States Marine who was killed in action in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep connection to Korea and a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our nation.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

Happy Korean American Day!

Councilmember Melissa Fox with her father, Korean War veteran Stan Kay, and other Korean War veterans.

 

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Celebrating Korean American Day!

korea-us-flag

Today, January 13, has been designated by the City of Irvine as Korean American Day.

On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Korean laborers arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields. This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

Korean American Youth Performing Artists mix colorful fans and clothing with graceful dance during the Korean Cultural Festival at Irvine City Hall on Sunday. ///ADDITIONAL INFO: - Photo by MINDY SCHAUER, THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER - shot: 051416 i.0514.koreanfestival Thousands attend the seventh annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, which commemorates Korean immigration to the United States since Jan. 13, 1903.

Korean American youth performing during the Korean Cultural Festival at Irvine City Hall. Photo: Mindy Schauer, OC Register

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, arts and cuisine.

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities,” and has begun planning for the construction of a traditional Korean garden in Col. Bill Barber Park next to Irvine City Hall.

As the daughter of a Korean War combat veteran, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city (including two Korea-born mayors), our state, and our country.

I am proud to live and serve on the City Council in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

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Future Chinese Leaders of America: KUCI Podcast with Oliver Ma and Melissa Fox

FCLA.01
This summer, I had the great pleasure of working with Oliver Ma, a 2015 graduate of Irvine’s University High School and now a history and political science student UC Berkeley, to create a new Irvine non-partisan student group called Future Chinese Leaders of America (FCLA).

Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox speaking at Future Chinese Leaders of America about the Irvine Master Plan

FCLA “seeks to train young Chinese Americans in politics and inform the Chinese American community of the political issues it faces. During meetings, local leaders/elected officials will speak about a topic of their choice. Then, the students will have a discussion/debate where they are encouraged to think critically and to formulate their own arguments about American politics and society.”

In just a few weeks, Oliver and current Irvine Chinese-American high school students Marvin Li, Ted Xiang, Leo Krapp, Michelle Tang, Michelle Liu and others successfully created this extraordinary club through their own initiative and dedication.

My role in the formation of FCLA was encouragement, mentoring, and connecting Oliver to various California Chinese-American political leaders such as State Controller Betty Yee, California Board of Estimate Chair Fiona Ma, and State Treasurer John Chiang, who spoke at an early FCLA meeting.

Oliver and I recently discussed the formation and future vision of the Future Chinese Leaders of America with KUCI’s program “Ask a Leader” with Claudia Shambaugh.

Please listen here.

Our discussion begins at 1:42 and continues to 29:38.

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Remembering the Anniversary of Black April and Honoring Those Who Fled to Freedom

Viet.02
April 30th is the anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.  It is a time to remember and honor our more than 58,000 fallen and missing soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines, our half a million Vietnam War veterans, and a million and a half South Vietnamese allies, as well as our allies from Australia, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand and the Philippines, who fought and died in the pursuit of freedom and democracy.

We must never forget their sacrifice.

Rescued refugees fly the flag of the Republic of Vietnam, 1980.

This anniversary is also a time to recognize and celebrate the tremendous contributions that Vietnamese Americans have made to our nation and to our shared American way of life.

We must also use this anniversary to renew our commitment to ensure that human rights and freedom are one day respected in Vietnam.

Like many people in Orange County, I have been moved to tears by the heartbreaking stories of the suffering of many of my Vietnamese friends and their families — stories of their tremendous struggles and their remarkable strength in coming to this country as refugees in one of the largest mass migrations in modern history.

Viet.01

Honored to stand with our Vietnamese friends and the Vietnamese community at Black April ceremony in Westminster.

We must never forget the incredible hardships they endured and never cease to admire their courageous determination to live in freedom.

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A ‘Photographic Act of Justice’ for Chinese Laborers at Golden Spike: Chinese Citizens, Asian-Americans Honor the 11,000 who Built the Railroad

Chinese-Americans at Golden-Spike, melissafoxblog.com, Melissa Fox, melissajoifox, Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox

by Kristen Moulton, The Salt Lake Tribune, reposted with permission.

In what an organizer called a “photographic act of justice,” some 200 Chinese Americans, Chinese citizens and other Asian American friends posed here Saturday on the 145th anniversary of the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad.

1869-Golden_Spike (1)

They were going for an iconic photo of their own, one to match the “champagne” photograph that has come to symbolize the celebration that day long ago when the Central Pacific from the West and Union Pacific from the East met on the windswept desert north of the Great Salt Lake.

The meeting of the rails on May 10, 1869, after nearly five deadly, costly years, linked together the industrial East and the resource-rich West for the first time. A journey that previously took six months by ox-drawn wagon was reduced to six days. The most famous photograph from that day shows hundreds of railroad employees, executives and other celebrators — but none of the more than 11,000 Chinese workers who laid track over the Sierra Nevada, across the desert and into Utah. The Chinese workers’ contribution, said New York City photographer Corky Lee, is “a neglected and forgotten,” piece of American history.

Saturday’s visit and photograph, he said, “is as an act of photographic justice.” The photographer worked with a Utah-based coalition, the Chinese Transcontinental Railroad Commemoration Project, to bring the group together on Saturday. He had the 200, including visitors from China’s Guandong Province, pose in front of the replica locomotives, as he did when a similar group came to the anniversary celebration in 2002.

The group also walked to Chinese Arch, a limestone span several miles from the Golden Spike National Historic Site’s visitor center.

railroad.chineseworkers.01Two of those participating Saturday, brother and sister Michael and Karen Kwan, in 2005 successfully petitioned the U.S. Board on Geographic Names to change the arch’s name from Chinaman’s Arch. Their great-great-great grandfather worked on the Transcontinental Railroad.

Margaret Yee, whose great-great grandfather was a chef for the Chinese work crews, said she felt the presence of the laborers as she and a New York dancer and actress, Wan Zhao, walked together along the rail.

“We came to pay them respect,” said Yee, a former head of Asian American affairs for two Utah governors. “One-hundred-forty-five years ago, nobody recognized them.”

Zhao, an immigrant from Mongolia, has been immersing herself in the history of the Chinese workers and immigrants, and performed a dance of prayer Saturday on the rails.

It’s a bit of sore spot for some in the Chinese American community that they had never been invited to help reenact the driving of the rails.

Norm Nelson, the president of the Golden Spike Association, said members of the Chinese community have long been involved in other parts of the celebration, including the act of laying a wreath on the rails to remember those who died working on the railroad.

But they have not been invited to re-enact the placement of the last spikes. “They weren’t part of that [original] ceremony,” Nelson, of Perry, said.

Lee, however, notes that women also were not part of the original ceremony, although some were present that day in 1869. He notes there are no women in the iconic champagne photo, although women and children in costume are always included in the re-enactment photos.

On Saturday, after Lee took photos of the Chinese American group, those in period costume were photographed.

And then the two groups and hundreds of other celebration attendees were photographed together.

Ze Min Xiao, the main organizer of Saturday’s visit to Golden Spike, said the coalition wants to steadily increase the number of Asians who participate each year.

It also wants more recognition from political leaders, to create a supplemental curriculum for Utah classrooms, and to archive the oral history stories of Asian Americans.

It’s interesting, she said, that the descendants of the Chinese laborers, who were forced to return to China by American law, later immigrated to the United States.

Karen Kwan, who teaches psychology at Salt Lake Community College and is running for the state House, said the railroad workers’ contributions deserve a more prominent place in Utah’s historical consciousness.

“Utah was built by a great diversity of people. We belong to Utah. Utah belongs to us.”

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Remembering Black April, the Fall of Saigon and Honoring Those Who Fled to Freedom

Black April, Vietnamese boat people, Melissa Fox, Melissa Fox for Irvine, melissafoxblog.comApril 30, 2014, is the 39th anniversary of the Fall of Saigon.  It is a time to remember and honor our more than 58,000 fallen and missing soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines, our half a million Vietnam War veterans, and a million and a half South Vietnamese allies, as well as our allies from Australia, South Korea, Thailand, New Zealand and the Philippines, who fought and died in the pursuit of freedom and democracy.

We will never forget their sacrifice.

Rescued refugees fly the flag of the Republic of Vietnam, 1980.

Today is also a time to recognize and celebrate the tremendous contributions that Vietnamese Americans have made to our nation and to our shared American way of life, and to renew our commitment to ensure that human rights and freedom are one day respected in Vietnam.

Like many people in Orange County, I have heard heartbreaking stories of the suffering of many of my Vietnamese friends and their families, of their tremendous struggles and their remarkable strength in coming to this country as refugees in one of the largest mass migrations in modern history.

We will never forget the incredible hardships they endured and never cease to admire their courageous determination to live in freedom.

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新年快樂 Happy Year of the Horse!

year-of-horse_112036

The Year of the Horse

The Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, which begins on January 31, 2014, is the most important holiday in China, as well as for many people of Chinese origin throughout the world – including the nearly 30,000 people of Chinese heritage living in Irvine.

The Chinese zodiac, the cycle of twelve stations or “signs” along the apparent path of the sun through the cosmos, plays an important part in the calendar, and each new year is marked by the characteristics of one of the 12 animals of the zodiac: the rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, sheep, monkey, rooster, dog and pig.

This year is a Year of the Horse.

A Year of the Horse is considered to be fortunate and filled with luck, as well as a time of adventure and an excellent year for travel.

Those born in the Year of the Horse are said to be extremely confident and independent.

The Chinese New Year holiday was traditionally a time to honor household and heavenly deities as well as ancestors. It was also a time to bring family together for feasting.  Today, the holiday remains a time for family, food, and the celebration of traditional Chinese culture.

My friend Albert Wu, a young Irvine-based violinist, violin teacher, and founder of Irvine Young Concert Artists (IYCA), explains his family’s traditions:

“Get ready for Jan. 31 to welcome the Year of the Horse!  The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday for the Chinese, in which they celebrate family and a new beginning.  The New Year begins on the first day of the first month in the traditional Chinese calendar, which is different from the Western calendar.  Before the holiday arrives, people will completely clean the house in order to get rid of the old and prepare to welcome the new. After the cleaning comes the decorating, and most of the decorations are red in color because that color signifies good luck. The New Year’s Eve meal is the most important meal of the year where families get together for a dinner reunion. They may choose to eat at home, go to a restaurant (which often has to be booked months in advance), or hire a chef to cook at their house. The Chinese New Year lasts for 15 days, during which families often rotate which relative’s house they will eat at.  Fish is normally served at the New Year’s Eve dinner, and dumplings, because fish and dumplings are thought to be good luck and to bring a family prosperity in the New Year.  Wait… Who wants to celebrate with me for next 15 days?”

I do!!

Chinese New Year Events in Irvine this Weekend

chinese school new year horseThis weekend I will be celebrating the Chinese New Year at two special events in Irvine.

First, I will be attending a special “Lunar New Year Celebration”  at the at the Irvine Metrolink  Station, 15215 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618, at 8:00 a.m.

The first 100 people there will receive a free round-trip Metrolink ticket to Los Angeles Union Station (first come, first served) to join Celebrate the Year of the Horse by visiting the 115th Annual Golden Dragon Parade and Festival in Los Angeles’ Chinatown, one of the premier cultural events in southern California.  Enjoy a special Lunar New Year program with traditional Lion Dancers. Bring your family to taste the delicious free refreshments provided by Champagne Bakery and 85° Bakery Cafe.  For a chance to spin the OCTA prize wheel, bring a non-perishable food item to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. After the fun at the Irvine Station, take Metrolink to Los Angeles for the popular Golden Dragon Parade. Train departs from Irvine Station at 9:00 a.m.

I will also be celebrating the Year of the Horse at the “Chinese New Year Exhibition and Performance” at the Irvine Chinese School, located at 9 Truman, Irvine, 92620, on Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 5:30 and 6:30 PM.

This performance has been a tradition for over 35 years. The school lobby will open to the public from 5:30 PM for the exhibition. The performance starts from 6:30 PM.

Here are the details:

What: Lunar New Year Celebration (and chance at a free round-trip to the Golden Dragon Parade in LA’s Chinatown
Where: Irvine Metrolink Station, 15215 Barranca Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618
When: Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 8:00 AM
Info: 714-560-6282.

What: Chinese New Year Exhibition and Performance
Where: Irvine Chinese School, 9 Truman, Irvine 92620
When: Saturday, February 1, 2014, at 5:30 PM (Exhibition) and 6:30 PM (Performance)
Info: For tickets, contact Rachel@sccca.us or call 949-554-6868 ex.502

新年快樂

Happy New Year!

 

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Celebrating Korean Americans!

On January 13, 1903, a group of 102 Korean laborers arrived in Honolulu from Japan aboard the steamship RMS Gaelic to work in the Hawaiian sugar cane fields. This date is traditionally regarded as marking the first Korean immigration to the United States and celebrated as Korean American Day — although several individual Koreans had immigrated to the United States earlier, including Philip Jaisohn (Seo Jae-pil), a journalist and medical doctor and a noted champion for Korea’s independence, who in 1890 became the first Korean to become a naturalized U.S. citizen.

From these humble beginnings, a large and vibrant Korean American community has grown, now numbering nearly 2 million people of Korean descent in the United States, including nearly half a million people in California.

Irvine is proud to celebrate our thriving Korean American community each year in our annual Irvine Korean Cultural Festival, designed to share Korean culture with the entire community by showcasing its customs, heritage, arts and cuisine.

Our city has adopted the South Korean city of Seocho-gu as one of Irvine’s four “Sister Cities,” and has begun planning for the construction of a traditional Korean garden in Col. Bill Barber Park next to Irvine City Hall.

As the daughter of a Korean War veteran, and as a resident of Irvine, I feel a deep appreciation for the vital contributions that Korean Americans have made to our city, our state, and our country.

I am proud to live in a city that celebrates and treasures our Korean American community and I join my Korean American friends and neighbors in celebrating Korean American contributions to our shared American heritage and way of life.

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Irvine Chinese School Hosts Inspiring “Immigrants Building America”

immigrants building america

I recently had the honor of presenting a Certificate of Recognition to the Irvine Chinese School and the South Coast Chinese Cultural Association on behalf of the City of Irvine on the occasion of the grand opening of the powerful new photographic exhibit “Immigrants Building America,” a traveling exhibit from the American Institute in Taiwan that features stories and photos of how immigrants from Taiwan and China have contributed to the United States and tells the “moving and inspiring stories of people journeying to a new country, struggling to establish themselves, and contributing their intelligence and hard work to create the vibrant America that we know today.”

The exhibit covers the time period from the mid-19th Century  – when consecutive years of drought in China coupled with the discovery of gold in California led thousands of Chinese workers to travel across the oceans to work in the gold mines, and then in the construction of the railroads, in the American West – to the years of discrimination, hardship, and expulsion under the Chinese Exclusion Act from the 1880s to the early 1940s – to the present, when Chinese Americans are celebrated for their accomplishments and contributions across numerous fields, including journalism, sports, politics, medicine, music, film, architecture, and science.

Among the Chinese Americans featured in the exhibit are Samuel C. C. Ting (Nobel Prize in Physics, 1976), Steve Chu (Nobel Prize in Physics, 1997), Roger Yonchien Tsien (Nobel Prize in Chemistry, 2008), Anna May Wong (first Chinese American movie star and outspoken advocate for Chinese American causes), I. M. Pei (Chinese American architect often called the master of modern architecture), Ang Lee (Academy Award, Best Director, 2005 and 2012), Elaine L. Chao (U.S. Secretary of Labor, 2001-2009), Judy Chu (b. 1953, first Chinese American woman ever elected to the U.S. Congress), Yo Yo Ma (b. 1955, Grammy Award winning cellist), Maya Lin (b. 1959, designer of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.), Michelle Kwan (b. 1980, Olympic and World Champion figure skater), Jason Wu (b. 1982, fashion designer), and Jeremy Lin (b. 1988, outstanding college and NBA basketball star).

Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox awarding Certificate of Recognition to Irvine Chinese School

Irvine Commissioner Melissa Fox awarding Certificate of Recognition to Irvine Chinese School

I also had the pleasure of discussing the exhibit – and the crucial role that cultural diversity and immigrant communities have played in the success of Irvine – with the principal of the Irvine Chinese School, Yulan Chung, and the president of the Irvine Chinese School’s Board of Directors, Albert Tseng. The Irvine Chinese School is truly an Irvine treasure.  Founded in 1976, the mission of the Irvine Chinese School is to promote Chinese language learning, preserve Chinese heritage, enhance the understanding of the values of Chinese culture, and to advocate for Cultural diversity in America.  Located in the beautiful new South Coast Chinese Cultural Center in Irvine, the Irvine Chinese School is largest Chinese school in Southern California, with more than a thousand students enrolled in classes ranging from traditional Chinese phonetics, writing, grammar and conversation, to Chinese customs, folklore, painting, calligraphy, performing arts and other aspect of Chinese culture.

Visit “Immigrants Building America” and experience the struggles and triumphs of Chinese immigrants in America and learn about the many contributions of Chinese Americans to building the ongoing and still-unfolding American Dream.  “Immigrants Building America” speaks to every immigrant community and every American.

What: “Immigrants Building America” – Traveling exhibit featuring stories and photos of how immigrants from Taiwan and China have contributed to the growth of the United States.
Where: Irvine Chinese School at South Coast Chinese Cultural Center, 9 Truman, Irvine CA
When: November 2 though December 30, 2013
More information: (949) 559-6868

Click here for an NTDTV.com news report (in Chinese) about the exhibit and the opening ceremonies.