BREANNA HANLEY/THE EXPRESS Pictured from left are Vice-Chair, Amber Concepcion; Chairman, Mark Higgins; Vicki Fong; Nalini Krishnankutty; and Commissioner Steven Dershem.

BELLEFONTE — The Centre County Board of Commissioners has adopted a proclamation for Lunar New Year.

During this week’s board meeting, Nalini Krishnankutty and Vicki Fong, founding members of the PanAPIDA Circle, were in attendance to speak about the celebration, which began on Jan. 22, and to also thank the commissioners on behalf of not only the community but also the PanAPIDA Circle.

The PanAPIDA Circle is a local community group created to stand up to anti-Asian hate. They aim to celebrate and elevate APIDA voices in Centre County while advocating inclusion and creating a sense of belonging.

The proclamation served to not only recognize county residents who are part of the Asian-Pacific Islander Desi American community and celebrate the Lunar New Year, but also embrace the celebration as a whole as a Centre County experience.

One of the initiatives PanAPIDA Circle has done is create “How to Report Hate/Bias to Police” cards which are postcards anyone can print that contains information about how to report hate or bias incidents in Centre County. These cards, with the help of State College Borough, will be translated into the 10 most commonly used languages: Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Arabic, Korean, Russian, French, Vietnamese, Malay and Hindi.

These cards can be found at https://www.communitydiversitygroup.org/report-hatebias

Krishnankutty offered her thanks to the Commissioners, “I want to thank you for issuing this proclamation. (Lunar New Year) is celebrated by many people of Asian origin, from many different countries.”

“You are declaring that Lunar New Year is a Centre County tradition — which it is — because it’s celebrated by many residents who have made this (area) their home either because they immigrated here or they were born here,” Krishnankutty said.

Fong gave her perspective on the way Centre County has offered inclusivity and embraced diversity.

“Growing up in Pottstown, I have felt always part of the community but always not seen. Now, with these kinds of proclamations — not just the holiday — it’s an understanding that your citizens, your policymakers, we include your input,” said Fong.

“My father always said in China, if another village started something, your village jumped in,” Fong said, emotional as she recalls the devastation from the shooting that took place during a Lunar New Year celebration in California. “Given the events of this last weekend, it’s good to know that Centre County is our village. We appreciate it very much.”

“It’s great to have you and all of the other APIDA citizens here in Centre County… We always enjoy the diversity of culture,” said Chairman Mark Higgins.

Vice-Chair Amber Concepcion thanked both of them for speaking, connecting with their message of community and celebration of culture.

“My husband and children are of Pacific Islander Heritage and we’ve always found Centre County to be such a welcoming place for our family as well. I think it just brings so much joy to our community to have celebrations from all of the cultures that make up our communities,” Concepcion said, “Thank you for being here and sharing with us some of the work that you’re doing.”

Commissioner Steven Dershem echoed those sentiments, appreciating the diversity of cultures in Centre County. He also was enthusiastic to learn, asking Fong and Krishnankutty to “tell us a little more about Lunar New Year. What are the celebrations?”

The board was excited to learn more about the celebration from Fong and Krishnankutty, listening raptly as Fong explained the symbolism behind the year of the rabbit and what the celebration meant to her and her family.

Fong explained the symbolism of the rabbit — how it was based on who was the fastest to get to the God, “Like any mythology and custom, it’s for a culture to attribute beliefs and make sense of the world.”

She explained the festival itself as well. To her, she said, the Lunar Festival was family.

“If you ever tried to do business during that time, you’ll never reach anybody because you get on the train and plane, and you go home and you see your family. You go to the cemetery to honor your ancestors. And it’s the one time there’s no excuse,” she said.

“The foods, think about the history of struggles, poverty and famine, if you eat a whole fish it’s prosperity. Noodles are for long life and oranges represent gold and money. It is to celebrate life and gather strength to face the fortunes that lie ahead,” said Fong.

The 10-day festival began on Lunar New Year, Jan. 22, and will continue to be celebrated by the whole community for days to come.

“The relationship we have with all of you is so special,” said Krishnankutty, “In January, your office reached out to us about issuing this proclamation. That’s not usual. Sometimes we have to reach out — you reaching out was so special.”

Krishnankutty also spoke on the fact that the board has been committed to diversity, “It was a couple of years ago that Judge Hahn and I approached this board — when we were serving on the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian-Pacific American Affairs — in the midst of anti-Asian hate. We reached out to you in 2021 and requested a proclamation for Asian-Pacific Heritage Month… One of the things you said was: ‘You don’t have to come again, we’re going to do this from now on.’ You have kept that commitment.”