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Transcript/Script((PLAYBOOK SLUG: CALIFORNIA CHINATOWN PARADE
HEADLINE: Lunar New Year Celebrations Proceed with Mixed Emotions
TEASER: 124th Golden Dragon Parade took place in Los Angeles just over a week after the Monterey Park shooting
PUBLISHED AT: Monday, 01/30/2023 at 05:03 EST
BYLINE: Genia Dulot
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Los Angeles
VIDEOGRAPHER: Genia Dulot
PRODUCER: Genia Dulot
SCRIPT EDITORS: MPage, Mia Bush
VIDEO SOURCES: VOA, AFP, AP
PLATFORMS: WEB __ TV X RADIO _X_
TRT: 3:15
VID APPROVED BY: pcd
TYPE: TVPKG
EDITOR NOTES: Mandarin actualities available))
((INTRO))
[[Chinatown in Los Angeles held the 124th historical Golden Dragon Parade in celebration of the Lunar New Year Saturday. The event wasn’t canceled despite the attack on a ballroom dance hall just over a week ago in Monterey Park, where a gunman killed 11 people. Genia Dulot reports.]]
((NARRATOR))
A Lion dance, opening the 124th Golden Dragon Parade in Chinatown for the Lunar New Year celebrations, has been a signature performance for the event for decades. The Immortals are a renowned lion dance team established in the 1960s. Most of Saturday's dancers are American-born descendants of the first members of that group. They say this year’s celebration is mixed with a lot of sadness.
((Radio only: Elaine Ha is a member of the Immortals lion dance team...))
((Elaine Ha, Immortals Lion Dance Team))
“It’s a very, very unfortunate incident, many lives were lost, and it could’ve been prevented, never have I imagined that something like that would happen in our hometown, since we are based in Monterey Park, it was actually a couple blocks away from where we are located, it was very disheartening to hear about the incident that happened, especially so close to Lunar New Year’s time, when it is supposed to be a time for celebration and happiness.”
((NARRATOR))
On January 21st, in the nearby community of Monterey Park, a 72-year-old gunman, Huu Can Tran, opened fire and killed 11 people at a local dance studio. Tran died of a self-inflicted gunshot a day later.
((Radio only: U.S. Representative Judy Chu of California...))
((Rep. Judy Chu, California ))
“It’s not an API [[Asian and Pacific Islanders]] hate crime, as I originally thought it might be. But it doesn’t make it any less horrific. The tragedy is just as enormous.”
((NARRATOR))
Yaya Wang, who attended Saturday’s parade, wore a modern version of the Hanfu -- traditional clothing of the Chinese Han ethnic group. She says she knew some of the victims of the shooting.
((Yaya Wang, Parade Attendee))
“It’s just terrible what happened, it really brings to light how mental health is such an important issue, and how it needs to be better addressed, it needs to have better access to, so people have a place to, in a way, not to reach that breaking point, so no lives are needlessly lost.”
((NARRATOR))
The organizers of the parade considered canceling the event, but ultimately decided against it.
((Radio only: Again, Representative Judy Chu ...))
((Rep. Judy Chu, California))
“More than ever, we should continue with these celebrations. It is so important for us to get out and to be able to celebrate normally. We cannot let this shooter stop us from living life. We have to be able to get through this, and we have to be able to get through this together.”
((NARRATOR))
Gia Yu, who emigrated from China 10 years ago and was a vendor at the Lunar New Year celebration in Monterey Park before the shooting, says she is glad the celebration continued.
((Gia Yu, Forbidden Boutique))
“This is how we prove that [the] community is still safe, and police and the others are still protecting us. You can see, the market is still busy, and everyone come out to enjoy the event.”
((NARRATOR))
The first Golden Dragon Parade in Los Angeles took place in 1894 with a Chinese population of just under 3,000. Today, Los Angeles County has nearly 1.5 million Asian Americans residents, of which a half-million are Chinese American. For many, the tragedy in Monterey Park feels very personal.
((Genia Dulot for VOA News, Los Angeles.))
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)Los Angeles
BylineGenia Dulot
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
