Lunar New Year Brings Together Family, Food and Storytelling

In honor of Lunar New Year, the SEC’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Committee hosted the 2022 Lunar New Year Celebration, a virtual event featuring cultural storytelling by Tracey Nguyen Mang, founder and chief storyteller of the Vietnamese Boat People podcast; Beatriz Aurelio-Saguin and Christy Innouvong-Thornton, co-founders of Tuk Tuk Box; and Ly Nguyen, creator of Cooking Off the Cuff.

Lunar New Year is based on the lunar calendar and is widely celebrated in many Asian countries, including China, South Korea and Vietnam. The panelists started with a brief history of the holiday, explaining that family and food are at the heart of cultural storytelling, and of Lunar New Year, too. While each culture celebrates the holiday a little differently with their own traditions, what most have in common is the family gatherings, storytelling and a celebration that centers around food.

The panelists shared their experiences with Lunar New Year and some of their favorite dishes their families often prepared during the holiday. Nguyen shared her recipe and a snappy one-minute video for making egg rolls. Nguyen Mang echoed Nguyen on the prominence of egg rolls during big celebrations, and said many Asian cultures have their own version of the popular deep-fried appetizer. Aurelio-Saguin and Innouvong-Thornton presented their website, which includes stories and recipes from family and friends.

Following the presentation, the panelists did a Q&A with the audience, which included questions about their cultural experiences, traditions, and links to recipes.

The event was not only a celebration of Lunar New Year, but a celebration of many stories and the people behind them.

Lunar New Year is based on the lunar calendar and is widely celebrated in many Asian countries.

Egg rolls are a popular deep-fried appetizer in many Asian cultures.

Dumplings are often eaten during the Lunar New Year because they symbolize fortune and prosperity.