Paraprofessional Monique Watts-Harouna (center), Chapter Leader Faiza Khalid (left) and teacher Himilce Guijarro, all of PS 36 in Manhattan, share a social media moment.
Before 2020, teacher Faiza Khalid took her students from PS 36 in Manhattan to Chinatown for a Lunar New Year experience, of some sort, every year. The COVID-19 pandemic put those trips on hold. This year, on March 10, Khalid, the school’s chapter leader, and six of her colleagues attended the UFT Asian-American Heritage Committee’s Lunar New Year Banquet at House of Joy restaurant in Chinatown. The capacity crowd marked the Year of the Rabbit with a feast and a lion dance featuring students from PS 124 in Manhattan. “It was a great opportunity to engage my members in this cultural experience,” Khalid said. The event also provided members and guests with “a reminder that Asian-American history is a significant part of the UFT and its history,” said Seung Lee, the committee chair. Attendees also received curriculum resources highlighting the contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.
Lunar New Year Banquet 2023
