20+ AAPI orgs ask Newsom to make Lunar New Year a holiday

Los Angeles, CA – This morning, over 20 Asian American organizations sent a letter to Gov. Newsom asking him to make California the first state to recognize an Asian holiday – Lunar New Year. There are just seven days left for him to sign the bill.

Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Asian Americans make up 15.4% of CA’s population – and AAPIs are the fastest growing racial group. Amid the surge in anti-Asian hate, making Lunar New Year a holiday would be more than just symbolic; it would recognize how Asian Americans are part of American culture.

As the state with the largest Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) population, California has the opportunity to be the leader in addressing hate and fostering AANHPI belonging. Establishing a state holiday to recognize the contributions and history of the AANHPI community would be monumental for millions of AANHPIs