In wake of Lunar New Year shooting, SFCAUSE SF Lunar New Year parade float to celebrate nation’s diversity
“We All Belong” Float Hopes to Unify City
San Francisco, California – As the Lunar New Year Calendar turns to celebrate the year of the Rabbit, a gentle symbol of prosperity and kindness, SFCAUSE, a San Francisco based non-profit that promotes unity and community safety, has entered a first of its kind float in the San Francisco Lunar New Year Parade. SFCAUSE’s float is aptly named, “We All Belong” and the float’s artistry is based on an original score by composer Joel Wong. The float’s theme celebrates our Nation’s strength through our great diversity. “It is the thrill of a lifetime to have this original score inspire SFCAUSE’s unity float,” stated Wong. “Never in my lifetime would I have thought the immigrant story would be celebrated in this way. It’s truly humbling,” Wong continued.
This Float really is unlike many in the parade. Members of the BIPOC and LGBTQ+ community, as well as Jewish community leaders will walk alongside the float in solidarity to celebrate unity. Christine Linnenbach, SFCAUSE Communications Director noted, “At this unprecedented time in our Nation’s history, SFCAUSE is leading the way to unite all San Franciscans to build bridges as we work collectively to combat racism, hate, and violence throughout the City.” Linnenbach continued, “It’s an honor and privilege to have so many leaders from the community be part of the SFCAUSE float contingent and support the Yellow Whistle Campaign to combat anti-Asian violence.”
A team of San Francisco civic leaders, including Jeffrey Lee, President of the SF Wah Ying Social Club designed the float. Lee explained, “The Float’s lucky rabbits represent immigrants who walked, sailed, or flew to America. The float has a North Star and other celestial bodies that served as guiding lights toward “freedom” and important symbols in most cultures. We really put incredible thought into the float to make sure we told a comprehensive story that respected the community, Lee continued. Lunar New Year is celebrated by 3 billion people around the globe; this float tries to reflect that. We included imported, handmade Vietnamese lanterns that were selected for this float and designed to include all the colors of the rainbow. It really is a work of art.” Lee explained.
Dennis Wu, SFCAUSE’s Chair and a key leader of the float design team opined that the Golden Gate Bridge symbolizes the West Coast’s gateway of “good fortune” and the Statue of Liberty’s words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” poignantly remind us that San Francisco, a sanctuary City is home to the American dream. “The Nation’s strength really lies in our great diversity,” Wu stated, and we are proud of the story our float and the contingent tells.
Joel Wong, reflected after the recent horrific shootings in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, that the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit has dawned in a sky full of dark clouds.” Wong hopes the float’s rainbow colors and bright lights serve as the calm after the storm and his song reminds everyone, “We All Belong.”
