Asian Avenue Lunar New Year Dinner Program Book 2023

Lunar New Year Celebration

partnership with Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network

THANK YOU

Tonight’s Table Sponsors

Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver

2023 - Year of the Rabbit / Cat

This year, Lunar New Year begins on January 22, 2023 and ends on February 9, 2024. The Rabbit is a symbol of prosperity and peace, and it’s expected that all of the animal signs will have a “hopeful” year in 2023.

See Asian Avenue’s January 2023 issue to learn about your Chinese zodiac sign’s fortune in the Year of the Water Rabbit!

Handcrafted Chocolate Bonbons from Colorado Cocoa Pod are available tonight! Get a special box of Rabbit or Zodiac Animal bon bons! Meet the talented chocolatier Liane Pensack-Rinehart!

Sherry Cree, Realtor

PROGRAM

Silent Auction | Cash Bar | Networking

Chinese Calligraphy

Calligrapher Mr. Qiwu Huang

Welcome to the 2023 Lunar New Year Celebration

• Dao Than, Mistress of Ceremonies

• Mike Johnston, former State Senator and CEO of Gary Community Ventures

• Alejandra Garza, District Director for Congressman Jason Crow

Dragon and Lion Dance

Guiding Mountain Dragon & Lion Dance Association

Greetings

• Bill S.C. Huang, Director General of Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in Denver

• Congressman Ken Buck, U.S. Representative

Commendation

Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod

Family-Style Banquet Dinner

Tai Chi Sword Demonstration

Mr. Qiwu Huang

Lunar New Year Well Wishes

Christina Yutai Guo, Publisher of Asian Avenue Magazine

Cultural Performances

• K-POP Dance - Royals Dance Team

• Vietnamese Dance - Judy Tran

Silent Auction Closes (7:45PM)

Giveaways and Red Envelopes for Children

Menu Peking Duck Appetizer Platter Seafood Tofu Soup Steamed Whole Fish Two Lobsters with Noodles Sizzling Black Pepper Beef Walnut Shrimp w/Mayo Mushroom w/Vegetables

Chicken Oranges for good luck and wealth Thank you to Empress Seafood Restaurant!

WELCOME LETTER

Let’s welcome 2023!

In the Year of the Rabbit/Cat, I will be welcoming my third child into the world! In Chinese culture, the Rabbit is a symbol of longevity and peace— ha, here’s to more peace in my life with three young children! Our family is looking forward to the new season of growth as we begin the newborn stage again.

Seventeen years ago, I was fresh out of college with a journalism degree and a mother who had a vision for a publication that could elevate and unite our Asian communities in Denver. Together, we co-founded Asian Avenue magazine in the back of her retail store and brought copies to the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival in July 2006. 200+ editions later, we have printed every single month since then!

Having grown up in Denver, I have been an active community member for three decades now. This year, I reflect upon how much I have grown with all of you — literally from childhood into motherhood — and how this community has lifted me up, especially during those most difficult times. I am grateful for so many of you, who have supported Asian Avenue and CACEN, and have gotten us this far!

I wish you and your loved ones happiness and PEACE in this new year! Thank you for being here to celebrate the start of 2023 with us!

Guo VanDan | President, Asian Avenue Magazine Executive Director, Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network

Mistress of Ceremonies

Dao Than is a student at Metro State University pursuing a Master’s of Social Work. She aspires to work with Colorado’s Asian American youth once she graduates. Her passion for this demographic stemmed from her previous work with the Asian Pacific Development Center’s Youth Leadership Program, participation in the Miss Asian American Colorado Leadership Program, involvement in the Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center, and her internship at College Track Aurora.

Annie

Guiding Mountain Dragon & Lion Dance Association

is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to sharing the cultural art and sport of Dragon & Lion Dancing. Located in Denver, their team consists of members from the age of 12+ and meets throughout the week for practices. Their goal is to help our members grow to perform at a competitive level, while also teaching them the cultural significance of the art and empowering them to share it with the community.

Mr. Qiwu Huang (Calligraphy

& Tai Chi)

Qiwu Huang, from Guangxi, China, is 83 years old and has lived in Denver since 2006. He has been a calligrapher since his childhood and has been drawing famous ancient monuments and posters for a long time. Over the years, he has explored the fusion of steles and posters in the area of Xiao Kai. He has participated in various exhibitions in China and won many awards. At his age, he still enjoys writing. He is now the director of the Rocky Mountain Chinese Calligraphy Association. In 2001, he started learning tai chi and sword from the Guangxi Sports Committee. For more than 20 years, he has been practicing tai chi with his fists and swords. In 2005, he won the first prize of group Tai Chi in Guangxi Nanning Taijiquan Competition for the Elderly.

Royals Dance Team

Connect with them on social at @royals

Royals is a dance team established in 2018 consist 16-19 members from different age groups, racial backgrounds, and dance styles. The team has performed to KPOP, hip-hop, and VPOP. Royals also hold k-kardio and dance classes in Colorado. Tonight, they will perform to a KPOP mix of BTS and Pixy. Dance along with them if you know the dance! They will be performing at the Far East Center’s Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Celebration on Jan 28 and 29.

Judy Tran

ON THE STAGE

Connect with her on YouTube and Instagram at @tran_judy

Judy Tran is a Youth Leader and a dance choreographer for Vietnamese traditional dances at GDPT Nguyen Thieu Buddhist Youth Group since 2006. Tonight, she will be performing solo to a fan dance called Cô Tấm Ngày Nay. This song is about a modern woman living in city life and finding herself reminiscing the simple days of her childhood in the country side. Judy hopes showcasing this dance will give the audience joy and excitement. She will be performing at the Far East Center’s Year of the Rabbit Lunar New Year Celebration on Jan 28 and 29.

TONIGHT’S ORGANIZERS

Asian Avenue Magazine (AAM) is a monthly print publication founded in 2006 by Christina Yutai Guo and Annie Guo VanDan. The first issue of the magazine featured the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival and was distributed at the festival in July 2006.

In 2009, the mother-daughter duo founded Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN), a 501c3 organization, in order to better serve Colorado’s Asian Pacific Islander community.

A few years later, Christina established Rocky Mountain Chinese Weekly and Colorado Chinese Radio Network to provide news and information to Colorado’s Chinese community (the largest of all Asian ethnic populations). The three media groups (AAM, RMCW, and CCRN) now operate under Mile High Asian Media and work closely with CACEN on events and programming.

In 2023, CACEN will be working with Kasih Initiative to create a new strategic plan. Projects will include the development of an Asian American community center, youth leadership programs, and community building initiatives. We look forward to seeing you at our events and programs, especially in May, as we celebrate this year’s Asian American Hero of Colorado award recipients! Nominations for the award will be available in February. Awardees will be featured in the May 2023 edition of Asian Avenue Magazine.

Christina Yutai Guo in 2007

Meeting with US Senators in 2022

MLK Jr. Business Award in 2021

SILENT AUCTION

Restaurants / Desserts / Drinks

Comrade Brewing

Denver Poke Company

Empress Seafood Restaurant

Flemings Steakhouse

Happy Lemon

Kokoro Restaurants

Milk Roll Creamery

No Ke Aloha

Pearl of Siam

Shin Myung Gwan BBQ

Snowl Cafe

Tea Street

The Korean BBQ Chef (Private Chef) Ti Cafe

Shows/Tickets/Other

Museum of Contemporary Art

Newman Center of Performing Arts

Nona Lim Foods (Asian Broths)

Omson (Sauce Kits)

The Lume Colorado (Dali Alive)

Vita Brevis Fine Art (Portrait Session)

Items You Can Take Home Tonight!

Andrea Wang (Author)

Aveda (Body Products)

Banh & Butter Cafe (Gift Basket)

Bernice Choo (Jeweler)

Christina Ifurung (Gift Basket)

Colorado Cocoa Pod (Bon Bons)

Guiding Mountain Lion Dance (Plushie)

HK CO Shop (Knitted Hats)

Businesses

Chinese Language School (Show)

CO Dragon Film Festival

Ellen Akiona (Leis)

Grand Z Casino Hotel (Hotel Stay)

Insight Colab Theatre (Show)

Miller Farms (Veggies/Fruits)

Jade Mountain Brewery (Gift Basket)

Oskar Blues (Seltzers)

Priscilla Rahn (Gift Basket)

Sakura Foundation (Gift Bag)

Tran Wills (Gift Box)

Truong An Gifts (Tea Sets)

Thank you to these businesses for their generous donations!

Visit the silent auction tables to place your bids! For any item, you can pay its value to win it instantly! Bring the bid sheet to the checkout table to pay. No more bidding will take place and the item is yours!

Silent auction proceeds go toward supporting Asian Avenue and Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network. Checks can be made to: CACEN or Venmo to @cacendenver.

Upcoming Lunar New Year Celebrations

Celebrate Chinese New Year at Southridge with Great Wall Chinese Academy on January 21st! 4800 McArthur Ranch Road,Highlands Ranch, CO.