克利夫兰及周边地区消息

2024 Asian Heritage Day

   Certificate of Appreciation were given to each member of the Asian Advisory Board City of Cleveland. Lastly a proclamation was presented to the Zhang sisters in recognition of their volunteer service to the City of Cleveland over the years.
The Proclamation stated:
In recognition of Zhang Sisters
   Where as, on behalf of the citizens of the City of Cleveland, I am honored to offer this Proclamation in recognition of the Zhang sisters; and,
   Where as, Connie, Angie and Amy Zhang are three sisters trained in Chinese Classical & Folk dance and acrobatic dances who have been performing since they were young girls in China. Once the Zhang sisters became top professional dancers, they were sent to present acrobatic Chinese Classical dances on the global stage during world tours. In 2000, they decided to leave their dance troupe and emigrate to Cleveland, Ohio; and,
   Where as, initially, Zhang sisters taught free dance classes to students in Chinese schools in Cleveland’s Chinatown while Connie Zhang started her small business with a single counter inside Asia Plaza. By 2010, she was able to open The Sister’s Gift Shop offering unique, imported items from China; and,
   Where as, over the decades, Connie, Angie and Amy performed their unique acrobatic Chinese dances and shared their talents and culture with Clevelanders across the city. The Zhang sisters generously performed at various events including Women History month celebrations, Asian Heritage Day in City Hall. They routinely supported the city in other events by having their students perform both at East and West side venues; and,
   Where as, Connie, Angie and Amy also started their Lingyun Rising Start Gymnastics Dance School in 2007. In addition to sharing their passion and talent with their students, they teach character-building values such as respect, perseverance, and cooperation. In 2015, the Zhang sisters founded their own non-profit organization, Stellar Acrobatic Dance Academy with the mission to provide an excellent cultural dance education for children from low-income families. Some students are attending classes for free because Zhang sisters want to stay true to their mission. Connie, Angie and Amy use their highest quality dance training as a way to support their students’ artistic, academic and moral growth and help them become productive citizens. The Zhang sisters want all children to have access to the joy of dancing. They want their students to spread that joy to all audiences throughout the Greater Cleveland community; and,
   Where as, as a result, students from both dance schools have been competing nationally and internationally annually. The dancers even made it to America’s Got Talent semi-finalists one year. The teachers and students are constantly striving to excel and improve their dance skills and choreography. Within the last two years, both dance schools have garnered Gold and First Place Awards for original choreography and exceptional technique, underscoring their unwavering dedication to artistic excellence.
   Now therefore, I, Justin M. Bibb, the 58thMayor of the City of Cleveland, do hereby offer this Proclamation thanking the Zhang sisters for their continued support and for performing for Asian Heritage Day in the City of Cleveland.
   In witness thereof, I have set my hand and caused the Corporate Seal of the City of Cleveland to be affixed on this 1stday of May in the year 2024.

Mayor Justin M. Bibb
   Katy Lee, the first Asian of Northern Ohio Administrative Assistant from Social Security Administration, was the Keynote Speaker. Lee shared her personal story of how her family immigrated from Taiwan when she was a child. Lee begun her career as an engineer, followed by working for the Peace Corp. in Tanzania before Lee found the “right-fit” at the Social Security Administration office because this job gave her not only a purpose in life, but also a mission of serving people, especially those in the under-served communities. Lee is in charge of 29 field offices in Ohio, of which nine are in Cleveland. The Social Security Administration Office have materials in Arabic, Chinese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese languages. However, other languages are also available upon request.

   The evening was filled with performance after performance of beautiful dancing from Zhang sisters’ students from both the Ling Yun Rising Star and Stellar Acrobatic Dance Academy. The dances were:
1.漢唐舞:《清風麗影》 Dance of Han and Tang Dynasties: "Beautiful Dancer in the Breeze"
2.古典舞:《書香》Classical dance: "Scent of Books"
3.傣族舞:《孔雀》Dai Dance: "Peacock"
4.古典舞:《桃花源》Classical dance: "Peach Blossom Spring"
5.古典舞:《絲路樂影》Classical dance: "Silk Road Beautiful Music Dancer"
6.古典舞:《綵綢舞》Classical dance: "Colored Silk Dance"
7.古典舞:《琵琶仙子》Classical dance: "Pipa Fairy"
8.民族舞:《薩吾爾》Folk dance: "Sawur"
9.古典舞:《鳳飛枝頭》Classical dance: "Phoenix Flying to the Branches"
10.古典舞:《絲路鼓韻》Classical dance: "Silk Road Drum Rhythm"
11.回族舞:《月亮的女兒》Hui Dance: "Daughter of the Moon"
   The audience were awe struck be the beauty and the grace of the classical Chinese dances, including some folk dances that are not commonly seen anywhere. Many guests were busy recording the dances on their cellphones. Everyone had a memorable evening.

    5月1日,在克利夫蘭市政府隆重舉行了亞太裔傳統節日,市政府給予服務亞裔社區,美華協會多Lisa Wong ,亞洲節創始人多Johnny Wu 伊利華報浦瑛,還有其它亞裔社團和個人奬狀和奬牌,鼓勵大家再接再厲服務社區。
   當日對來自克利夫蘭三姐妹的舞蹈學校爲大家表演的精彩節目,他們也得到克利夫蘭市長Justin Morris Bibb 特別奬牌。
   每年的5月是亞太裔美國人傳統月! 由美國國會在20世紀90年代設立,亞太裔美國人傳統月強調了美國的亞洲或太平洋島民後裔的故事。這包括來自亞洲大陸和南太平洋島嶼的人,包括夏威夷、美屬薩摩亞、密克羅尼西亞聯邦群島、關島等等。