Asian Avenue Lunar New Year Dinner Program Book

2022 Year of the Tiger

in partnership with Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network presents the

13th annual

Lunar New Year Celebration January 28, 2022

THANK YOU Tonight’s Table Sponsors

Sherry Cree, Realtor

Toast & Butter Consulting

Asian Avenue Staff & Volunteers Chun Guo Christina Yutai Guo Linda Le Mary Jeneverre Schultz Annie Guo VanDan Xuan Jason Zhang Lijin Jessie Zhao

Community Supporters

Alice Choi Chea Franz, Indie Creative Co. Mimi Luong, Truong An Gifts Tai Hunt, Locally Hyped Matt Jung, Dead Veggies

PROGRAM

Silent Auction | Cash Bar | Networking Chinese Calligraphy Calligrapher Qiao Hu Dragon and Lion Dance Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center Welcome by Master of Ceremonies Dao Than Commendation State Senator Julie Gonzales RTD Board Member and Former State Representative Paul Rosenthal

Menu

Community Speakers Neal Walia, Candidate for US Congress (CD-1) Tai Hunt, Locally Hyped & Matt Jung, Dead Veggies

Steamed Whole Fish

Chinese Celebration Banquet Dinner Reflecting on 15 Years of Asian Avenue Annie Guo VanDan, President of Asian Avenue magazine Music/Vocal Performance Sri Bangaru Silent Auction Closes (7:45PM) Prize Giveaways

Peking Duck Seafood Soup Two Lobsters with Noodles Sizzling Black Pepper Beef Walnut Shrimp Sesame Chicken Mushroom w/Vegetables Empress Special Fried Crispy Chicken Oranges (for wealth/good luck)

Thank you to Empress Seafood Restaurant!

WELCOME LETTER

Hello 2022!

Like all of you, I am looking forward to hitting the reset button on this past year (and the one before it). 2021 was the Year of the Ox, which is my Chinese zodiac animal. It was believed that I would have a more difficult year which proved to be true in some aspects, so I am more than happy to welcome the new year of the Tiger.

Goodbye Ox, we will see you in 2033!

Asian Avenue magazine has been working tirelessly to keep our doors open as we continue to feel the pinch of increased costs for paper, gas, and other expenses. Because the magazine is a free publication, it relies on the support of advertisers and fundraising events like the one tonight. We are grateful that you are here.

We have been elevating the stories of Denver’s Asian community since 2006. In 2021, we were deeply honored to receive the Martin Luther King Jr. Business Award. As we embark on our 16th year, we know that our service would not be possible without the support and encouragement of our Colorado community. Thank you for your knowledge, your optimism, and most importantly, your friendships after all of these years! Happy Lunar New Year!

Annie Guo VanDan | President, Asian Avenue Magazine

Colorado Asian Cultural Heritage Center is a nonprofit organization with a mission to preserve the culture and traditions of the Asian community, and to teach young Asian children about their heritage through lion dance and more. They are always accepting new members from all backgrounds, ages 8+. See their 2022 performance schedule on Facebook @CACHCdragonlion.

extensive training in American classical music and musical theater. She grew up in Boulder, Colo. which does not have a large immigrant population, which inspired her to train in both Indian and American classical music. As a vocalist, Sridevi’s passion is singing pop and rock covers from the 80s until now. She has won numerous talent competitions, including The Children’s Hospital Talent Competition, National

Sridevi Bangaru

Vasavite’s Got Talent Competition, NRIVA’s

Connect with her on

anthem for men’s and women’s Metro State

Instagram or Tiktok

University basketball and volleyball games.

Colorado State Talent Show Competition, and the Legend Makers Singing Competition. In 2017, she sang the national

@ariavox365

Emcee - Dao Than

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 current internship at College Track Aurora.

ON THE STAGE

Sridevi Bangaru is a musician with

HISTORY OF ASIAN AVENUE 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.

2022 is the year of the Water Tiger, which starts from February 1, 2022 and ends on January 21, 2023. The Tiger, third animal in the Chinese zodiac, is the king of all beasts and associated with bravery and ambition.

What will 2022 bring?

Those born in the Year of the Tiger are considered kind, adventurous and enthusiastic, but also unpredictable and competitive. This means 2022 will be a time associated with overcoming challenges, achieving goals, and looking straight ahead. Lucky colors for 2022 are: Cerulean blue, fiery red, mint green and imperial yellow.

SILENT AUCTION Anise Modern Vietnamese Eatery Balletto Vineyard

By Samantha Dawn Colorado Dragon Film Festival Denver Botanic Gardens Denver Zoo Empress Seafood Restaurants History Colorado Heads Up Salon & Spa Julia Kestner Designs Kokoro Restaurants Laws Whisky House

Lone Tree Arts Center LUKI Brewery Milk Tea People Meow Wolf Denver Meta Asian Kitchen Ramen Star Seoul Mandoo Shin Myung Gwan BBQ Truong An Gifts WeldWerks Brewery Yobe Qiu (Author)

Thank you to these businesses for their generous donations!

Visit the silent auction tables to place your bids!

For any item, if you would like to win it instantly, you can bring the bid sheet to the checkout table to pay the full value of the item! No more bidding will take place and the item is yours! Silent auction proceeds go toward supporting Asian Avenue, as well as locally owned businesses and Asian-owned businesses (nationally too).

Take home a dumpling making kit from Meta Asian Kitchen, win Asian-themed children’s books or a t-shirt that reads “Protect Asian Lives,” enjoy a new tea set, play “Parents Are Human” to build a closer relationship with your family, and so much more!

Support local businesses!

Pick up a Locally Hyped Lunar New Year box for $50 at tonight’s event.

Locally Hyped partners with local Colorado businesses to curate a one of a kind Lunar New Year subscription box!

Born out of the pandemic as a way to support local & grow a movement.

Your purchase helps ensure our community thrives.

Box valued at over $75!

Pre-order your box now to ensure it ships out by January 15th!

Box includes: Tiger Red Envelopes, Chopstick Set (5 pairs), Lucky Fortune Paper with velvet finish, and Tiger Head to locallyhyped.com for a sneak peak.

Gold Charm from Truong An Gifts; Mandarin Orange Candle Dirty Hippie; Kimchi Bloody Mary *Orders placed before from January 12th are guaranteed delivery in time for the Lunar New Year. Mix from Local pickup at Truong An Gifts at Far East Center Dead Veggies and Matty Eats; Chinese mix tea blend from Herbal Riot; $10 off subscription box for Locally Hyped; $10 off for Tuk Tuk (Westminster); $10 off $40 at Truong Gifts; $10 voucher at Crystal Creations when you order from Locally Hyped; $10 off at Ramen Star; $10 off at Seoul Mandoo.

Save the Date!

2022 Asian American Heroes of Colorado Awards Saturday, May 21, 2022 Please help nominate deserving heroes in our community for this honor.

Nomination forms will be available at cacendenver.org beginning Feb. 1.

Upcoming Lunar New Year Celebrations

NAI-NI CHEN DANCE COMPANY: THE 2022 LUNAR NEW YEAR OF THE WATER TIGER Saturday, February 12 at 8pm It’s a festive gathering for the biggest holiday in the world: the 2022 Lunar New Year of the Water Tiger.

Tickets: $35-$45 NathanYipFoundation.org Photo: Anthony Alvarez

720.509.1000 SPONSORED BY

lonetreeartscenter.org

Thank You

Stay in touch! hello@asianavemag.com