A crowd of more than 50,000 people attended the annual Tet Festival at Mile Square Park last month.

The three-day outdoor festival featured a wide array of Vietnamese food, talented entertainers, cultural performances, carnival rides, lion dances, and a spectacular firecracker display. The event was co-sponsored by Orange County Parks, with financial contributions from CalOptima and Family Choice Health Services.

The OC Tet Festival keeps important traditions alive and inspires the next generation to connect with their heritage.

Check out a highlight video of the event by clicking on the image below.

Thousands of people gathered on Bolsa Avenue on the morning of the New Lunar Year to watch the parade and several others from across the world got to view it live from their homes.

Thank you to BeliEVE & Dance Studio and Dynamite Book Club for accompanying me on the parade route!

For Vietnamese, the time between the last day of the old year and the first day of the new year is full of profound meaning. Families gather at temples, pay their respects to their ancestors, and pray for good luck and good fortune for the new year. The night before the Lunar New Year, my family and I stopped by the Chua Dieu Ngu Temple in Westminster. It was heartwarming to see so many families celebrate the New Lunar New Year together.

Last month, my Chief of Staff, Van Tran, helped ring in the New Lunar Year early at the Westminster Library! Van shared a Tet greeting, wishing everyone good health and fortune in the new Year of the Cat. Thanks, OC Public Libraries, for a great celebration!

I am pleased to work collaboratively with the cities of Garden Grove, Westminster, and Fountain Valley to support our most vulnerable populations in Orange County.

The Central Cities Navigation Center is only one of many actions the county has taken to help cities tackle homelessness. This issue requires a long-term commitment from all stakeholders, private and public alike, to agree on a solution that is both humane and practical. Our fellow residents deserve no less.

Click here to read more about the Central Cities Navigation Center.

Looking to earn your accredited high school diploma? OC Public Libraries is offering Orange County adults, ages 19 and over, the opportunity to earn a career certificate online.

To learn more about this program visit the Public Libraries’ website at https://ocpl.org/page/career-online-high-school or call 714-566-2837.

Last month, my Chief of Staff, Van Tran, and my Director of Community Engagement, Ofelia, hosted our First District Community Coffee at Los Alamitos Community Center.

Thank you to everyone who attended the community coffee and for your input. Special thanks to Mayor Tanya Doby, Council members Trisha Murphy and Emily Hibard, Executive Lina Lumme of the Youth Center, Tom Lasser of the Regional Military Affairs Committee, and City Manager Chet Simmons, for stopping by.

Last month, the First District team presented Jennifer Wang, First District’s Human Relations Commissioner, with a special recognition for being named one of Orange County’s 125 most influential people for 2022.

As Executive Director of AASCSC (Asian American Senior Citizens), Jennifer and her team were instrumental in providing testing and vaccinations during the pandemic. She mobilized staff and volunteers and set up pop-up clinics in low-income areas throughout Orange County. Her commitment to improving the well-being of our seniors during this difficult time in history has inspired many. Congratulations, Jennifer!

Last month, I joined my colleagues in presenting a board resolution to Deputy Juvenile Correctional Officer, Yuri Williams, for his extraordinary contributions to the Orange County Probation Department and its youth in custody as well as helping ill and disadvantaged citizens across the nation.

Yuri has worked with and mentored youth in Juvenile Hall for more than 23 years. His non-profit, “A Future Super Hero And Friends,” conducts yearly 50-state tours and brings a smile of hope to more than 8,000 ill and disadvantaged children by visiting them in costume as a superhero.

Thank you, Yuri, for your commitment to our youth and for being a superhero to many.

In commemoration of Black History Month, my colleagues and I presented a resolution at our February 7 board meeting. On behalf of the entire Orange County Black community, a handful of prominent Black leaders were present to accept the recognition.

I would like to recognize the following elected officials and commissioners from the First District:

• Rhonda Bolton, Huntington Beach Councilmember
• Marshall Goodman, La Palma Mayor Pro Tem
• Tanya Doby, Los Alamitos Mayor
• Trisha Murphy, Los Alamitos Councilmember
• Alberta Christy, First District Commissioner and Chairperson of CAPOC

Join me in honoring the legacies, achievements, courage, and resilience of past and present Black Americans. Black history is American history.

The manufacturing sector is growing and modernizing, creating highly skilled jobs that are in well paid and high in demand. Many of these jobs are attainable through apprenticeships and vocational programs offered at community colleges and even in high schools.

To raise awareness of the role that Career Technical Education has in getting our youth ready for the workforce, my colleagues and I presented a resolution during last month’s board meeting to Brian Dozer, Superintendent of Coastline Regional Occupational Program.

Career and technical education provide an important pathway for students by offering them the opportunity to personalize their education based on their leaning styles. By enrolling our youth in career and technical education programs, we are shaping the future workforce.