The Rosemere Neighborhood Association was honored to host a table at the Second Annual Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration on Saturday, May 15, 2004.
There was great community attendance and participation as the cultural dance groups invited audience members to take part in their colorful performances. The Asian Pacific Islander Community is generously inclusive when it comes to embracing people of all cultures in this annual celebration.
Sadly, our government is not. Noticeably absent were Vancouver’s Mayor and City Councilmembers. Despite what our elected officials say in their lengthy proclamation (shown below) about actively promoting “local Partnerships and events that weave together our multicultural fabric,” they did not feel compelled to attend this wonderful multicultural event. The City’s Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Proclamation was read in their absence by a Rosemere Neighborhood Association Board member.
The Rosemere Neighborhood Association, the first neighborhood association in Vancouver to print a tri-lingual newsletter, is a well-recognized and active promoter of “local partnerships and events that weave together our multicultural fabric.” We believe that only by honoring our multifaceted diversity, our rich historical foundation and the gifts of our natural environment, will Vancouver be able to advance culturally and graciously into a great healthy community.
PROCLAMATION
| WHEREAS, | the month of May 1999 was proclaimed by the President of the United States as Asian Pacific Heritage Month; and |
| WHEREAS, | this proclamation has been declared to recognize and appreciate the contribution of the various citizens and residents of Asian lineage in the field of education, health, business, government service, fine arts, agriculture, ministry and the Armed Forces; and |
| WHEREAS, | Asian Pacific American Heritage embraces a diversity of people, languages and cultures including Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, people from India and South Asian countries, Koreans, Southeast Asians, and People of the Pacific Islands, such as Hawaii, Guam, and Samoa; and |
| WHEREAS, | the presence and contribution of Asian/Pacific Americans in Northwest history dates back to the 1789 with the arrival of Chinese people on Vancouver Island, and 1811 when the first Hawaiians came to the Pacific Northwest; and |
| WHEREAS, | on May 15, 2004, the City of Vancouver will partner with the Asian Pacific Islander Coalition and the New Americans Social and Cultural Assistance Program to present the second annual “Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration” at the Water Resources Education Center from 11:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. |
| NOW, THEREFORE, I, Royce E. Pollard, Mayor of America’s Vancouver, do proclaim May 2004, as: |
“ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH”
and encourage all citizens to join in this observance and support local partnerships and events that weave together our multicultural fabric.
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