Senator Hwang Celebrates Lunar New Year with Vietnamese Community at Bridgeport’s St. Augustine Cathedral Parish
February 4, 2020State Senator Tony Hwang (R-28) celebrated the Lunar New Year celebration with an enthusiastic Vietnamese community gathering at the Cathedral of Saint Augustine in Bridgeport on Feb.2. Sen Hwang joined Bishop Frank Caggiano, Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim, and members of the Vietnamese community from all over Connecticut for an afternoon of great food, family, and festivities.
In front of a crowd of several hundred, multiple youth groups performed and honored Vietnamese culture and tradition. School children ranging in age from elementary school through high school showcased their learning of the Vietnamese language and their customs by performing songs in Vietnamese, dancing traditional dance routines and demonstrating their impressive martial arts skills.
Honorary guest speakers Bridgeport Diocese Bishop Caggiano and Senator Hwang offered advice and guidance to the young members of the audience as they learn to appreciate their heritage and begin set and pursue their goals.
“Your faith – especially a belief in yourself, ever-present family support and an ardent pursuit of education are the three criterias that will serve as a strong foundation for success and pursuing the American dream,” said Senator Hwang.
The excellent performances, as well as the successful event turnout, were both clear indicators that the Vietnamese community is thriving. These families stay connected by nurturing their children’s involvement.
“The Vietnamesse community here is so vibrant and active due to the youth groups. A lot of us here are young families that have moved in from other parts of the state. At first there were only 5-10 families about 5 years ago but we came together and started a Vietnamese mass once a week,” said Priest Augustine Tan Minh Nguyen. “We have been very fortunate Senator Hwang has been very supportive of our community.”