Dear TC Community Members,

As we approach the first day of the Lunar New Year on Sunday, January 22, I write to wish all who celebrate a very happy holiday. May the coming days bring you peace and prosperity.

The new year is a special time to spend with loved ones, and I hope you will be able to gather with family and friends—either virtually or in-person—over the course of the holiday. The TC community is also here to celebrate with you. Part of our work at Teachers College is to model the diversity, inclusion and equity we wish to see in the world. We may do this by engaging with, learning from and uplifting one another. In this spirit, I encourage all community members to attend TC’s upcoming Lunar New Year celebrations and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) events, detailed below, where we will have the opportunity to honor the traditions of our classmates and colleagues and learn about current issues the extended AAPI community faces.

Teachers College Taiwanese Club (TCTC): Lunar New Year Celebration on Saturday, January 21. Fellow students are invited to join TCTC for WeiLu (Lunar New Year meal) and traditional new year games.

Lunar New Year Day of Celebration hosted by AAPI Student Circle, in collaboration with Black Student Network (BSN) and Adult Learning & Leadership (ALL) on January 23. The entire Columbia University community is invited to celebrate the history of Lunar New Year in the Asian diaspora and learn about current AAPI issues.

TC Take Action: Learn about Asian American Pacific Islander Curriculum in NY on January 31. Learn about New York state legislation that would require public elementary and high schools to include AAPI history and civic impact lessons in their curricula. All are welcome to attend.

Wishing you a wonderful and safe new year,

Thomas Bailey
President, Teachers College