加州美國亞裔聯盟，每年舉辦亞洲節最大的意義，就是促進族群融合、異中求同Unity in Diversity 。每一個族群來到美國，首先都要強調自己文化的優越Identify Culture ，接著就想擴大聯誼Network Social ，再來就是合作共創繁榮 Cooperate Creation，簡單地說就是 INC。
謝說猶記得1992年5月1日，洛杉磯暴動導火線的當事人羅德尼、金Rodney King ，他對著暴動憤怒的人群呼籲：「大家，我只想說，難道我們不能和平共處嗎？難道我們不能和平共處嗎？People, I just want to say, can't we all get along? Can't we all get along?」他的肺腑之言，確實直得今日種族仇恨瀰漫的社會，大家深思。
印度慈善家拉坦塔塔Ratan Tata曾經說過：「如果您想領先超越，大可一人獨行；但如果您想壯大走遠，那就得攜伴同行。Ratan Tata: If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together. 」所以相信在大家攜手同行下，我們將會創造出，一個安和、樂利的美好社會。
謝鎮寬
加州、海沃
5/12/2022
Taiwanese Cultural Festival / Asian Festival
John Hsieh, Founder of the Asian American Federation of California, was invited by Union City Mayor Carol Dutra-Vernaci to attend the city council meeting at 7:00 p.m. on May 10 and received a proclamation of Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month from mayor, affirming that he has promoted the Asian Festival in the Bay Area for many years.
John delivered a remark after receiving the proclamation, thanking the city council for the praise. He said that every time he came to Union City Hall, he felt like he was coming home very warmly. Because in the past, 20 of the 26 Asian festivals he has promoted in the Bay Area have been held in Union City. The Asian American Federation of California is a multi-ethnic association; members from Taiwan, Japan, Philippines, India, Thailand, Vietnam, South Korea, Indonesia, and other ethnic groups hold Asian Festival celebrations in May every year. In the past three years, 2020, 2021, and 2022, due to the raging pandemic of Wuhan virus COVID-19, under the regulations of the state and county, it could not be held as scheduled. The main point of the Asia Festival is that the Asian-Pacific ethnic groups can respect and learn from each other through the celebration activities, thereby promoting the unity and prosperity of the society.
Because of this year's proclamation, it said in the beginning “Whereas in 1992 Congress established May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month”. This is different from his experience in 1991, which should be 1991 and not 1992, so he explained the origin and evolution of the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month at scene. He said that the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month has undergone about six changes since its inception:
1. Origin
To designate the contribution of Asian-Americans to the United States, the first Japanese immigrant arrived in the US on May 7, 1843, and the Golden Spike was driven into the First Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869, which completed using Chinese labor were the main incentives. Therefore, in June 1977 New York State Congressman Frank Horton and California Congressman Norman Mineta, who proposed the idea of designation to recognize Asian Pacific American to formulate the Asia-Pacific Heritage Week.
In 1990, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 101-283, which officially extended the Asian-Pacific Heritage Week to a month and designated the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month.
US President George HW Bush signed a bill at the White House on May 6, 1991, May was officially designated as the Asia-Pacific Heritage Month for 1991 and 1992 and invited 110 Asian-American representatives from the United States to attend and witness the historical moment. John Hsieh was also honored to be invited to attend the press briefing at the White House that day.
In 1992, the U.S. Congress passed Public Law 102-450, which annually designated May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month, and there is no need to re-enact legislation every year.
US President Barak Obama, on May 1, 2009, officially signed Proclamation 8369, recognizing the month of May as Asian American and Pacific Inlander Heritage Month.
The Asian American Federation of California celebrates the Asian Festival every year with the ideas to promote ethnic integration and seek common ground of Unity in Diversity. Every ethnic group come to America eager to identify their superior culture, then want to expand the Network Social, and then cooperate to create a civilization, which is simply an INC.
John said that he still remembers Rodney King, a victim of police brutality and who sparked the riot in Los Angeles in 1992. On May 1, 1992, he appealed to the angry crowd: “People, I just want to say, can't we all get along? Can’t we all get along?” His words from the bottom of his heart have indeed touched every one of us in the community where Asian Hate/Hate Crime is pervading today, and everyone ponders deeply.
Ratan Tata, an Indian philanthropist, once said: “If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together.” So, I believe that with everyone walking together, we will create a peaceful and happy society.
當天首先由籌備會發起人本人開場及擔任司儀，向與會人士提出籌備會蘊釀過程的說明及報告，接著與會人士推舉工商會會長陳光博擔任當天的會議主席，公民協會會長Cindy Avenell 擔任記錄，實際出席人數有二十四人：Cindy Avenell (Santa Rosa), C J Chang (San Jose), Charles Chang (Walnut Creek), Davis Chang (Sunnyvale), Han Chang (Fremont), Jocelin Chang (Sunnyvale), S S Chang (Fremont), Mr.& Mrs. C T Chen (Danville), Ferdinand Chen (Danville), Frank Chen (Fremont), Tom Cheng (Concord), John Hsieh (Hayward), Steve Huang (Fremont), Jackson Hwang (Moraga), Mr.& Mrs. David Lan (Hayward), J T Lin (Danville), Kuei Ying Lin (Fremont), Alvin Shih (Los Altos), Alice & George Wu (Dublin), John H Yu (Milpitas), John K Yu (Sunnyvale).
台灣文化節委員會於六月十九日在PALO ALTO 的MITCHELL PARK 社區中心，舉辦第一屆台灣文化節最後一次的工作會，所有委員就自己所負責的工作項目，提出報告與協商。歷經一年多時間準備的文化節即將來臨，雖然忙碌，但是為了把活動辦好，大家都相互勉勵昴足了勁做最後的衝刺。經過三個小時的討論，敲定下列的工作事項：
1. 當天的節目將由，代表現今居住在台灣的四大族群，用各自的語言向來賓們致歡迎詞後
才拉開序幕，整個節目將以英語解說。
2. 國會議員：Anna Eschoo 及 Norman Y Mineta 是當天的貴賓，將在開幕時致詞。
