A ‘DREAM’ come true Queens set to kick
State legislature approves bill named for Peralta off Lunar New Year
BY MORGAN CHITTUM
Tuesday, Feb. 5, marks
the beginning of the Lunar
New Year and Year of the Pig,
which means Queens will be
exploding with lively events
celebrating this ancient
Asian tradition.
Lunar New Year signifies
the start of the Chinese
calendar year. Each year is
defined by a specific animal.
These 12 zodiac signs include
rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon,
snake, horse, sheep, monkey,
rooster, dog and pig.
Although the timeline is
up for debate, the Lunar New
Year has been observed since
roughly the Shang Dynasty
in 1766 B.C. The origins are
not fully known, however, old
tales say the beginning of the
tradition sprung from a fight
facing a beast called “Year.”
“Year” wreaked havoc,
causing destruction to
property and people. His
victims found that he feared
fire, loud sounds and the
color red, thus launching a
series of traditions such as
lighting fireworks and large,
red-colored parades.
And the order of the signs?
Legend has it the order of the
calendar is based off of who
arrived to the Jade Emperor’s
party first. The pig, being the
12th animal on the calendar,
got there last.
The Year of the Pig
predicts good luck for those
born on its 12-year cycle:
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983,
1995, 2007 and 2019.
Individuals who are born
on the Year of the Pig are
assumed to be charismatic,
energetic and up for any task
regardless of its excitement.
This year the borough
has several events to offer
residents of all ages for Lunar
New Year.
On Feb. 9, Flushing is
having its free annual Lunar
New Year parade, which has
historically brought out large
bustling crowds. The event
features brightly colored floats,
steel drummers, firecrackers
and dragon dancers.
Starting at 9:30 a.m., the
day will begin with coffee
and donuts as a warm-up
reception for attendees at the
Greater Flushing Chamber
of Commerce. The parade
will commence at 11 a.m. on
Union Street and 37th Avenue
in Flushing.
That same day, Queens
Botanical Garden in Flushing
will hold Lunar New Yearthemed
workshops, crafts
and performances. They will
be selling lucky plants all
week in honor of the holiday.
Queens Botanical
Garden is located at 43-50
Main St. in Flushing. For
more information, visit
queensbotanical.org.
Finally, Flushing Town
Hall will host a Chinese
New Year Temple Bazaar on
Feb. 17. The Bazaar will offer
lantern making, art-making
and will provide food to
celebrate the occasion.
The event will have two
sessions for guests, one at 11
a.m. and the other at 2 p.m.
Attendees will also have the
opportunity to contribute to
the Red Envelope Show.
Flushing Town Hall is
located at 137-35 Northern
Blvd. For more details, visit
flushingtownhall.org.
BY MARK HALLUM
The Jose Peralta New York
State DREAM Act, named for
one of its most ardent champions,
passed the Assembly Jan. 23
after years of advocacy and will
finally grant immigrants access
to financial aid to attend SUNY
and CUNY institutions.
Although it has been fielded
in the legislature time and
again since its introduction by
late state Sen. Jose Peralta in
2013, the Republican majority in
the state Senate is where the bill
usually got hung up.
Peralta was career
lawmaker from Elmhurst who
died suddenly on Nov. 21 at the
age of 47 after an illness.
However, since the
November general election
saw Democrats succeed in
reclaiming a majority, the
DREAM Act may now have a
clear path to being signed into
law by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
“Today I met with Evelyn
Peralta and the family of the
late Senator Jose Peralta,
champion of the Dream Act,”
Cuomo said Jan. 23. “As a key
part of our Justice Agenda, we
look forward to finally making
it law for all New Yorkers this
year, for Senator Peralta and
the Dreamers.”
If signed into law, the
DREAM Act would eliminate
obstacles facing undocumented
students who need access to
general awards, performancebased
awards and state Tuition
Assistance Program. Students
would only need to be eligible
for in-state tuition and have
attended a high school in the
state for over two years or passed
the high school equivalency
exam in New York.
The number of
undocumented students
eligible varies between 6,000
and 8,000, according to state
Assemblywoman Carmen
De La Rosa, the DREAM
Act’s sponsor.
De La Rosa argued the
merits of the bill with state
Assemblyman Doug Smith — a
Republican from Long Island
— in the Assembly chamber,
claiming that the Higher
Education Services Corporation
would enforce the guidelines.
Former mayoral candidate
and Republican Staten Island
state Assemblywoman Nicole
Malliotakis asked why an
employer identification number
would not be required to access
The Jose Peralta New York State DREAM Act, named for one of its
most ardent champions, passed the Assembly. Photo by Mark Hallum
the financial aid, but De La Rosa
said a W2 and pay stub would
take the place of this to prove
income level.
“I’ll be voting no today, I
urge all my colleagues to vote
no,” Malliotakis said, claiming
the DREAM Act puts the needs
of those who voted officials
into office over people not
eligible to vote because of their
documented status.
State Assemblyman Phil
Ramos called the use of “illegal”
and “unlawful” to describe
children who he said have no
part in decisions to cross borders
are “boogeyman tactics.”
“I don’t know about you, but
I was elected to represent every
human being in my district,”
Ramos told Malliotakis. “These
are people who want to go
to college. How many gang
members want to go to college?”
State Assemblyman Ron
Kim, co-chair of the Asian
American Pacific Task Force,
is one of dozens who have
co-sponsored the bill and
represents a district that covers
northeast Queens heavy in
Asian American immigrants.
“This is not a compassionate
plea, this is an economic
argument,” Kim said.
State Assemblyman Victor
Pichardo, a Democrat from the
Bronx, said Peralta should be
remembered for his contribution
to the bill and positive impact
it will have for New Yorkers
across the state and prevent
them from being dependent
on social services, making it a
worthy investment regardless
of legal status.
“The Assembly Majority
believes in breaking down
barriers, not creating them,”
Assembly Speaker Carl
Heastie said. “We know higher
education is the key to ending
the cycle of poverty and
enabling families to thrive.
We have repeatedly passed the
DREAM Act because we know
it is economically misguided
and morally unjust to deprive
students educated in our very
own public schools of the tools
they need to be successful.”
The $27 million would
only account for 2 percent of
the income taxes levied from
immigrants in New York.
The Senate also passed
the bill 40-20 earlier Jan. 23.
“New York’s commitment
to passing the Jose Peralta
DREAM Act was realized
today and we stand united
now more than ever in
our efforts to protect and
support Dreamers,” state
Assemblywoman Nily Rozic
said. “New York continues
making great strides in
higher education and it is
critical that our investments
consider the needs of all
students seeking new
opportunities and working
for a bright future.”
The DREAM Act is
expected cost the state $27
million, while Cuomo has
recently introduced a $175
billion budget for the 2020
fiscal year.
He represented the
Hispanic districts of Jackson
Heights, Elmhurst, East
Elmhurst and Corona for
16 years in the Senate and
Assembly; he had moved
to Queens at the age of
8, the son of Dominican
immigrants and attended
Queens College.
The Lunar New Year Parade in downtown Flushing is one of
the many Lunar New Year events taking place in Queens this
February. File Photo
TIMESLEDGER,4 FEB. 1-7, 2019 TIMESLEDGER.COM
/queensbotanical.org
/flushingtownhall.org
/TIMESLEDGER.COM
