TITLE
Recommendation to request the City Council to receive and file a presentation in recognition of Long Beach Sankranta 2023.
DISCUSSION
Councilwoman Dr. Suely Saro in partnership with United Cambodian Community and Long Beach City College, is co-hosting the first ever Long Beach Sankranta 2023 on Saturday, April 1, 2023. The location of the event will be on Long Beach City College’s Pacific Coast Campus. Sankranta (pronounced San-Gran) is the New Year celebration that is observed in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, and some parts of India.
The purpose of Long Beach Sankranta 2023 is to honor and recognize the diversity of cultures in Long Beach that observe Sankranta. The celebration is open to the public. Communities that recognize Sankranta and the broader community are invited to enjoy the festivities and celebrate Sankranta through the arts, tradition and cultural learnings. This year we not only celebrate the first Long Beach Sankranta but also the return of in-person celebrations after a couple of difficult years that our community faced due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Long Beach is one of the most culturally diverse large cities in the United States, with substantial portions of the population made up of Latinos, Asians, Pacific Islanders, and African Americans. Due to the many heritages present, the city is host to a plethora of annual cultural festivities, including, but not limited to, the Cambodian New Year, Juneteenth, Long Beach Filipino Festival, Hispanic Heritage Month, and Día De Los Muertos. Such events allow people to overtly celebrate their traditions and open their communities to fellow residents that may be interested in learning more about other cultures. Additionally, these celebrations provide local businesses and vendors opportunities to support their cultural communities while potentially expanding their clientele to new populations.
Long Beach is a leader in undertakings to ensure the economic and socio-cultural prosperity of every resident in every community. As such, Long Beach Sankranta 2023 iterates our commitment to healing the wounds created by racial, ethnic and religious prejudice, to build an equitable and just society, and engaging people from different identity groups to increase understanding and respect for one another, so that everyone can thrive.
Therefore, this letter requests the City Manager to receive and file a presentation on Long Beach Sankranta 2023.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Receiving this presentation from the City Council should occur urgently to officially recognize Long Beach Sankranta 2023 and provide information about the importance and activities of Long Beach Sankranta 2023.
FISCAL IMPACT
Due to time constraints no fiscal analysis was conducted.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
SUELY SARO, COUNCILWOMAN
SIXTH DISTRICT