2018 Chinese New Year Festival Performance Gala, Year of the Dog

by Raquelle Millbrooks, Contributing Writer

The Chinese Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival, celebrates the turn of the traditional lunisolar Chinese calendar. 2018 marks the year of the dog and the Spring Festival and it is celebrated in countries that have a significant Chinese populations including, China, Cambodia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. A special thank you to a dedicated One Step supporter, Jinliang Cai (Vice President of International Business Development, Greater Memphis Chamber), who sponsored four of our student Youth Global Ambassadors and two parents, to attend the vibrant festival.

The Chinese New Year Festival (CNYF) Performance Gala was held at the Rose Theater at the University of Memphis this past Saturday, February 10th, from 6-8:30pm. The presenter of this event, Greater Memphis United Chinese Association (GMUCA), is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote Chinese education and culture. The association also provides civic, social, and cultural programs to the Memphis area.

For the past 16 years, GMUCA has shared a cultural experience with the Memphis community where they have attracted over thousands of people to their New Year event. The Gala featured 22 unique performances including shows in choir, dance, magic, and martial arts.

Our Youth Global Ambassadors were able to participate in cultural activities before the series of extraordinary performances. Some of the cultural engagement activities included viewing oil paintings, Chinese calligraphy, food tasting, and others. One student ambassador, Brayla, was able to write in Chinese calligraphy and overall enjoyed the gala. Brayla’s favorite performance involved the performers dancing on drums – where she learned how embedded dance is within the Chinese culture.

Raqhelle Millbrooks

Raqhelle is originally from Grand Rapids, MI and is currently a Junior pursuing a double major of International Business and Spanish at the University of Memphis. She is the President of the International Business Student Organization at the Fogelman College of Business and Economics where she continues to develop her leadership, and both her personal and professional development. Raqhelle has a passion for understanding the economic forces that shape the global marketplace and creating cross cultural connections. Her world travel experiences include Costa Rica, Cuba, Mexico, South Africa, and Italy for a study abroad trip in March. For a closer look into Raqhelle’s experience, take a look at her Weebly portfolio: https://raqhellemillbrooks.weebly.com