On Wednesday, the UCR School of Medicine Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and the Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA) hosted the UCR SOM’s first Lunar New Year celebration. The event welcomed over 200 members of the UCR and wider community for traditional activities tied to the holiday, which officially started on February 17 and is observed for a varying period of days each year across different Asian traditions.

“I’m excited to bring to light some famous Lunar New Year traditions through this event, and hopefully help others from outside the community enjoy the fun activities that are widely done every year by Asian families,” said Joshua Wang, APAMSA’s public relations chair and a second-year medical student. “We have a good opportunity this year to showcase this community, and to hopefully bring more events like these to the future.”

The SOM event featured traditional lion dancing, music, mahjong and other games, a fan dance performance by APAMSA members, a table where attendees could paint a lucky symbol on paper fans, and lunch. It also included a table where students wrote down their wishes to place on the wishing tree for the New Year, a tradition found across many Asian cultures.

Natalie Wong, a second-year undergraduate student studying biochemistry at UCR, attended the event to watch her friends participate in the dances. “It was a lot of fun to watch,” she said. “I bring a lot of my friends to these because it's fun to spend time with them and for them to get to know my culture, just because they obviously have not experienced it as much.”

Noting that different cultures have their own ways of celebrating the holiday, Emily Ho, APAMSA’s co-president and SOM class of 2028, said the student group conducted extensive research with the goal of making the event as inclusive as possible. “A lively holiday like Lunar New Year is the perfect time to gather and celebrate,” she said. “Lunar New Year is an opportunity to highlight the rich cultural diversity here at UCR.”

Denise Martinez, MD, associate dean of diversity, equity, and inclusion and a health sciences full clinical professor, worked closely with APAMSA members to plan the event, building on UCR’s designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). “That student partnership is what makes the event authentic and impactful,” she said. “In a medical school, creating space for cultural celebration strengthens belonging and reinforces our commitment to training physicians who value diversity.”

Martinez added that she hoped the event gave attendees a deeper appreciation for diversity within the community, a sentiment echoed by second-year medical student Tiffany Trieu, APAMSA’s co-president. “Experiencing our community’s diverse traditions such as Lunar New Year, Cinco De Mayo, and Diwali can help us understand each other better,” Trieu said. “My hope is that people can see how Lunar New Year means family and togetherness.”