In this Year of the Dragon, we celebrate the power, energy, and resilience of our Asian American communities that serve as the engine of our nation and our economy.
None of us may be related to the men who wrote our Declaration of Independence. But each of us is linked to its ideals—liberty, equality, and justice—through our patriotism and devotion, through this land we call home. We are indebted to those who came before us, and their sacrifice and tears. The next chapter of our story will continue to be written by all of us, everyday people, and this celebration is for you—those willing to push us closer toward fulfilling the promise of America, through enduring courage and dedication.
Every step of the way, the Biden-Harris Administration will fight for you and with you. We are working tirelessly to address systemic racism in our policies and programs, to improve language access and disaggregate data, and to empower our small business owners and workers. At USTR, we are incorporating your priorities into our trade policies and initiatives and lifting up historically underserved communities, including Asian Americans.
We have come a long way, but our communities are still experiencing bigotry and violence.
A year ago, during what was meant to be a time of joy and anticipation of a new year, we collectively suffered incomprehensible sorrow as 18 people in Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, California, were senselessly murdered. But those communities did not give in to fear and fright. They carried on, pushing and pulling for one another, living out their lives, serving and loving their neighbors. Their story is our story; their strength is our strength.
Let us harden our resolve to make tomorrow more beautiful than today, so that, during the next Year of the Dragon, we can look back and say that our communal journey was well worth it.
I wish you nothing but hope, peace, and prosperity and a happy New Year.
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