THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, May 16, 2025 Page 11 lege this fall. Those are just some of the over 70 local and area students who submitted essays, artworks or videos addressing this year’s theme about the cultural impact of immigrants on American society, competing in the annual Teen Perspectives on Immigration contest hosted by The Immigrant Learning Center (The ILC). Students from high schools in Everett, Malden and Medford all submitted entries, which came in several categories. Student finalists from first place through honorable mention were awarded cash prizes from $50 to $300 during the awards ceremony at Malden High School recently. The students who submitted entries, their family members and teachers and officials from all three school districts were in attendance, including Malden Mayor Gary Christenson, Malden Superintendent Dr. Timothy Sippel and Malden High Principal Chris Mastrangelo. Mayor Gary Christenson greeted the audience at the event – held in The Gallery at Malden High School. He spoke exclusively in the Mandarin dialect of the Chinese language for his greeting, then spoke of the cultural impact Malden’s immigrant communities have had on him through the years as a Malden resident. “Students graduate and they leave the local high schools, and they come back several years later and they tell me that they believe by living [in Malden[; it’s just given them such a distinct advantage out in the big world,” Mayor Christenson said. “For a lot of students, they’re experiencing what we have for the very first time. Malden’s diversity provides such an advantage, and I think it will for you and for our community.” Alex Tse, member of the Class of 2026 from Malden High School, read aloud his First Place-winning essay, “The Red Banner That Hung High,” about his experience as a new immigrant to the United States, first living in Miami, Florida, when he arrived from Hong Kong. He wrote of his mother’s successful attempt to share his native country’s celebration of the Lunar New Year, sharing his family’s cultural traditions and learning about others. ART | SEE PAGE 19 Teen Perspectives on Immigration Contest FIRST PLACE: The Red Banner That Hung High By Alex Tse Malden High School Class of 2026 T he first Lunar New Year I spent in Miami didn’t feel like a celebration at all. Back when I was in Hong Kong, the streets would glow with the saturated red of lanterns and festive banners. The air would carry the smell of festive foods, and the city would pulse with excitement. Family gatherings, exchanging red pockets filled with money that symbolize wealth and luck, snapping firecrackers – the celebration was too prominent for anyone to ignore, as the entire city moved concertedly to welcome the new year. “Ano nuevo lunar, que es eso?” Lunar did not exist in my neighborhood in Miami. That was the response when I tried to tell someone that it was the Lunar New Year. On the day of the New Year, the sky was dull and gray, as if it had forgotten what the day carried. In school, the hallways were filled with the usual noise of students hurrying to class, oblivious to the weight the day carried for me. There were no red banners, no well wishes – just another ordinary day. I was lonely at school. My classmates spoke Spanish, and their rapid conversations formed a wall I could not break through. At times when I attempted to talk, whether it is about school or the festival, their confused expressions made me want to retreat further into myself. What does it mean to celebrate something when no one around you recognized it? I found myself questioning whether my traditions still mattered, if they existed only in my memories. My mother, having sensed my unusuality, decided to introduce our culture into the new home. Despite her limited English, and even more limited Spanish, she knocked on our neighbor’s door with the red banner in hand. She smiled warmly. “Lunar New Year!” she said. She gestured toward the decorations and Alex Tse, Malden High School Class of 2026, wrote the First Place Essay in the Immigrant Learning Center’s “Teen Perspectives on Immigration” Contest and was awarded a $300 prize. (Advocate Photos) pressed on. “Good Luck. Happy New Year,” she attempted. Sensing that there was confusion, she mimed hanging the banner and pointing at the sky. “Lucky,” she repeated. “Ah, suerte! Lucky! For new year?” Mrs. Cruz replied with Spanish-infused English that she had moved from Mexico not long ago. My mother beamed, nodding vigorously. The following morning, I woke to see Mrs. Cruz’s front porch getting fluttered with red banners. A victory! Soon, word spread, and more and more people approached with curiosity regarding the decorations. We spent time explaining the tradition: the symbol of red for prosperity, the giving of red envelopes and the importance of family gatherings, all of which highlighted the significance of the tradition. Many neighbors joined us, coloring their houses in red with the banners. They also shared their own traditions with us – how our families celebrated Dia de los Muertos or Three Kings’ Day – and we recognized many commodities within our shared reverence for ancestors, family and prosperity. It was the beginning of something greater. By the following year, red banners were hung on more homes. Some neighbors even learned to say “Gong Hei Fat Choy” or “Xin Nian Kuai Le.” Mrs. Cruz made tamales and brought them over while my mother prepared dumplings. We blended our traditions and enjoyed the fusion. I no longer felt isolated. My traditions had found a home in America, not by replacing others, but by existing alongside them. This experience is the epitome of American society. Immigrants carry rich traditions that shape and enhance the cultural landscape in America. According to statistics from the Pew Research Center, immigrants and their descendants will account for 88% of the U.S. population growth through 2065. This demographic shift will lead to more fusion of customs, languages and celebrations. Examples include festivals like Diwali, Eid and the Lunar New Year. These once-”niche” observations are now celebrated in cities across the country. This mosaic of culture strengthened America and turned it into a place where different backgrounds coexist and enrich one another. Sharing traditions is not just about preserving cultural identity, it also promotes understanding and unity. A study by the National Immigration Forum found that communities with strong immigrant integration programs tend to experience lower crime rates, higher economic growth and greater civic engagement. When people share their customs, they break down barriers of misunderstanding and prejudice. Food, music and celebrations become bridges between cultures, turning strangers into close-knit friends and fostering a sense of belonging. My experience in Miami CONTEST | SEE PAGE 19 50
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