Boston International Asian Music Festival

      自2019年新冠爆发，它以迅雷不及掩耳之势席卷全球，人们被迫居家，online成了常态，与世隔绝的十六个月内，人的心态也在发生着巨变和分裂，“歧视”、“病毒”这样的字眼频频出现，在美亚裔群体成了替罪羊。2021年3月发生在亚特兰大的重大枪击事件更是将这种仇恨推到了高峰。为了抗议、扭转正在迅速蔓延的对亚裔美国人的歧视仇恨病毒，全美各地举行抗疫游行，波士顿也不例外，亚裔纷纷在媒体发声。除了抗议，我们认为要改变歧视问题的根本方法要从根源入手，用教育与文化的方式渗透，增加社区的多元化族裔之间的交流，争取理解，捍卫权利，实现真正意义上的尊重与平等。

Since the outbreak of Covid-19 in 2019, it has spread rapidly and vastly across the globe. People were forced to stay home, and all human interactions occurring virtually online became the new norm. During the many months when people were isolated from the communities, the human minds were changing rapidly as well, causing splits and divisions. Discriminations against Asians start to happen as the American Asian community became the scapegoat when they were unfairly associated with the COVID-19 virus. On March 16, 2021, a series of mass shootings that occurred in the metropolitan area of Atlanta, Georgia shocked the whole Asian American community and the violence against Asians has assumed an unwelcome spotlight during the pandemic. Many groups marched in cities throughout the U.S. to protest and call a stop to the fast-spreading hate against the Asians, including the Bostonians who voiced their requests in the media. In addition to these activities, we would like to propose a solution to the discrimination from its root, that we would promote communications among the diverse communities through education and culture exchange, in order to achieve mutual understandings, fair rights and a true respect and equality for the Asian community.

        由致力于推动社区文化交流的“新月国际传媒”牵头，与莱镇华协、新英格兰联盟一起联手50家亚裔组织在波士顿common策划举办了“4.11将亚裔历史写入美国K12 课本”的倡导活动，受到了美国主流媒体的关注，近10家当地媒体到场进行了报道与直播，收到了很好的社会反响。为了将这一影响持续深入地推广下去，各社区华协在5-6月的亚裔文化宣传月中，又集资分别向各镇的图书馆、学校捐赠了相关亚裔历史的图书，希望以此增进公立学校对亚裔文化和历史的了解。

New Moon International Media Inc., whose mission is to promote culture exchanges among communities, co-organized the April 11th Rally in Boston Common to support the proposal to add Asian American history in K-12 curriculum, together with NECAA (New England Chinese-American Alliance), CAAL (Chinese American Association of Lexington), leading over 50 other organizations to participate in the rally. The mainstream media reported on this event, with 10 broadcasters present during the rally and many more ripple effects throughout the society. As a continued effort, many American Chinese associations throughout Massachusetts donated books about Asian history to public libraries and schools during May 2021, to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and encourage more understandings of Asian culture and history.

        冰冻三尺非一日之寒，要改变一个观念，不是一次两次活动就能完成的，长期以来，美国人对中国文化的了解相对有限，对中国近四十年来的改变的不太清楚。根据新月国际传媒对以往的华裔社区文化活动进行调研后发现，文化差异表达所造成的当地居民对亚裔文化特别是中国文化真实内涵的错误解读是问题的关键，所以新月国际传媒萌发了联合各社区举办夏季音乐节的想法。其一，音乐无国界，是打开心灵最好的敲门砖，是建立沟通最好的社交方式。其二，居家一年后，渴望相聚、渴望交流已经是共识。音乐节可以将以家庭为单位的人们联系起来，让大家轻松的音乐氛围中共同度过一个又一个美好的仲夏之夜。

In the meantime, we know the changes will not be overnight with just one or two events. A better understanding of the Chinese culture is long overdue in the United States as the American people have limited visibility into the current China, especially the tremendous changes that occurred in China in the past 40 years.  The New Moon International performed research on the existing Chinese community cultural events, and our conclusion is that the key issue lies in the cultural and communication differences, which are causing misinterpretations among the Americans toward the essence of Asian culture, especially the Chinese culture. Based on this insight, the New Moon International is proposing a Summer Music Festival that will unite the communities through music and communications. Music is the natural common language to open up conversations and communications; and people are hungry for the in-person live gathering after more than a year’s isolation. The festival strives to connect families in the beautiful summer nights through beautiful music performances.

        当我们把这个活动策划想法跟莱镇华协、贝镇华协、WeStar及波士顿国际传媒沟通后，得到了他们的积极响应，于是“2021首届波士顿亚洲国际音乐艺术节”应运而生。以上是我们策划这次音乐节的概念和想法目前已经与各社区敲定了场地，分别是：7月30日莱镇的Hasting Park; 7月31日牛顿的Hyde Community center;8月1日贝镇的Payson park; 连续三天，每晚6pm-8pm。

This proposal was well supported by CAAL, BCAA, WeStar and Boston International Media; and joint-handedly, the 5 organizations would like to co-organize the First Boston Asian International Music Festival in 2021. We have confirmed below times and places for the festival-July 30th , at Hasting Park, Lexington, MA;July 31st , at Hyde Community Center, Newton, MA;August 1st, at Payson Park, Belmont, MAThe festival will happen between 6pm to 8pm on each day at these three locations.

        节目涵盖美声、流行、乐队、组合等多种音乐表达形式，节目统筹工作即将展开，每场演员预计在50人左右；预计现场观看家庭在200户，约1000人左右，三场预计共约3000人次；网络直播在线人数预计1500人以上，三场预计共约4500人次。为了保证我们此次活动能真实的展现华裔和其他亚裔的音乐艺术水平，我们特别邀请了来自各大专业院校的专业歌手和乐队的加入，鼓励展示年轻人的才华。所以此次活动将有别与其他以往社区晚会和音乐会，将更轻松、更激情、更欢乐、更嗨！它必将是今年暑期唯一的、最大型的、户外亚裔文化活动。

The festival will include various performances such as Bel canto, folk songs, pop songs, band and singing groups. We have started orchestrating the performances and anticipate 50 performers and 200 families (1000 people) as audiences on site for each episode, with a total estimate of 3,000 audiences; and 1,500 online audiences for each episode, with a total estimate of 4,500 audiences. To truly showcase the music and artistic talents from the Asian community, we have invited professional singers and bands from the local conservatories as well as youth artists from the local communities. The festival is unique in its form with lots of fun, passions and affectionate atmosphere; and it is the only and biggest outdoor Asian culture event this summer!