Dumplings, Dialogue, and Community: Celebrating Lunar New Year Together

On February 2nd, the Mercer Island Chinese Association (MICA) hosted a special Lunar New Year dumpling-making gathering — bringing together newly elected officials, community leaders, and partner nonprofit organizations from across the region for an evening of culture, connection, and celebration.

A Gathering Rooted in Tradition

The evening was designed as a warm and intentionally informal opportunity for community leaders to connect, learn about Lunar New Year traditions, and experience one of the holiday's most beloved customs firsthand: making dumplings together.

In Chinese culture, dumplings carry deep significance. They symbolize **prosperity, unity, and good fortune** — and the act of making them together is just as meaningful as the dumplings themselves. Families traditionally gather around the table in the days before the new year, wrapping dumplings while sharing stories, laughter, and hopes for the year ahead. Through this gathering, MICA hoped to recreate that same spirit of togetherness and warmly welcome our partners into that tradition.

Flour-Dusted Hands and Meaningful Conversations

Participants rolled dough, crafted fillings, and learned the art of dumpling folding — all while exchanging ideas about community engagement, partnership, and collaboration. For many attendees, it was their very first time making dumplings from scratch. What began as a culinary adventure quickly transformed into something far more meaningful: a room filled with laughter, curiosity, and the kind of genuine connection that only shared experiences can foster.

As conversations flowed and dumplings took shape, it became clear that some of the most meaningful dialogue happens not in formal meeting rooms — but around a kitchen table, with hands dusted in flour and a shared sense of joy in the air.

Distinguished Guests and Valued Partners

We were deeply honored to welcome an extraordinary group of community leaders, elected officials, and partner organizations to the table — including Mayor Dave Rosenbaum and Council Member Julie Hsieh of Mercer Island, Council Member Andy Jacobs of Newcastle, as well as representatives from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Chinese Information and Service Center (CISC), University of Washington, International Community Health Services (ICHS), Seattle Kokon Taiko, Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle, and many other valued community partners and institutions from across the region.

Building Bridges, One Dumpling at a Time

At MICA, we believe that cultural celebrations are among the most powerful tools we have for building understanding, friendship, and trust across communities. This gathering was a beautiful reminder of that belief.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who joined us on February 2nd to ring in the Lunar New Year with open hearts and open hands. As we look ahead to the year of the Snake, we remain committed to continuing to build bridges across cultures — and we look forward to many more shared tables in the years to come. 🥟🧧

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Interested in partnering with MICA or joining us at a future event? Reach out to us at president@michinese.org.