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Mountlake Terrace Plaza hosted a Lunar New Year meet and greet Feb. 20 featuring Edmonds City Councilmember Will Chen and Asian Service Center Director Robert Ha.
Chen is also running for state representative in the 32nd District.
Chen spoke with residents about the traditions and symbols of Lunar New Year and shared his personal story of growing up in poverty in China in the 1970s. Ha also discussed his immigration journey and the work of the Asian Service Center, a Snohomish County nonprofit serving Asian and other underserved communities.
Chen said that Cultural Revolution in China was a “very dark time” for his family because of his family’s background. “My grandfather was a very successful businessman, and he owned properties,” Chen said. “He had businesses, and he hired people to work for him, but when the Communists came, there was a policy took away the properties from the so-called rich people and distributed everything to other people.”
He said his parents only had a sixth grade education. By his generation, he said was one of two students in his village who got accepted into a university in Shanghai. Later, he earned a master’s degree in accounting from the University of Iowa and had supported his education and living by working at three part-time jobs, including a campus bus driver and teaching assistant in accounting.
During the discussion with the residents, Chen highlighted one of his legislative priorities, which is increasing the property tax exemption for seniors. He later presented residents with symbolic Lunar New Year gifts, including lucky oranges, red envelopes and fortune cookies. The event concluded with a raffle prize: A lucky cat filled with treats.
“The event was connection in action,” Executive Director Nikki Bakken said.
After the scheduled program, Chen remained on site to continue conversations with residents over lunch.
“It is always amazing to watch Will with the community. He is so engaged,” sales director Jennifer Angell said.
Chen thanked Angell for introducing him to the Plaza’s community.
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