diversity is one of our biggest pluses as an employer. the postal service issued its first service of lunar new year stamps through 2004. in 2008, we introduced a new series of stamps commemorating lunar new year. since then, we have probably pay tribute to the year of the rat, the year of the ox, me, the year of the tiger, and the year of the rabbit. we're pleas stamp for the year f the dragon to the popular series. according to one chinese legend, all of the animals of the kingdom were invited to a meeting but only 12 showed up.

as a reward, he gave each animal a year of his own. the dragon is the fifth of 12 animals associated with the chinese lunar calendar. of the 12, is perhaps the most potent and recognizable in images and mystic tales. it has been said that people born during the lunar new year tend to of the traits of the animal feature during that year. individuals born during the year of the dragon are said to be brave, passionate, innovative, enterprising, and self- confident. these same qualities can be found throughout the postal service, one of our nation's oldest public service institutions that continues to be a vital interest to the gateway to american households. it was created more than 235 years ago. it delivers messages, merchandise, and money everywhere, every day. it is a service that the

american public relies on. the postal service also issues stamps that help to keep the mail moving and facilitate communication and commerce in america. oftentimes these stamps are referred to as our nations calling cards. that is why they're so important -- it is so important that they reflect our rich culture and heritage. that is what the lunar new year is all about. if you combined every holiday tradition, decoration, food, prayers, and blessings, you might begin to understand what happens during the day when people of chinese, korean, vietnamese, tibetan, and mongolian heritages around the world celebrate the lunar new year. it is also celebrated with parties and parades where skilled teams of dancers to let the crowds with their portrayals of dragons. to those who celebrate lunar new

year, dragons are not scary monsters to be feared. they are regarded as magical or the wind, welcome symbols of the new hope in the new year. if you look at the colorful creatures depicted on the new stamps, you will see the magical and divine adjectives are excellent ways to describe this beast. by combining original artwork with elements from the previous series, clarence lee's intricate paper cutter and calligraphy, the art director has created a culturally rich stamp that celebrates the diversity of the american experience. you did such a great job on the stamp. please stand. [applause]

we hope the year will bring the best to all of us, no matter what sign we were born under a. the year of the dragon begins today and ends on february 9, 2013. if you purchase the stamps today, they will be good for first class mail postage forever. they'll be good anytime from today forward and no matter the price in the future. on behalf of the united states postal service and all of its employees, and like to invite mayor lee and the program participants to join me in dedicating the year of the dragon stand as we unveil the design, i would like to receive to view -- wish each of you good health and happiness in the year of the dragon.

♪ [applause]

>> thank you for that dedication. it is a beautiful stamp. [applause] now we are in for a special treat. we have with us a beautiful performer, jasmine lee, to perform a beautiful rhythm dance. we have some speakers who will make some brief remarks. the next speaker is the president of the chinese chamber of commerce. [applause] >> my name is tony fong, president of the chinese chamber

of commerce. i had no idea i would be on stage with mayor lee and [inaudible] welcome. the chinese chamber of commerce has a long history. we're not only famous for the parade but we have done many things. in the president of the chinese chamber is an honor. i have been waiting for this job for over 200 years. it is my first term and may be my last term. anyway, we wish everyone happy chinese new year. the year of the dragon means power, prosperity, and

happiness. power can be rightfully used or wrongfully used. if wrongfully used, it can mean disaster. today i am not wasting a minute of power. i do wish him good health. thank you very much. thank you for coming. [applause] >> thank you, tony. our next speaker is mr. thomas ing of the chinese benevolent association. [applause]

>> good morning. i am delighted to be here representing the chinese consolidated benevolent association on the occasion of the first issue of the commemorative stamp for the year of the dragon. according to some of my reading, this year's dragon will bring prosperity, good fortune, good health, and if you get married this year, you will have a beautiful wedding and love and happiness will always be there for you. best wishes. thank you. [applause]

>> now it is my pleasure to introduce mr. clifford yates from the organization of chinese americans. [applause] >> good morning. on behalf of oca, dedicated to advancing the well-being of asian pacific americans, we're pleased to announce the stamp by the postal service. oca is proud to be an organization that has helped to launch this program for 20 years. this commemorative stamp program has been a wonderful opportunity to promote our social heritage. we look forward to doing that in the future. unlike true knowledge of those who designed the stamp and a part of the -- i would like to acknowledge those who designed the stamp and are part of the program. [applause]

the year of the dragons symbolizes freedom, ambition, and passion. we anticipate this lunar new year to be full of innovation and success for the work we continue to do. i am happy to extend the warmest wishes on behalf of the five chapters in northern california and wish everyone a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. [applause] >> thank you, clifford. our final speaker is claudine chang. please welcome claudine chang. [applause] >> [speaking foreign language]

[applause] before i start my closing remarks, i would like to welcome someone who has always been at our new year ceremony. thank you very much. [applause] we are in the second series of this celebrating lunar series. you can buy all of the series from 1992 until 2004 around the country. we're so proud we now have the second series coming for the next 10 years. i would also like to take this

occasion to think about one person who came up with this idea of what i and many other people have worked on the program. this was the idea of an oca member in atlanta, georgia. they wanted to do something to celebrate our chinese-american heritage. i would like to take this opportunity to say thank you and celebrate with the idea of one person can do. [applause] we have talked about what the dragon means. both are very auspicious symbols on the chinese calendar. when we think about water, we think about economic vitality. when we think about dragons, we think about business.

when i think about san francisco in the year 2012, we're so very lucky to have mayor lee. when you think about all the forces coming into play, this is a year and the next quarter years we will have prosperity in our community. our city will be in a leadership position in the regional and world economy. they care very much, mayor lee. i look forward to working with you. -- thank you very much, mayor lee. i look forward to working with you. it takes a lot of people to put together. and may become a part-time employee of the postal service. i just want to thank the

program for helping to distribute posters around town and in many other areas of the city and community. my friend, sherman, many people have gone way beyond the call of duty. i just want to give them a round of applause. [applause] san francisco will always have a happy new year. i look forward to seeing everyone next year. [applause] >> thank you, claudine. that concludes our stamp

ceremony. on behalf of the postal service, i want to thank the mayor for joining us and our platform guests for participating in a ceremony and for all of you for attending our lunar new year, year of the dragon commemoration. ♪ >> i think a lot of times we look a community and we say, there is this one and this one, and we all have our own agenda, when our agenda is to create great work. if you're interested in that, you are part of our community.

>> it is a pleasure to have you here tonight. >> we are trying to figure out a way to create a space where theater and presentation of live work is something that you think of, the same way that you think of going to the movies. of course, it has been complex in terms of economics, as it is for everyone. artistically, we have done over 35 projects in four seasons from presenting dance, producing theater, presenting music, having a full scale education program, and having more than 50,000 visitors in the building almost every year. a lot of our emerging artists generate their first projects here, which is great. then we continue to try to support figuring out where

those works can go. we have been blessed to have that were produced in new york, go unto festivals, go on to the warsaw theater festival. to me, those are great things, when you see artists who think there is no or else of someone being interested in me being a woman of color telling her story and getting excited about it. that is our biggest accomplishment. artists becoming better artists. what is great about surely coming back to brava, we have this established, amazing writer who has won a slew of awards and now she gets an opportunity to direct her work. even though she is an amazing, established writer, the truth is, she is also being nurtured as a director, being given space to create. >> and the play is described as

ceremony and theater meet. in the indigenous tradition, when you turn 52, it is that the completion of an epic. the purpose of this ceremony is to celebrate. whenever you have been caring for the first 52 years, it is time to let it go. they have given me carte blanche to do this. it is nice for me in the sense of coming back 25 years later, and seeing my own evolution as an artist and a thinker. the whole effort even to put the indigenous woman's experience center stage is very radical. because of the state of fear, it

is a hard road to hold up an institution. it really is a hard road. i am looking at where we're 25 years later in the bay area and looking at how hard it is for us to struggle, to keep our theaters going. i would like to think that i am not struggling quite as hard personally. what i mean by that is that in tension, that commitment. what i see is that we're here to really produce works of not be produced in other places, and also to really nurture and women of color artists. i think that that is something that has not shifted for me in 25 years, and it is good to see that brava is still committed to that kind of work. you know? ♪ >> happy birthday to you happy birthday to you ♪

>> windy will talk about the reflection of the community, we can only go with what we have on our staff. south asian managing director. african-american artistic director. latino outreach person. to us, aside from the staff, aside from the artists that we work with him being a reflection of oz, yes, the community is changing, but brava has always tried to be ahead of that, just that sense of a trend. i tried to make about the work that shows the eclecticism of the mission district, as well as serving the mission. that is what i feel brava is about. ♪