Miya Lee

As they walked loops around Central Park during their first date on Sept. 10, 2022, Alyannah Kassam and Malik Ladhani were surprised by their similar backgrounds. Kassam and Ladhani, who matched on Hinge a week earlier, learned they were both Ismaili Muslims of Indian descent whose families had settled in East Africa before immigrating to Canada in the early 1970s. Each grew up in suburbs outside Toronto and settled in Manhattan after coming to the United States for school.

new video loaded: How Lunar New Year Traditions Take Root Across America transcript transcript How Lunar New Year Traditions Take Root Across America The New York Times traveled to Honolulu, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, New Orleans and New York to see how Asian American communities blend old and new customs to celebrate the Lunar New Year. Growing up, I never really felt like Asian culture or Vietnamese culture in general was included in Mardi Gras.

The team traveled to five cities in a whirlwind tour, working with local videographers to capture each community’s unique celebrations. Feb. 20, 2026 With Tuesday’s arrival of the new moon, Asian Americans gathered to celebrate the Lunar New Year, a holiday that lasts several days to weeks, depending on the culture, and generally culminates on the full moon, which this year lands on March 3.