For two years now, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across America have endured racist verbal, physical and sometimes deadly attacks fueled by the coronavirus pandemic.

With the start of the Lunar New Year, many are looking forward to carrying out family traditions and joining in community celebrations throughout February. These include family dinners and giving children red envelopes filled with money. New York, Chicago and San Francisco are among the cities with parades planned later this month in their respective Chinatowns.

The Year of the Tiger — a Chinese zodiac symbol that represents strength and courage — also is the perfect time to convince Asian elders who have lived in fear because of widespread anti-Asian sentiment to join in the festivities.

“We really just want to share our culture, and basically be able to celebrate this joyous event with everyone,” said William Gee, a longtime organizer of San Francisco’s annual Chinese New Year Parade & Festival. “Just the presence alone in numbers, it might actually deter anything that any malicious or nefarious activity that might be planned.”