A year after tragedy, the healing continues at an Alhambra ballroom dance studio – one small step at a time.
Around 70 to 80 people came together for a Community Remembrance Fair at Lai Lai Ballroom & Studio Saturday, Jan. 13, to mark the anniversary of a mass shooting in neighboring Monterey Park that stunned this area to its core.
For the last year, the depth of the tragedy – which left 11 dead at Star Ballroom Dance Studio amid the city’s Lunar New Year celebration – has prompted many to return to dance as a form of healing and a source of strength. But for some, given what unfolded both in Monterey Park and Alhambra, the return to a dance floor has been gradual, if at all.
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It was at Lai Lai, where Brandon Tsay — whose family operates the dance studio — disarmed the Monterey Park shooter, thwarting what authorities said would have surely been another tragedy only minutes after the first.
Tsay, now known as a hero, said he wanted to organize the free event in the hopes that those who are still reluctant to seek emotional support can be connected with the necessary resources they need to recover.
“We’re here today to both celebrate the healing process our community has done in resilience and unity, as well as remember those who have passed away due to the incident,” said Tsay, who attended Saturday’s event, as he has several community events in the months after the shooting.
He noted that many Asian-American organizations set up booths inside the ballroom to offer attendees resources in areas such as legal, mental health, case management and community education.
“Inside, we have several vendors and services, as well as those who are professionals in wellness and health going out in the community and connecting with one another to really promote healing for those who are still reluctant or need more help in these services,” Tsay said.
Among the organizations present were: Asian Pacific Community Fund, Asian Pacific Counseling and Treatment Centers, MPK Hope Resiliency Center, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation and Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California,
The Tsay family’s dance studio now stands as a symbol of strength and a collective sanctuary, providing a space for those impacted by the 2023 Lunar New Year Eve tragedy to unite, heal and continue embracing their mutual passion for dance.
On the night of Jan. 21, 2023, Tsay wrestled a gun away from Huu Can Tran, who had minutes earlier rampaged through the studio in Monterey Park. Tran had walked into the Lai Lai’s foyer with the intention to carry out another massacre. Tran ended up taking his own life inside a van parked in a Torrance parking lot.
The rampage sent shockwaves through a tight-knit community and instilled ripples of fear across the San Gabriel Valley, home to diverse communities of Asian-Americans.
Yet, on Saturday, a different narrative unfolded at Lai Lai Ballroom and Studio. The community gathered for inspiring speeches from community leaders, took dance lessons, and savored delicious food during the fair, transforming the atmosphere into one of vibrancy, uplift and renewed hope. All the while, the memories of the victims were not far away: Ming Wei Ma, 72; Andy Kao, 72; Valentino Marcos Alvero, 68; Wen-Tau Yu, 64; My My Nhan, 65; Xiujuan Yu, 57; Muoi Dai Ung, 67; Hongying Jian, 62; Chia Ling Yau, 76; Diana Man Ling Tom, 70; and LiLan Li, 63.
“At the time, we said we will get through this because Monterey Park is resilient, and what I’ve seen in the year since is indeed proof,” said Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, who attended the event along with elected officials from Monterey Park and Alhambra.
Numerous community members came forward to help the victims’ families and those wounded in the incident, Chu said. Organizations such as Monterey Park Hope Resiliency Center and people such as Tsay have continued to use their platforms to raise awareness about issues like mental health challenges.
However, Chu also acknowledged that not everyone is ready to “do direct counseling.”
Engaging in activities such as arts and crafts, perhaps taking a few dance lessons, and simply socializing with others can be another, gentler approach, for individuals to cope, she added.
“But I also hope that anybody who feels distress, depression, anxiety, that they do get the actual counseling help because it is there,” Chu said.
Fonda Quan, niece of victim My My Nhan, said she wants to focus on the positive aspect of the tragedy, instead of dwelling on the past.
“I want us to focus on how we move on individually and as a community together,” she said. “And that’s how we are going to honor everyone who was lost last year.
Quan’s family has created the My My Nhan Legacy Fund to help organizations like Seniors Fight Back, which empowers AAPI seniors by providing tools and resources for them to protect themselves against violence.
“Now thinking back, we lost 11 precious individuals, but what I see now is over ten folds of community and relationships created because of this,” Quan said. “I’m especially proud of that and that shows exactly how resilient we are.”
