California gets Bruce Lee Day in a first for US state’s Chinese Americans

Bruce Lee Day aims to honour the San Francisco-born martial arts legend as a cultural bridge and Asian-American icon.Martial arts icon Bruce Lee will become the first Chinese American in California history to be honoured with an annual namesake day.California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law on Tuesday afternoon, officially designating May 17 as Bruce Lee Day.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4At least 8 killed in Kyiv after Zelenskyy warns of ‘massive Russian strike’list 2 of 4EU border rules causing travel chaos ahead of summer peak, industry warnslist 3 of 4German prosecutors charge Ukrainian suspect over Nord Stream explosionslist 4 of 4US designates Ecuador’s Chone Killers gang as ‘terrorist’ organisationend of listLee was born in San Francisco in 1940 and returned to the city on May 17, 1959, aged 18, after spending his childhood in Hong Kong.His daughter, Shannon Lee, CEO of the Bruce Lee Foundation, said the honour reflects her father’s enduring legacy as a bridge between cultures.“From young people who found confidence and possibility in his philosophy, to families who finally saw themselves represented on screen, to athletes who still draw on his teachings of discipline and inner strength, his reach is profound,” she said in a statement.State Assembly member Matt Haney, who represents San Francisco, called Lee the “epitome of the best of California”.“At a time when Asian Americans were too often absent from or stereotyped on screen, Bruce Lee helped generations see themselves represented with strength and dignity,” he said.The Bruce Lee Foundation and Asian-American groups hope Bruce Lee will be celebrated each year with voluntary activities, including cultural exhibits, public events and classroom lessons.Born to Chinese parents touring the US with an opera, Lee held birthright citizenship. He moved to Hong Kong as an infant, became a child actor, and studied Chinese kung fu before returning to the US in 1959.He enrolled at the University of Washington in Seattle in 1961, but dropped out to teach martial arts.