On May 24, 2022, Mayor Vicente Sarmiento was joined by members of the City Council to sign a historic resolution apologizing to Chinese immigrants and their descendants for acts of fundamental injustice and discrimination, seeking forgiveness, and committing to the rectification of past policies and misdeeds.
The resolution stems from the City’s actions on May 25, 1906, when City leaders decided to burn down Santa Ana’s Chinatown in an act of racism and xenophobia.
The resolution signing ceremony took place across the street from the original Chinatown site at 3rd and Bush streets (now a parking lot behind the old City Hall).
Nearly 100 community members, leaders of Chinese cultural organizations from throughout the region, and other supporters gathered for the ceremony. The event featured a Chinese lion dance performance and a traditional altar.