The Asian-American Association had its first meeting last November. Throughout the year, the club leaders welcomed students of all backgrounds to celebrate Asian culture through food, clothing and the diverse traditions of Asian regions.
The organization was especially food-oriented last year. The students hosted many potlucks, where students from Asian backgrounds brought cultural dishes and had the opportunity to talk to the group about their culture and food. While food is still a big part of the organization, this year represents a shift to emphasize different aspects of the culture.
“I’ve tried to make it more community oriented, where our peers can more connect with each other over a culture, instead of just coming for food and leaving,” president and founder Sophia Nguyen said.
Nguyen’s goal is to create a safe space for students of Asian descent to share their culture and food, free of judgment, as well as to try new foods and learn more about Asian culture. She also loves being able to help new students from places like the Philippines adjust to the culture shock.
Last year, one of their most successful events was a culture day, where members were encouraged to wear their traditional cultural clothing.
The organization’s main goal is to unite the student body by celebrating and learning about Asian cultures. Vietnamese, South Asian, Filipino and more have been featured in their meetings.
“If we’re all aware of what makes us a person and appreciate each other’s values, I think that we could all be closer as a school and also as a generation,” social chair Nabeeha Salman said.
When the Asian-American Association first started meeting, they encountered some problems and setbacks. With a goal of uniting students through respect and appreciation of a culture, low attendance and instances of racism from fellow students were discouraging.
“We do have some instances of people being racist, and that’s my least favorite part about the club,” Nguyen said. “It’s really hard when you try to bring so many people together, and then no one shows up. I think that’s the worst.”
However, the club leaders continued to meet and advertise, and now they have increased their average attendance to around 15 students. In the future, they hope to continue to increase membership and possibly get t-shirts, have a fundraiser and have field trips to temples or restaurants.
“Whenever people do show up, it really makes you happy because everybody’s here and we’re all talking and eating,” Nguyen explained. “I just want for people of a similar culture to have a safe space.”
The Asian-American Association welcomes all students, even if they are not Asian. They encourage the mixing of cultures, as long as everyone is respectful of others.
“You really have to be appreciative of culture or be a part of the culture,” said vice president and co-founder Ash Siddiqui. “I feel like anyone can be a part of a culture as long as they respect it.”
