The Asian American Cultural Heritage Showcase on Friday not only revealed contemporary arts within Asian culture, but it also helped represent a student population on campus that is passionate about being recognized.
Asian American Ambassadors at LSU (AAA), supported by the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA), attempted to represent Asian-American students on campus by hosting their first-ever Asian-American heritage showcase in the Student Union Cotillion Room.
Krystie Nguyen, coordinator of Cross-Cultural Affairs in the Office of Multicultural Affairs, said being an Asian-American person means sometimes having to adopt aspects of other cultures when celebrating. While the showcase tried to represent all Asian cultures, the event focused on specific countries, she said.
Some of the cultures exemplified in the showcase included Korean, Vietnamese, Chinese, Indian, Japanese, Malaysian and Indonesian, Krystie Nguyen said. Though the entire event was planned and run by students, OMA tried to be a hub for student involvement, support and multicultural incorporation, she said.
“It is a cultural event, but the students are the ones putting on the event and trying to showcase their culture,” Krystie Nguyen said. “They are the face of the organization and the face of OMA.”
Catherine Nguyen, mass communication sophomore and public relations advocate for AAA, was a performer and one of the masters of ceremonies for the showcase. She said the small size and newborn nature of AAA will not stop the organization from growing and expanding.
“Even though we are new, it doesn’t mean we can’t do big events,” Catherine Nguyen said. “It takes a team effort, and we always work as a team.”
One of the performances involved an interpretive dance and modern hip-hop music from Korea and Japan. The dance told a story that illustrated the ups and downs of a romantic relationship while incorporating contemporary Asian culture, Catherine Nguyen said.
Krystie Nguyen said the funding for AAA events comes from dues of each member of the organization as well as aid from Student Government, though most of the funds come from OMA.
AAA President Isabelle Vea said she was pleased with the almost 130-person turnout Friday, considering Groovin’ on the Grounds was held around the same time as the showcase, and the organization only had a month and a half to plan the event.
Vea said the audience was captivated by the final performance by a group from New Orleans called Van Hanh that dressed up in elaborate lion costumes, making for an interactive show.