By Ben Markley
Students who want to learn about the diverse cultures of Asia will have an opportunity to do so at the Asian Fall Festival, which will take place Nov. 14 from 2-4 p.m. in RC 270.
The Asian Fall Festival is an event that was originally proposed by the Chinese Student Association to the Multicultural Student Advisory Committee. Students can expect free food, displays, activities, music, games, and stories all relating to Asian culture.
Ho Hoi Chun, Chinese Student Association member, said the festival is really a collaboration of numerous fall festivals that occur throughout Asia.
“It’s an Asian thing, but every country is a little different,” he said. “We want people to come together and show their way that they celebrate their fall festival.”
JJ Wang, Chinese Student Association member, said the event also focused on uniting Asian students.
“We are far from home, all of us are,” Wang said. “By being in America, the best we can do to be close to our culture is to share it with our new friends and new family in America.”
The event will be primarily student-run. Mindy Kinnaman, Multicultural Student Advisory Committee adviser, said this was the best format for the festival.
“Students have a pretty good idea of what they’d like to see and participate in,” she said.
Hoi said the college’s diverse student population was the best resource for students wanting to learn about other cultures.
“We have students from everywhere,” Hoi said. “We don’t really need public speakers. I’m sure students from the actual country will have a deeper passion for this festival than a professional.”
The festival aims to include not only China and Japan, but countries like India, Russia, the Philippines, and others within the Middle East.
“When people talk about Asia, they only think about Oriental, like Chinese or Japanese,” Wang said. “We want to get people from all countries of Asia to promote and celebrate our culture.”
Kinnaman said the festival will help educate students about their own classmates.
“It’s important for schools to learn about all cultures that go to school there,” she said.
Wang said he hopes the festival opens students’ eyes to new interests.
“[Students] can not only have fun [at the festival] but actually be inspired to be involved,” he said. “Just by knowing a new Asian country, just by exploring more of the culture, maybe it will trigger a new interest in them for the future. They can come to Asia, do business, and help people from Asia.”
Hoi said the festival was about more than education.
“It’s about friendship and understanding between Asia and America,” he said.
The festival is still in very early stages and is looking for students from Asian backgrounds willing to present their culture. Students interested in participating in the festival can contact either Wang at jwangjr@stumail.jccc.edu or Hoi at hho2@stumail.jccc.edu.
Contact Ben Markley, news editor, at bmarkle2@stumail.jccc.edu.