Asian students discuss identity

Cielle Amundson couldn't wait to see 500 Asian-Americans gather on IU's campus. Amundson, IU's Asian American Association programming chair, got her wish this past weekend when for the first time since 1996, IU hosted the annual Midwest Asian American Student Union Conference.\nThrough a mix of entertainment and educational workshops, the weekend offered Asian students the opportunity to regain a sense of cultural character.\n"I think it's really interesting to see so many Asians get together and talk about their identity," freshman I-Shan Cheng said. \nStifled within the stereotypical cult of pre-med students, Asian-Americans today are struggling to redefine themselves.\nMAASU co-chair Cecille Domingo said she hopes the event helped create a better cultural understanding amongst Asian-Americans.\n"There's a lack of understanding, not only by others but by ourselves," Domingo said.\nFocusing on instilling positive change within the Asian-American community, MAASU's theme this year was "Innovate: Culture in Motion."\nMAASU wanted a theme that reflected the current Asian-American status in the U.S., event social chair Amundson said.\n"Asian-Americans are trying to define themselves by never-before used labels."\nIn conjunction with MAASU, AAA presented its annual Taste of Asia Friday night in Alumni Hall. Performances by a hip-hop group, a guitar duo and Lambda Alpha Phi, the Asian fraternity, offered guests a glimpse into Asian culture. \nFreshman Josh Kim, the night's emcee, improvised on his guitar between acts.\n"I'd like to welcome you to Taste of Asia/ I thought there would be food, but now I know the stinkin' truth," he sang. \nMany guests shared Kim's disillusionment, but the performances hushed their restlessness.\nStudents roared with laughter and erupted into cheers as Stir-Friday Night, Chicago's premier Asian sketch comedy troop, mocked Asian stereotypes. \nRoger Fan, an actor from MTV's "Better Luck Tomorrow," a movie about Asian-Americans, gave guests a sneak preview of the film, opening in select cities Friday.\nThe movie offers the Asian-American community a rare opportunity to thrust into the Hollywood scene. \nFan compared being an Asian-American in Hollywood to selling a long, sexy boat in the desert. It doesn't matter how nice the boat is or how good it looks. There's no need for it.\n "It (MAASU) is about our culture," Domingo said. "It's not a cause, it's who we are."\nSaturday, MAASU held workshops throughout the day and a banquet at the Bloomington Convention Center in the evening. Pierre Wuu, an IU alum and former editor of aMagazine, the largest selling Asian-American magazine in the country, spoke at the banquet.\nFreshman Cheng didn't go to a lot of the workshops, but she managed to catch one called, "What do you see when you look in the mirror? APA (Asian Pacific American) women, beauty, and body image."\nSince April 2002, when IU was determined as the host school for MAASU, a group of eight core people and 25 volunteers worked to organize the massive event.