Asian Culture Center draws students to annual event

Warm weather and cloudless skies were overhead as the first week of classes ended with a multicultural celebration. \nThe Asian Culture Center held its annual welcome reception Friday to introduce new and returning students to the services it offers and to the subsidiary organizations within it. \nHundreds of students had the opportunity to meet all the different cultural associations present at the reception, as well as sample various ethnic foods, get henna tattoos and have their names written in Chinese or Japanese calligraphy. Included at the event were groups such as the Burmese Student Association, the IU Chinese Student and Scholar Association and the Filipino Student Association. \nOne group, the Japanese Student Association, mentioned its great need for new members, particularly freshmen. \n“There are mostly juniors and sophomores in JSA,” president Hideaki Uchida said. “We want people to know, though, that the JSA isn’t just for Japanese and Japanese-American students. We’re probably the most diverse student group because we have the most culture.” \nIn an effort to recruit more members, the Japanese Student Association will be holding its call-out meeting later this week. \nAlso present at the reception was the Asian Student Union, a group dedicated to unifying and advocating Asian-specific issues at IU and in the community, Asian Student Union Director U Ta Looi said. \n“We’re mostly a political group,” Looi said. “We promote awareness for Asian stereotypes and issues, as well as expansion for the Asian Culture Center. There is a lack of focus on Asian issues, and we want to work on that.” \nSince its formation in 1995, the Asian Student Union’s projects have included Mr. and Miss Asia, the Asian Alumni Scholarship and co-ed sports tournaments. \n“There are only five members,” Looi said of the Asian Student Union’s membership. “We’re now recruiting to get more \npeople involved.” \nMulticultural sorority Kappa Gamma Delta and fraternity Lambda Alpha Phi were also available for questions. Lambda Alpha Phi president Howard Liu said interested students don’t need to be Asian in order to join. \n“Lambda Alpha Phi teaches you about brotherhood, leadership and open-mindedness,” Liu said. \nSpeakers from the IU Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Student Support Services and La Casa Latino Cultural Center were also on hand for student inquiries, as well as a representative each from the Peace Corps and the IU Commission on Multicultural Understanding. \nJunior Christine Stewart came to the welcome reception to support her Vietnamese friend. \nStewart, who had never attended an Asian Culture Center event, said the experience was new to her, but fun nonetheless. \n“It’s important for people, especially freshmen, to explore other cultures,” said Stewart, who is a member of the African Student Association. \nSophomore Assem Zhakupova echoed Stewart’s words. \n“There were fun activities like Japanese calligraphy and henna tattoos, but there were also some very informative things there,” Zhakupova said. \nZhakupova, an international student from Kazakhstan, said this sort of event was very important, especially for those who were not from Indiana or the United States. \n“(Foreign) students need something like this, where they can find all the groups that are related to them,” she said.