Hundreds of students lined up on McCarthy Quad on Wednesday afternoon for the annual Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration. To start off the occasion, four dancers from the USC Hawai’i Club performed a traditional dance wearing traditional Hawaiian leis and aloha shirts. 

USC’s celebration is held annually in April to commemorate AAPI Heritage Month before it begins in May, with live performances and club support toward the greater AAPI community. 

Karen Tongson, a professor of English, gender and sexuality studies, and American studies and ethnicity, gave a speech focused on the celebration of Asian cultures connecting with one another to build a stronger community. She said she believes unity has to go beyond the event, creating spaces of belonging every single day.

“[Asian Americans are] seen as a monolith, when in reality, we’re richly different across cultures, languages, histories and lived experiences. And within that diversity, there are voices that still struggle to be heard and stories that still need space to be told,” Tongson said.

Brandon Esquivel, a sophomore majoring in law, history and culture said even though he is not Asian, he found the event to be very welcoming to all ethnicities. 

“Growing up, I was predominantly surrounded in a very much a Latino/Asian community. So I was very accustomed to the people, the culture,” Esquivel said. “I always enjoyed participating in Asian celebrations.”

Organizations tabling at the event, like Dragon Boat at USC and the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly, pitched their clubs to new members for the upcoming semester and encouraged attendees to come to their events. 

Esquivel is a member of the Dragon Boat team, a sport that started from traditional festivals in China. He said he believes the club promotes a strong community bridging cultures.

 “It’s been on my radar just to check it out, because I know in this event, a lot of Asian clubs come out that aren’t as widely known about, like Dragon Boat,” Esquivel said. “[I went] not only to support my club, but again, to learn about the different aspects of Asian culture and heritage.”

Joseph Green, an APASA intern, said he found the club to be an incredible experience in building his community at USC while being able to lead events that promote Asian culture such as the APASA Night Market. He said he enjoys the environment with bustling people who are all enjoying cultural food together.

“I feel lucky to be a part of APASA that has incredible people willing to put care and effort into every event,” said Green, a sophomore majoring in cinema and media studies. “This event has been really fun. It’s a really beautiful day out, and the food is really good. … I just got Filipino desserts. It’s just been a really amazing time to show people what APASA is.” 

“I feel lucky to be a part of APASA that has incredible people willing to put care and effort into every event,” said Green, a sophomore majoring in cinema and media studies. “This event has been really fun. It’s a really beautiful day out, and the food is really good. … I just got Filipino desserts. It’s just been a really amazing time to show people what APASA is.” 

Nathaniel Galvan, a freshman majoring in biomedical engineering, is a member of Troy Philippines, which is an organization celebrating Filipino culture through events such as talent shows and Tagalog lessons. He decided to table the club at the celebration to build on his professional skills while also creating new friendships with those attending. 

“Being in Troy Phi has been very influential throughout my entire freshman year. I joined once I first heard about it, and I met a lot of very good friends,” Galvan said. “[I came here] to meet some people and see all the different tables such as [Asian Pacific American Student Services], along with getting free food.”

The event revolved around the central idea of “Power in Unity: Strengthening Communities Together,” bringing all the clubs together on campus to promote a stronger community for students to bond, while also introducing new ways to grow on campus.

“It’s about how we continue to build a university and a broader society where everyone has the opportunity to be seen,” Tongson said. “When we commit to that work together, we create something powerful, a legacy that does not just remember the past but shapes futures of freedom.”