This Tuesday, USC hosted the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month Celebration in Founders Park to kick off a month’s worth of events celebrating APIDA culture.

The event, which was open to all USC students, was bustling with life, speakers, performances and hot food to encourage students to celebrate APIDA heritage together. 

Eryn Cayetano, a graduate student studying gerontology, was the master of ceremonies of the event. Cayetano introduced the event, describing it as a “journey of celebration [and] reflection.” The theme of the event was “hand in hand.”

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The event’s first speaker, Provost Andrew Guzman, highlighted impactful APIDA students at USC, from Dr. Margaret Chung, who became the first American-born Chinese woman to work as a physician in the United States, to Julia Jiang, a doctoral student who appeared in the Forbes 30 under 30 list in 2024 for her research using artificial intelligence to analyze human behavior.

“More than 24% of our [undergraduates] identify as AAPI … and our history with AAPI students dates back to our very founding,” Guzman said.

Other speakers included Nina Yang Bongiovi, a film producer who highlights APIDA stories in her films. 

“Looking for an apartment [that] would accept a mom of four kids wasn’t easy,” Bongiovi said. “A senior citizens’ apartment took us in … because my siblings and I were really well-behaved and really quiet. And that quietness continued. Whenever we were to speak Mandarin in public, we were mocked and ridiculed.”

However, as Bongiovi grew, her perspective changed. 

“As I matured into adulthood, I came to understand that my heritage became my superpower,” Bongiovi said. “I stand with you today as a proud Asian American producer of film and television.” 

Event participant Ini Ishola — a graduate student studying producing for film, television and new media — said her favorite part was hearing Bongiovi speak about her experiences. 

“It’s really emotional when people tell their stories,” Ishola said. “It’s nice to see another group of people of color coming together and being expressive.”

The event also featured various performances, including a Chinese dragon dance, a Hawaiian dance performed by the USC Hawai‘i Club and a performance from the South Asian fusion a cappella group Asli Baat.

Participant Ariel Zhou, a sophomore majoring in theatre as well as communication, said her favorite part was the food and drinks, which included boba and mochi donuts.

The organizations holding booths also highlighted APIDA culture. The Asian Pacific American Student Assembly hosted a booth encouraging students to attend future events, such as their upcoming annual speaker event with actress Lana Condor. 

Meanwhile, the Office of Sustainability booth featured information about members of the USC APIDA community who had contributed to ongoing sustainability efforts — such as Mahta Moghaddam, a professor of electrical engineering, whose research involves “the intersection of engineering and environmental science.”

This event was just the first of many to celebrate APIDA heritage during the month of April.

“Being in this event was truly empowering,” Cayetano said.