The Asian American Student Union
2020 Yearbook
In this house we educate, represent, and empower.
We're gonna make this place
Our Home Asian American Student Union Yearbook 2019-2020
Mission The Asian American Student Union shall represent the Asian American community at the Florida State University and promote the spread of awareness pertaining to Asian American heritage and culture. AASU will serve to encourage and promote the civic engagement of the Asian and Asian-American community, especially within the student body at the Florida State University. It shall function as an educational and cultural learning instrument for the FSU community, by providing cultural programs and materials, which promote awareness of and appreciation for the various and distinct Asian cultures. AASU shall serve as the nucleus of a network to improve the opportunities and living conditions of the Asian community. To this end, AASU shall represent all registered Asian and Asian American student organizations on campus, coordinate available resources, and serve as a catalyst in protecting the rights and representation of the Asian and Asian-American student body.
Theme This year's theme of HOME is meant to represent the vision of the Asian American community to provide a safe and nurturing environment for students of all backgrounds to succeed in both their professional and personal lives. We hope to foster an environment that students from all walks of life, but especially those of Asian and PaciďŹ c Islander descent, can ďŹ nd comfort and belonging. Everyone and anyone can ďŹ nd their HOME within the Asian American Student Union. We hope that this helps our members get CLARITY about their identity and who they are.
Letter from the Editor Table of Contents Mission & Theme
2
Letter from the Editor
3
Executive Board
4
Director and Assistant Director Spotlight
5
History & Annual Report
6
This Year's Highlights
7
Affiliate Summit
8
alpha Kappa Delta Phi
10
Chinese American Student Organization
11
Health Educated Asian Leaders (HEAL)
12
Filipino Student Association
13
Japanese Language and Culture Association 14 Korean American Student Association
15
Lambda Phi Epsilon
16
South Asian Student Association
17
Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity, Inc
18
Vietnamese Student Association
19
Event Planning & Homecoming
20
LEAD & Social Media
21
Sports & Outreach
22
Multimedia & Community Service
23
Dancing with the Stars
24
RepresentASIAN
26
Members' Vision Board
27
Fall Week
28
Lunar Banquet
30
Seniors
32
“To my Asian-American family, I cannot thank you enough for what you have taught me about myself and my identity throughout my past 4 years at FSU. You have relentlessly supported me in everything I have done in both the AsianAmerican community and beyond. You made me proud of who I am and gave me new hopes for who I could be. I hope you can look back on this yearbook and remember all the laughs you had and all the knowledge you gained. I am so proud of how far this agency has come and the home it will continue to be in the future.”
Nicole Hansen
2019- 2020 Jully Dong
Tanvi Marulendra Assistant Director She/her/hers, St. Johns, FL “Most likely to put the world on her back”
Maya Harris Treasurer She/her/hers, Sarasota, FL “Most likely to quietly take over the world”
Lucia Meester Secretary She/her/hers, Marco Island, FL “Most likely to kidnap a stray cat”
Nicole Hansen Historian She/her/hers, Chicago, IL “Most likely to campaign to be a 'little out of pocket'”
Sneha Kapil Public Relations Coordinator She/her/hers, St. Augustine, FL “Most likely to make it in Bollywood”
Director She/her/hers, Coconut Creek, FL “Most likely to throw so much shade you have no choice but to get your work done”
Mannat Thakur Programming Coordinator She/her/hers, St. Augustine, FL “Most likely to bring her rabbit to work” Zaimah Mithavayani Education Coordinator She/her/hers, Boca Raton, FL “Most likely to become the Asian version of Annalise Keating” Amber Chu Outreach Coordinator She/her/hers, Boca Raton, FL “Most likely to become Tik Tok famous” Ebony Guidry Student Program Coordinator & Advisor She/her/hers, Albany, GA “Most likely to brighten your day”
Jennifer Lee Graduate Student Advisor She/her/hers, Orlando, FL “Most likely to warm your heart”
Director and Assistant Director Spotlight
Director Spotlight
Jully Dong
Assistant Director Spotlight
Tanvi Marulendra
When I first came to Florida State, the first thing I was looking for was an Asian American student group. Growing up, I struggled to balance my identity as a Chinese-American. I had a hard time relating with my American friends or had a connection with other Chinese students of my age. Joining AASU made my transition to college so much easier and helped me find a community where I can grow. AASU has become a place where I know I can talk to anyone about anything, whether it's about my classes or the new drama that just came out. This year, we've used "home" as a theme to welcome new members but also welcoming our current members who've been involved with us. We want AASU to become a home away from home where our members can explore what FSU has to offer, develop leadership skills, but also connect with others through culture, celebration, and background. I hope to create a legacy where there is a diverse and inclusive space where we can all share our love for our culture and our stories, whether or not they are Asian or Asian American. There is so much potential for AASU's future. Our momentum continues to roll as the years go by through everything we do, whether it's our affiliates' annual events, our educational events, or our heritage month, we will continue to hold a strong presence on FSU campus. I can't wait to come back in 10 years and see the changes future AASU leaders would make.
I initially got involved with AASU to stay connected with my Indian culture, but it turned out to be so much more. AASU has become a home in that it is a place I feel comfortable being challenged. I know my eboard and the rest of the people in AASU will support me when I step out of my comfort zone. I try to make AASU a place for others to feel the same way, comfortable with being challenged. I hope that when people come to our events they get the sense that we truly want to connect with them, teach them, and learn from their perspectives as well. The legacy I hope we've created is one of an inclusive, welcoming community that is always open to sharing our culture with others! The future for AASU looks brighter than ever. We have a dedicated community, are extremely privileged to enjoy SGA resources, and a solid history to build on. I hope that in future years we continue to build awareness of the World outside of the FSU Campus, connect with groups in Tallahassee, and have an incredible 25th anniversary next year!
Scan to watch the E-board Reads Mean Horoscopes video on Youtube!
1996 Originally called the Asian Student Union, our agency was founded by Faye Hunt and Rich Sealy. Faye Hunt, the first director, wrote a letter to the FSU student body requesting ASU be created to unite the Asian organizations already on campus and increase awareness of the voices of Asian students on campus as a whole.
History of AASU 2006
Previous director Zach Heng and the executive board rebranded the Asian Student Union to the Asian American Student Union to be more inclusive and better reflect the student population. Whereas ASU was geared specifically towards Asian students, AASU opened the organization up to students interested in Asian culture in general. This change also addressed the fact that we are both Asian and American-- it combined our ancestral heritage with our American one.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Increased co-sponsorship with campus partners: Pride Student Union, Club Downunder, Hispanic Latinx Student Union, Women's Student Union, The Askew Student Life Center, Leadershape, Career Center, FSU Homecoming Created Pass the Plate video series Rebranded “Humans of AASU” to “AASYou Spotlight” Co-hosted Taggart's True Seminole Tailgate Added 10th affiliate organization to AASU Creation of Event Planning committee Increased public engagement at Market Wednesday Finished 2nd place overall in the Renegade category during FSU Homecoming
2008 Creation of AAMP'D and Mr. and Miss AASU
AAMP'D is a show that features Asian American entertainers, both around the world and on our campus. Mr. and Miss AASU began as a scholarship program, but has evolved into a cultural pageant that encourages students to delve into what their Asian identity means to them. Both of these events have become yearly AASU traditions.
So you think you can AASU? We kicked off the school year with a game show style event, so members could get to know AASU, our affiliates, and each other.
Hidden History We explored key events in Asian American history that define our past and explored why Asian American history is not as widely talked about in American classrooms. What’s AAS-New? We started 2020 the right way with this spring GBM! There's no better way to ring in the new year than with fun games facilitated by everyone's favorite e-board. Breaking Barriers: Affirmative Action We discussed the role affirmative action plays in relation to college and race through dissecting our country's history and interpreting it in our own lives through a spectrum activity! Watch PridexAASU event recap video on Youtube!
Caught Between Cultures Members shared their stories about what being biracial and adopted is like in the AAPI community.
Watch Hidden History event recap video on Youtube!
Affiliate Summit
The purpose of Affiliate Summit is for the executive board members of all the AASU affiliates to improve upon their leadership skills and network with other Asian American leaders within the agency. Affiliate leaders were able to bond with one another through creative and fun activities like a scavenger hunt. They discussed issues facing their organizations and how to improve upon those issues, while also analyzing the hardships that Asian Americans face as whole.
What did you learn from Afliate Summit ?
“I learned a lot about individual E-Board members from different affiliates and about how we all share similar concerns, specifically those centered on supporting each other's events and our uncertainty on how to fix this. I also learned about how to approach new members to ensure their longevity within AASU. Overall, this event was extremely eye-opening and my favorite summit that I've been to!” Sally Zhu
How will you implement the knowledge you gained during Afliate Summit in the future of your organization? “Learning about how passionate each other person in our group was about their organization d e fi n i te l y s p u r re d m e to a p p re c i a te m y organization more as well. It also taught me to support other affiliates - we are all here to promote our culture and doing that together is easier than doing it separately. It also taught me the importance of reaching out to new faces in the community and making sure they feel welcomed.”
Armani Arellano
What do you hope Afliate Summit continues to do in the future? “In the future, I hope that Affiliate Summit continues to remind executive board members why they are dedicating their time to their organizations through workshops & bonding with people they have never talked to before. Each semester, Affiliate Summit reminds me of what AASU has done to help everyone grow as a leader!” Kassi Hay
Alpha Kappa Delta Phi (aKDPhi) 2019-2020 Accomplishments: Greeks Go Pink Showcase Raised over $1.5K during Breast Cancer Awareness month
Alpha Kappa Delta Phi International Sorority, Inc. is an Asian-interest sorority with over 50 chapters throughout North America, making it the largest Asian-American sorority in the United States. aKDPhi hopes to promote sisterhood, scholarship, leadership, and Asian awareness in our community while encouraging individual expression.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Strong improvement in team bonding through in-state and out-of-state e-board retreats
The Chinese American Student Organization is about organizing students to learn, express, and promote Chinese culture through taking part in cultural activities. CASO encourages discourse between Chinese and American culture.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Successful Boba GBM. Working on collaborations with every afďŹ liate.
The members of Health Educated Asian Leaders grow as established scholars and leaders through events about patientcare, mental health, breast cancer awareness, and others. HEAL strives to offer a variety of opportunities to its members such as ďŹ rst-hand medical practising, philanthropic work, physicians shadowing, and also leadership building all while maintaining a tight-knit member group.
Filipino Student Association (FSA) The Filipino Student's Association mission is to promote and increase awareness of the Filipino culture to the student body and Tallahassee community by providing opportunities to enhance the understanding of the nation's history and culture. FSA seeks to deďŹ ne, preserve, and continue a strong foundation of their cultural values through their events, in order to promote a higher appreciation for diversity at FSU.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Increase in number and consistency of members concessioning which helped accumulate more funds Halo Halo fundraisers raised money for Taal Volcano relief
Japanese Language and Culture Association (JLCA) The Japanese Language and Culture Association connects Florida State University students to Japanese culture, heritage, and language. JLCA works to promote awareness of Japan's traditions, celebrations, food, art, and language throughout both FSU's campus and the Tallahassee area.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Increase in member attendance and involvement despite smaller e-board
Korean American Student Association (KASA) 2019-2020 Accomplishments: Successful MidAutumn Festival with attendance of over 200 people
The purpose of the FSU Korean American Student Association is to organize social and cultural activities in order to educate and promote the Korean culture. The Korean American Student Association also aims to spread awareness of the North Korean people, governmental conict, and the organization of Liberty in North Korea.
Lambda Phi Epsilon (LPhiE)
The mission of Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity, Inc. is to guide men on a lifelong discovery of authenticity and personal growth. LPhiE is the world's largest Asian-interest fraternity. Lambda men hope to live authentic, fulďŹ lling lives and contribute through the pursuit of their noble purpose.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Established on campus March 10, 2019 Became a successful afďŹ liate of AASU
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Successful Diwali celebration
The purpose of the South Asian Student Association is to increase the awareness of South Asians on campus, to preserve the rich cultural heritage of South Asia, and unite South Asians and people of other races by celebrating our diversity. This organization will serve as a "home away from home" community for individuals who wish to meet other people with similar cultures, or who simply would like to be more in touch with their home culture.
Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity, Inc. (SigRho)
Sigma Beta Rho is a national multicultural fraternity based on the pillars of society, brotherhood, and remembrance. SigRho not only celebrates the cultural, racial, sexual differences that characterize their membership, but strives for an understanding of brotherhood beyond the ranks of their own organization — not just Greek unity, but humanity as a whole. They strive to make a positive impact on the lives of others, irrespective of difference.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Most improved chapter 2018-2019 at the National Convention 3rd place in Greeks Go Pink Stroll Showcase
The Vietnamese Student Association tackles social barriers that may hinder them from displaying their culture and heritage with pride. At the same time, they show appreciation of the "American" in Vietnamese "American" in order to: create and stimulate awareness of the transforming Vietnamese-American cultural identity, educate and empower the community, and aid in community service alongside the other afďŹ liates of the Asian American Student Union.
2019-2020 Accomplishments: Higher engagement level in Night in Saigon at University of Georgia
AASU Committees
AASU would be nothing without the hard work of its many committees. Committees help to keep members involved outside of just general body meetings and events. They help foster service to the agency and harbor strong friendships by focusing on the strengths of each member.
Event Planning The Event Planning committee is a collective group of creative minds that collaborate to make AASU events complete with use of their decorating skills. Co-Chairs: Tan Wang & Mannat Thakur
Homecoming The Event Planning committee and the affiliates worked extremely hard creating AASU's float. We won: 2nd place in the Renegade category for our float 1st place for the Odds and Evens competition 1st place in the Student Agency Representation Competition during Spear-it Showcase.
Watch our Fall Committee Recap video on Youtube!
Leadership Exploration and Development (LEAD) LEAD committee helps underclassmen develop skills for success in college, leadership roles, and life such as public speaking, time management, conict resolution, and event planning. Co-Chairs: Zaimah Mithavayani & Ancy Jose
Social Media
The Social Media committee helps brainstorm, create and deliver content for all of AASU's social media platforms allowing members to delve into their creative side. They work in collaboration with Co-Chairs: Charmel Walker & Sneha Kapil
Outreach Outreach Committee works to reach new members and engage current members within our agency. We plan activities for Market Wednesday and work to engage new members to come to our events and join AASU! Co-Chairs: Kassi Hay & Amber Chu
Sports The AASU Sports committee fosters a physical outlet for current, new, and prospective members of AASU and its afďŹ liates to interact, compete, and become more involved. This committee helps individuals ďŹ nd a place to join recreational and competitive IM sports by forming organized teams. Co-Chairs: Lorenzo Guerrero & Lucia Meester
Community Service Community Service committee builds close relationships with people in AASU while earning servscript hours. They plan and execute service projects within theTallahassee community. Co-Chairs: Tiffany Hamlin, Adriana Nguyen & Tanvi Marulendra
Multimedia The Multimedia committee works to create fun and engaging photo/video content of our events and members. These photos/ videos are posted to AASU's various social media accounts or featured at events. Two of their projects featured on Social Media this year were Pass the Plate and AASYou Spotlight! Co-Chairs: Meg Cabras & Nicole Hansen
AASYou Spotlight
Matthew Burdick
Alec Bissell
Meg Cabras
Tan Wang
Sharnell Nocon
Adriana Nguyen
South Korea
Pass the Plate: Noodles Edition Japan China South Asia Vietnam
Watch Pass the Plate on Youtube!
Philippines
Dancing with the Stars
CapitILL State is a hip-hop dance crew at Florida State, established in 2011 under the Filipino Student Association. They perform at various FSU Asian American Student Union events throughout the year. Every year they compete in Def Talent Jam at the University of Florida against teams all over Florida and Georgia. This year they placed ďŹ rst at Def Talent Jam for the ďŹ rst time in the history of the team!
The purpose of The Hallyu Wave Club is to spread awareness of Korean culture through popular entertainment(s) including music, dance, and other media productions. The goal is to bring people together who share a common appreciation for the Korean popular culture. Hallyu Wave commonly performs at AASU events.
Desi-NOLES
Seoula System
FSU's own Bollywood dance team, Desi-NOLES teaches revamped Indian dances on our campus.
Bringing you performances from out of this world, Seuola System specializes in Kpop, Pop, Original and Hip-Hop dance covers. This year, they performed at AASU's Fall Formal event.
Fan Dance Fan Dance is a traditional group part of the that performs at various campus-wide cultural events. They combine elements of traditional dances from any Asian culture with modern dance styles and music to bring together the past and the present in this graceful and unique dance form. Co-Chairs: Terri Howze & Paula Tolton
2019-2020 RepresentAS AN in the Media A Little Late with Lilly Singh
Lilly Singh became the first woman to host a late night show in over 30 years. She is queer woman of color who started out as youtuber.
This year, filmmakers released the live-action remake of Disney's Mulan. Iconic- character, Mushu was left out of this retelling because producer, Jason Reed stated that, “{Mushu} isn't the most culturally appropriate way to represent a dragon in Chinese culture. We've worked really closely with a lot of Chinese partners and with the Chinese government and with cultural consultants and researchers. We have gone to great pains to make sure that we show due deference." Famous songs like "Reflection" and "I'll Make a Man Out of You" were also removed because directors explained "people don't tend to break into song when they're going to war."
Mulan (2020)
Parasite(2019)
Parasite (2019) made history as the first foreign language film to ever win the Academy Award for best picture, in addition to taking home three other awards for best director, best international feature film and best original screenplay. It earned South Korea its first Oscar nominations and wins ever.
The Farewell
The Farewell (2019) tells the story of a Chinese family whose grandmother is dying, but they don't tell her. This film is conspicuously timely in its portrayal of the immigrant identity. The Farewell was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture. Awkwafina secured the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, making her the first Asian American woman to win in that category.
Always Be My Maybe
Community and cultural authenticity are being recognized as important for creating this new, Asian American inclusive content. Randall Park and Ali Wong, co-creators of Always Be My Maybe, met while studying at UCLA, immersing themselves in Asian American studies. Finding that community of Asian American creatives wanting to work and make things together is key. There are more Asian Americans behind-the-scenes working on Asian American projects…a desire for Asian American writers to tell the story.
Members' Vision Board The talented Members of AASU submitted their art and photography to showcase their work.
Jordan Barette
Pinal Patel
Meg Cabras
Jordan Barette
Pinal Patel
Nicole Hansen
Vinzce Yadao
Nicole Hansen
18
SpotLIGHT on our Agency Icons
19
THE Passport to Asia
Fall Week Light The Way Home:
In this collaboration, we spotlighted performances from the other SGA agencies. Members had the opportunity to collaborate with other agency members through making Tik Toks and tabling.
Working together with Club Down under, AASU and its afďŹ liates served delicious food and provided tabling spaces where the FSU community could learn about the diversity and rich culture of Asia. Activities included origami, henna, and calligraphy.
20
Your Future Isn’t Far AWAY
AASU had the pleasure of welcoming a professional panel to our GBM where they discussed what it's like to be an Asian-American in the workforce.
21
HOME of the Asian American Idols
Who doesn't love karaoke? Members took a quick study break to sing their stress away with AASU!
22
Fall Formal
Food, fun, and friends! AASU hosted several incredible musical performances, even featuring a Filipino traditional dance group from the Tallahassee community.
Lunar Banquet:
Year of the Rat What better way to ring in the Lunar New Year than with AASU's biggest event of the year: Lunar Banquet! Our afďŹ liates came together to create creative and engaging performances for our student body. Huge thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate the Year of the Rat with us!
S
e n
i
o
s
r
Alisa Huang
Amber Chu
Ancy Jose
Amy Alonso
Andrew Luc
Brianna Paulin
Byron Solis
Claire Quinn
Gunita Rahman
Jade Paredes
Jaison Joseph
Josh Barlaan
Josh Pagusun
Jully Dong
Justin Yoon
Kalien Keys
2
0 2 0
Karma Kovacs
Kristina Feliciano
Michael Baimonte
Michael Cho
Musammat Uddin
Nate Kurtz
Nicole Hansen
Partisha Solis
Paula Tolton
Queenie Zhang
Stephanie Lee
Sean Tordecillas
Vi La
Shaquanda Simmons
Zaimah Mithavayani
33
