Thoughts on the Culture Club Chat

Recently, Nina Castillo and I hosted a zoom event called the Culture Club Chat for the AAC. This event was centered around the meaning of culture and the influence it has on people’s lives and especially on their college experience. In inviting some of the e-board members from Barkada and KASA, two cultural organizations on campus, we were able to provoke meaningful conversations with them about the mission of their respective orgs and why they decided to become involved. Whereas Nina was the freshman representative of Barkada last semester and remains an active member, I have been an active member of KASA. We were able to share our own experiences of being a part of these clubs and how it has impacted our college experience thus far. One aspect of this event I really enjoyed was that many different insights were shared amongst the e-board members and others who are involved in the PAAC community who joined the call. Due to all the rules and regulations set by Northeastern to promote the safety of students and faculty during this pandemic, clubs have had to brainstorm innovative ways to keep their clubs alive and running. It was really cool to listen to the students in the call inspire others with their ideas. One aspect they spoke about was how they were going about hosting dance zoom calls in their clubs.

Coming to college, I realized how much I value my cultural identity. Growing up, I juggled with finding a balance between my Korean culture and American culture. I was able to voice this struggle in the call and others were able to relate as well. I felt very supported knowing that there are other Asian Americans who have gone through a similar experience. This is something I felt not only during the call, but from being a part of KASA, the AAC, and Kappa Phi Lambda (an Asian-interest sorority). In finding these inclusive Asian communities on campus, I have been able to grow my pride as a Korean American and connect with others through voicing our experiences. In hosting this event, I wanted to create a safe space for students to speak up or just feel supported by others in the Asian community. Moving forward, I hope to host another AAC event related around culture that is interactive and valuable.