Kathy Moua, coordinator of the Cross Cultural and Gender Center, along with Dr. Jenny Banh, associate professor and Asian American Studies Program coordinator, hosted the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Leadership Council Meeting on Feb. 14.
The event brought in about 70 people to the Resnick Student Union where there was pizza and boba for people to mingle. It was an opportunity to celebrate APIDA achievements on campus and help students build meaningful connections through a variety of programs.
“This event has taken different forms over the past three years, starting when I became the coordinator at the Cross Cultural and Gender Center. At its core, this event is about celebrating the accomplishments of APIDA-related organizations, clubs, departments, initiatives and communities at Fresno State,” Moua said.
The Cross Cultural and Gender Center invited a variety of clubs and organizations from Fresno State, including the following:
- Asian Social Work Organization
- Japanese Student Association
- Hmong American Ink & Stories
- Muslim Student Association
- Hmong Student Association
“There’s no better way to celebrate than by enjoying delicious food together and cheering for each other’s accomplishments,” Moua said.
During the event, the Cross Cultural and Gender Center highlighted its biggest accomplishment of 2024 as the APIDA Welcome Festival, which attracted 306 students. They collaborated with the Asian American & Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution Initiative.
“There are some APIDA events but this is the first honoring of our students, faculty, staff, and community,” Banh said. “We hope to create a tradition.”