Clubs Coming Together to Spread Cultural Traditions
New and returning cultural clubs bringing their perspectives to the community on campus.
By Bella Ramos-Khajavi
New and returning cultural clubs bringing their perspectives to the community on campus.
By Bella Ramos-Khajavi
Clubs are a great way for students to find people with similar interests and backgrounds and an opportunity to make friends. Currently, there are five different cultural clubs on campus: Black Student Union, South Asian Student Alliance, Asian Student Association, Persian Club and the Pacific Islander Club.
BSU has returned this year, following the departure of former club leader Ezra Feleke, and has new leaders and an increase in involvement. This year, around 50 people signed up during club rush, which is more than in the past.
“We've done Black musician jeopardy where the participants would choose either a song from the 100 to 500 category from different black artists and have to guess which song it is. We have also done a mixed potluck with the LatinX club,” said BSU club president Tamba Mbawa, 12, who has been a club member since last year.
This year, BSU plans on continuing the tradition of hosting fundraisers, events and potlucks. Abigale Kifle, 12, BSU co-vice president, hopes to have a field trip as well as collaborate with other cultural clubs on campus.
“This year, we're planning to do a potluck with the South Asian Alliance, the Asian Club, Persian Club and I think the Pacific Islander club,” said Kifle.
Students who have joined BSU feel like it is important to have clubs like this on campus as they create a safe space to share their experiences. Yanet Dereje, 12, co-vice president of BSU, has never joined a club like this before and is excited for the opportunity to connect with her culture on campus.
“I hope that this club will not only help students acknowledge and embrace black history and culture but also help black students around the campus, who felt as I did when I couldn’t connect to my own community at school, find a place of comfort and be able to be apart of a new community that’s full of support for one another,” said Dereje.
Kebron Yohannes, 12, another BSU member, believes that these kinds of clubs bring people together on campus.
“I believe it's important to bring clubs like these to school because it can be a place where people can come together to learn more about each other's cultures and traditions,” said Yohannes.
Another cultural club on campus is SASA which is a new club on campus this year. SASA was created with the goal to provide a safe space for South Asian students and also share their culture with others.
Amala Tirumalai, 12, who is one of two SASA club co-presidents alongside Nisa Pradhan, wants South Asian students to feel comfortable and openly demonstrate her culture to others.
“We want to help South Asians feel comfortable eating cultural food at school by holding potlucks and other food-related events. We also want to help students appreciate the bright nature of South Asian culture,” says Tirumalai.
Sarrah Farid, 12, says SASA not only wants to embrace their culture and traditions but also support various other causes.
“We plan to have a few fundraising events where we will co-operate with the Saloni Heart Foundation, which is a charity that we are working with. The goal of these events is to raise money for the Saloni Heart Foundation which provides medical care for children with heart conditions in India.”
Raina Goyal, 9, is new to SASA this year and hopes this club will help bring her culture onto campus.
“I joined this club because I wanted to feel culturally closer with the people at my school," said Goyal.
Also returning this year is ASA, another cultural club on campus. Last year, the club hosted a fundraiser in cooperation with T-Zone, and decorated the library for Lunar New Year. President Madeline Pham, 12, says ASA plans to host more fundraisers as well as provide club members opportunities to gain volunteer hours.
“We’re planning on hosting another boba fundraiser but with Teaspoon instead and then we want to do more with organizations where we help, like Second Harvest to just invite people and provide our club members with volunteer hours,” said Pham.
Additionally, Persian Club, which was created last year, has increased in popularity with about 20 people signing up. The Persian Club plans on hosting primarily meetings but also fundraisers to support women in Iran. Founder Nima Ghezavat, 11, says he started this club with the goal to connect with his culture on campus.
“I decided to create this club because I wanted to show people a new culture and an environment where they can see how other cultures do different things like with food and history,” said Ghezavat.
Pioneer’s cultural clubs strive to provide multicultural students with an environment where they can freely express themselves and connect with students who have similar backgrounds.
For anyone looking to attend these club meetings, BSU meets during brunch on Wednesdays in Tim Koring’s room, P3, SASA meets on Tuesday every other week in Peter Glasser’s room, P1, ASA meets on Fridays in Lillian Luu’s room, 454, and Persian Club meets on Wednesdays during lunch in Derek Clawson’s room, 356.
BSU has returned this year, following the departure of former club leader Ezra Feleke, and has new leaders and an increase in involvement. This year, around 50 people signed up during club rush, which is more than in the past.
“We've done Black musician jeopardy where the participants would choose either a song from the 100 to 500 category from different black artists and have to guess which song it is. We have also done a mixed potluck with the LatinX club,” said BSU club president Tamba Mbawa, 12, who has been a club member since last year.
This year, BSU plans on continuing the tradition of hosting fundraisers, events and potlucks. Abigale Kifle, 12, BSU co-vice president, hopes to have a field trip as well as collaborate with other cultural clubs on campus.
“This year, we're planning to do a potluck with the South Asian Alliance, the Asian Club, Persian Club and I think the Pacific Islander club,” said Kifle.
Students who have joined BSU feel like it is important to have clubs like this on campus as they create a safe space to share their experiences. Yanet Dereje, 12, co-vice president of BSU, has never joined a club like this before and is excited for the opportunity to connect with her culture on campus.
“I hope that this club will not only help students acknowledge and embrace black history and culture but also help black students around the campus, who felt as I did when I couldn’t connect to my own community at school, find a place of comfort and be able to be apart of a new community that’s full of support for one another,” said Dereje.
Kebron Yohannes, 12, another BSU member, believes that these kinds of clubs bring people together on campus.
“I believe it's important to bring clubs like these to school because it can be a place where people can come together to learn more about each other's cultures and traditions,” said Yohannes.
Another cultural club on campus is SASA which is a new club on campus this year. SASA was created with the goal to provide a safe space for South Asian students and also share their culture with others.
Amala Tirumalai, 12, who is one of two SASA club co-presidents alongside Nisa Pradhan, wants South Asian students to feel comfortable and openly demonstrate her culture to others.
“We want to help South Asians feel comfortable eating cultural food at school by holding potlucks and other food-related events. We also want to help students appreciate the bright nature of South Asian culture,” says Tirumalai.
Sarrah Farid, 12, says SASA not only wants to embrace their culture and traditions but also support various other causes.
“We plan to have a few fundraising events where we will co-operate with the Saloni Heart Foundation, which is a charity that we are working with. The goal of these events is to raise money for the Saloni Heart Foundation which provides medical care for children with heart conditions in India.”
Raina Goyal, 9, is new to SASA this year and hopes this club will help bring her culture onto campus.
“I joined this club because I wanted to feel culturally closer with the people at my school," said Goyal.
Also returning this year is ASA, another cultural club on campus. Last year, the club hosted a fundraiser in cooperation with T-Zone, and decorated the library for Lunar New Year. President Madeline Pham, 12, says ASA plans to host more fundraisers as well as provide club members opportunities to gain volunteer hours.
“We’re planning on hosting another boba fundraiser but with Teaspoon instead and then we want to do more with organizations where we help, like Second Harvest to just invite people and provide our club members with volunteer hours,” said Pham.
Additionally, Persian Club, which was created last year, has increased in popularity with about 20 people signing up. The Persian Club plans on hosting primarily meetings but also fundraisers to support women in Iran. Founder Nima Ghezavat, 11, says he started this club with the goal to connect with his culture on campus.
“I decided to create this club because I wanted to show people a new culture and an environment where they can see how other cultures do different things like with food and history,” said Ghezavat.
Pioneer’s cultural clubs strive to provide multicultural students with an environment where they can freely express themselves and connect with students who have similar backgrounds.
For anyone looking to attend these club meetings, BSU meets during brunch on Wednesdays in Tim Koring’s room, P3, SASA meets on Tuesday every other week in Peter Glasser’s room, P1, ASA meets on Fridays in Lillian Luu’s room, 454, and Persian Club meets on Wednesdays during lunch in Derek Clawson’s room, 356.