Spotlighting Burnsville High School's Asian Student Association

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and the diverse and vibrant cultures, contributions, and achievements of the AAPI communities, here's a Q&A that spotlights a few of Burnsville High School's Asian Student Association (ASA) members.

Katie Duong

What is the student's role in ASA? My role in ASA is event coordinator. As an event coordinator, I plan and organize cultural and social events alongside the president and other board members, coordinating with different stakeholders, promoting events to ensure high participation, and managing logistical aspects. I try to foster community and cultural engagement within ASA.

What does it mean to them to have a group like ASA to belong to? It means a lot to be part of a group that fosters a sense of community and cultural pride among its members. Being in ASA allows me to connect with my heritage, share it with others, and create inclusive spaces through events that celebrate diversity.

Why is this recognition month important to you? The recognition month is really important because it's a time to highlight the contributions and stories of Asian and Pacific Islanders in my own community and beyond. It's an opportunity to educate, commemorate, and acknowledge the history and ongoing contributions of our communities, which can be empowering and affirming.

What is something their peers might not know about AAPI? Something that our peers might not know about ASA is our big celebration of AAPI month with our AAPI Cultural show May 24! The board members put a lot of work and love into this show to showcase the best of our culture and the talent of our community. I think it's a fun way to get ASA's name out there and highlights our efforts in sharing our culture.

Tiena Tran

What does AAPI Month mean to you personally? AAPI month acts as a period of exemplified representation for a community that is typically marginalized and disparaged in media and history. As this month originally acted as a celebration to acknowledge the first Japanese immigrants to arrive in the U.S and the Chinese immigrants who helped build the transcontinental railroad, this month pays tribute to countless generations that have worked hard for their place in the world, and I still believe that it serves that same purpose today. We are able to recognize the contributions of AAPI individuals and honor our community through the stories we are able to tell as we celebrate the survival of generations through the hardships we face. 

Angelina Ly

I'm the Vice President of ASA and a part of NHS and DIBC along with my main club ASA. I think having ASA in our school allows an outlet for the AAPI community to gather and share their culture and personal experiences as students of Asian or Pacific Islander descent with people of all communities. I feel that this month is especially important for those who are of the younger generation of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders to highlight our important innovators and ancestry being our ethnicity along with being American. It merges both the identities we have and shows the coexistence of two or more parts of us that define us to the rest of the world on a surface level but also can be explored much deeper. A fun fact about me personally is that I like to match the color of my keychains with my outfits!

Linh Hoang

How does AAPI Month promote awareness and understanding of AAPI history, culture, and contributions in our society? Asian American and Pacific Islander history, culture, and accomplishments are celebrated during AAPI Month. It is an opportunity to educate ourselves, honor diversity, and acknowledge the important contributions made by AAPI communities. AAPI Month encourages us to value and stand with our peers by cultivating understanding and community through events and representation.