On May 1st, 2024, Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Club stood underneath the bright lights of the FM High School stage for its second annual performance. Because of the success of the first ever AAPI assembly in 2023, this year’s production was made mandatory for the entire student body. As a club, the goal is to educate and inspire others to speak up against various stereotypes in order to demonstrate the true beauty and power of the AAPI community. This year’s theme was “Retracing Our Roots.”
As soon as everyone was seated, the Lion Dance, accompanied by the pit orchestra, grasped the audience’s attention. Heads turned as the decorative lion costumes swept through the auditorium aisles and back onto the stage, and the performers were met by a wave of roaring applauses once the act concluded.
What followed were all masterful representations of the variety of cultures within the AAPI community, including a Filipino Pandanggo sa ilaw dance led by Marie Nicole Jazmin and Zachary Mangoba, a South Asian dance choreographed by Nithya Gangireddy, a remarkable Tae Kwon Do demonstration, a bo staff versus sword performance featuring Jay Shi and Atsuto Urao, and an electric K-pop dance as the finishing touch. Between these performances, several speakers (Sam Colvin, Hari Yoganathan, Manal Thib, Maham Iqbal, Jonathan Palmer, Safina Ahmed, and Angela Dong) contributed through insightful perspectives on AAPI culture and its significance to both themselves and others.
I am grateful that the assembly delivered its message and was thoroughly enjoyed by the audience, but there is a lot more to the story than what was seen in that forty minute time frame.
I can confidently say that this performance blew away the very high expectations that I had for it. As an officer of the AAPI club, I have really been exposed to how much time and effort has been poured into the production of the assembly. Through countless meetings, emails, texts, practices, weekend rehearsals, and memorization, this club was able to pull it all together. Furthermore, none of this could have been possible without the support from Mr. Makay and club advisor Ms. Allsopp, as their immeasurable commitment brought the club’s many wishes to fruition.
Senior David Palmer, co-president of the club, encapsulated the deeper meaning of this year’s assembly, “The theme of “Retracing Our Roots” holds a lot of weight. What exactly are our roots? Are they still ‘ours’ even if we feel completely disconnected from them? What even is the point, anyways? I feel our assembly this year, with the help of each and every single one of our performers, speakers, and officers, we were able to show FM what it means. To ‘Retrace our Roots’ means to not hide our ancestry and culture, but rather share it, and do so with pride. The assembly would not have been possible without that. Pride. The passion to share. The bravery to step on stage in front of the entire school and express it in full confidence. This year, we had over 70 students do that, and that is astonishing in itself.”
David also emphasizes the importance of a true community. “The passionate people are the reason this assembly was possible at all, and was as amazing as it was. Teachers and students have reached out to me congratulating me on a great assembly. As amazing as those comments were, my favorite ones were from the performers themselves. A common theme: through the preparation of this assembly, a community was bonded. Laughs were shared during the long dance practices. Discussions were had during rehearsals. Friendships were created. Through the act of sharing our AAPI values to others, AAPI became a family. This is why I have no worries leaving behind the AAPI club to FM next year. The bond tying this community together is too strong to break.”
I agree with David in the fact that this year it was more than just an assembly; it was and is a reminder of the true strength that people can have when they work together, especially through tough times. Historically, the AAPI community, not just at FM, has faced discrimination and racism in the form of extreme stereotypes, hate crimes, and labeling. It is irrefutable that the frequency of these occurrences can really lead to an environment of extreme negativity, and a lot of unanswered questions about how to take action. But what I saw this year really hit me with something. All the laughs. The time spent. The ideas shared. When fighting for a common cause, nothing helps more than having a supportive crew that can and will do all it takes to reach objectives. This year, the assembly reached new heights and built on the support, love, and dedication of countless individuals.
It makes me proud to know that we have such a strong AAPI community here at FM. It makes me proud that there is widespread support from the entire school. It makes me proud to know that the annual AAPI assembly is not leaving us anytime soon. It makes me proud to know that the FM AAPI community has found its place here at the high school, where it will continue to share its passion for Asian culture for many, many years to come.
