On May 1st at FM’s third-ever annual AAPI Month assembly, members of the AAPI club came together to put on an amazing show themed “Beyond the label: Our Stories, our Truths.” Organized and put on by Fayetteville Manlius high school students, they honored Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage and various aspects of their cultures.
Featuring a host of different performances, from poetry readings to speeches and dances, this year’s assembly was unique and dynamic. Many of these works were also student originals, such as Anqi Geng’s poem “The Dandelion Dilemma,” or AAPI president Shreya Bhattacharya’s speech. The assembly also made sure to represent all areas encapsulated into the “AAPI” umbrella, with poems from West Asia, dances from South Asia, art from Southeast Asia, and more. In addition to the performances, the assembly featured art works by several students, like Luna Lee’s painting, and Hari Yoganathan’s painting and original design on the assembly T-shirts.
This year’s assembly carried some of its usual staples, like the Lion Dance opening with pit orchestra accompaniment or the K-pop finale. But it also included some new features, such as the Sakura Sakura dance led by Jasmine Kobayashi or Jay Shi’s impressive Bo-staff performance with the new addition of nunchakus.
This assembly was the culmination of months of practice and preparation. Students spent hours of their weekends committed to getting ready for the assembly. Additionally, the generosity of ASPIRE Dance Studio allowed K-pop and South Asian dancers time to rehearse and learn dances in their studio. Hard work and care was put into each part of the assembly, showing students passion and pride for their culture and the AAPI community at FM.
Fueled by the amazing energy and enthusiastic participation of the student body, particularly the seniors, the assembly spotlighted truly talented performers and innovative performances. In the end, the 2025 AAPI Month assembly at Fayetteville-Manlius High School proved to be a resounding success, leaving behind a stronger sense of unity and a deeper appreciation for AAPI history for everyone involved.
