CSA creates new Asian Awareness Week

Asian Awareness Week has come to Tech. The event was created to promote an understanding and a dialogue between various ethnic groups on campus and to create an awareness about how many Asians are on campus and the fact that there are different types of Asians. The event is designed to bring people past the stereotypes and learn about the realities of Asian culture.

The event started with Culture Night, which took place Wednesday Night in the Student Services Building. Several other events will be taking place during this next week.

The event was created when Stephanie Ray, associate dean of students, approached Daranh Hun, president of the Chinese Student Association (CSA), about creating such an event. The event was planned to foster understanding between the student body and the various cultural communities on campus.

Initially, the event was supposed to be held in January, not February. The event was postponed when a guest speaker had to cancel due to the birth of a child.

The new date was chosen to associate the event with the Chinese New Year, which fell on Feb. 18. Another setback occurred when the funding bill presented before the Student Government Association (SGA) was postponed from Nov. to Jan. The postponement created a delay in funding.

Another issue came when the Student Foundation, which normally funds start-up organizations, opted not to fund the Asian Awareness Week. The $10,000 was eventually raised through SGA, the Alumni Association, Global Ambassadors, Auxiliary Services and the different Asian organizations on campus. According to Daranh Hun all of campus is invited in hope to not only promote understanding among non-Asians of what Asian culture , but to also dispel myths different Asian groups have of one another.