Virginia Tech’s annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month will be held through April 30.

The celebration includes several events throughout the month focusing on Asian and Pacific Islander heritage and cultural contributions. This year’s theme is “United Through Diversity.”

All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Included in the month-long series of events are the following:

  • The Filipino American Student Association’s 24th annual Culture Night: Ang Aming Sakripisyo — Tagalog for “our sacrifice” — on Saturday, April 7, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in Burruss Hall Auditorium. This is the association’s biggest event of the school year, and features more than 100 participants performing traditional Filipino dances, two modern dances, a skit, and a fashion show. Contact Mary Ann Calica for more information.
  • A Gendered Lens on Asian America on Thursday, April 12, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in room 119 of Squires Student Center. This panel discussion will address a variety of issues faced by Asian-American women in the United States, such as disparity in healthcare access within Asian populations, Asian female sweatshop labor, stereotypes of Asian women in advertising, and cosmetic surgery among Asian women. Contact Naomi Dam for more information.
  • The Vietnamese Student Association’s annual Culture Show on Saturday, April 21, from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the Commonwealth Ballroom in Squires Student Center. This event will include singing, dancing, and acting that showcases traditional and modern Vietnamese culture. Contact Tina Tran for more information.
  • The Asian American Student Union presents singer/songwriter Clara C. on Friday, April 26, at 7 p.m. in the Commonwealth Ballroom in Squires Student Center. Clara C., also known as Clara Chung, began as a folk-pop sensation on YouTube before releasing her debut album, “The Art In My Heart,” in 2010. Her music can be heard in commercials and on television networks such as Showtime, ABC Family, and MTV, and she has completed two sold-out tours in the United States, Canada, and Asia. Contact Nathan Pham for more information.

To view a full schedule of the month’s events, visit the Multicultural Programs and Services website.

For events in Burruss Hall Auditorium, free parking is available around the Drillfield with a visitor’s pass from 5 to 8 p.m. No pass is necessary on the Drillfield after 8 p.m. or on weekends. Parking is also available in the Perry Street Lots and the Perry Street Parking Garage near Prices Fork Road.

Free parking is available for events in Squires Student Center in the Squires Lot, located at the corner of College Avenue and Otey Street or the Architecture Annex Lot also on Otey Street.

Find more parking information online or call 540-231-3200.

While this month is typically recognized throughout the United States in, Virginia Tech celebrates Asian and Pacific Islander heritage in April in order to provide educational and entertainment programs for students before they leave campus for summer break.

 

 

Written by Jennifer Gibson.

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