How do others perceive us, as Asian Americans?
For this month’s publication, we wanted to examine the stereotypes that we often experience as Asian Americans, especially in a place where Asian American representation is not prominent. Because we are so much more than these assumptions that others may have of us, in a way, we are “rebelling” from society’s perceptions. Rebelling against being the “Model Minority” and the “Perpetual Foreigner.” Are we, however, deviating from the norm if this norm was never the case in the first place?
We are perceived as docile, but we cannot forget our long-winded history of social activism. And honestly, that is something that we may need right now. After the shootings of Monterey Park and Half Moon Bay, we cannot ignore the impact upon our community. I know that words do not speak as loudly as actions, but I hope that we are able to come together to stop this senseless violence. And I hope we are able to pay our respects to the families and the lives of the victims.
Sincerely,
anthony nguyen | editor-in-chief
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ROCCO
Volleyball
Tug-Of-War
Relay Race Basketball
Badminton
Sarkeys Fitness Center
February 18th 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm
Sign-ups open from February 15th to March 1st
AsianAmericanStudentAssociation | 4th General Body Meeting
February 2nd | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center
We're back and ready for our first spring GBM! We'll be hosting Lunar New Year-themed activities to celebrate our Lunar New Year event! We'll also have free food from Mr. Hui, which includes egg rolls, spring rolls, and pan-fried dumplings!
AsianAmericanStudentAssociationxUnionProgrammingBoard | Boothing
February 6th | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm | Oklahoma Memorial Union
As a part of AASA's Week of Lunar Near Year Celebration, we'll be giving out red envelopes, candy, and fliers! Come check us out!
AsianAmericanStudentAssociation |Boothing
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February 7th | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm | Oklahoma Memorial Union 07
As a part of AASA's Week of Lunar Near Year Celebration, we'll be hosting mini-trivia at our booth! Come check us out!
AsianAmericanStudentAssociation | Studio Ghibli Moving Screening
February 8th | 7:00 pm - 11:00 pm | Oklahoma Memorial Union, Meacham Auditorium 08
As a part of AASA's Week of Lunar New Year Celebration, we'll be hosting a screening of two Studio Ghibili films: SpiritedAway and Howl'sMovingCastle!
AsianAmericanStudentAssociation | Lunar New Year
February 9th | 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm | Jim Thorpe Multicultural Center 09
As the finale of AASA's Week of Lunar New Year Celebration, join us for our Lunar New Year event! There will be food, games, boothing, and live performances!
PakistaniStudentAssociation | Super Bowl Watch Party
February 12th | 5:00 pm - TBD | Location: TBD
Come watch the Super Bowl with PSA! We'll have finger foods/snacks and just have a chill Sunday evening!
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SouthAsianStudentAssociation | Valentine's Day General Body Meeting
February 13th | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm | Location: TBD
Come join SASA to celebrate Valentine's day! We'll be writing letters for kids in hospitals to make their days better!
VietnameseStudentAssociation | Fourth General Body Meeting
February 13th | Time: TBD | Location: TBD
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IndiaStudentAssociation | Desi Prom - Filmfare: Escape into Indian Cinema
February 17th | 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm | Oklahoma Memorial Union, Molly Shi Boren Ballroom
ISA's annual desi prom night is back with the theme this year being Filmfare: Escape into Indian Cinema. There will be a red carpet, photographers, photo booths, snacks, awards, and a night filled with dancing! Come dresses in your best traditional clothes and win awards!
KoreanStudentAssociation | Pocha Night
February 17th | Time: TBD | Location: TBD
KSA will be holding a Korean night market food fair called Pocha Night We will be collaborating with local Korean businesses and restaurants to give the OU student body a taste of Korea
AsianAmericanStudentAssociation | APIDA Olympics
February 18th | 12:00 pm - 5:00 pm | Sarkeys Fitness Center
This year, we are bringing back the APIDA Olympics! We will be having teams compete in Volleyball, Badminton, Tug-of-War, Basketball, and a Relay Race It will be free to watch, so come support your favorite teams!
InternationalAdvisoryCommittee | International Pageant
February 23rd | 7:00 pm - TBD | Oklahoma Memorial Union, Meacham Auditorium
Come out and witness the crowning of our next International Royalty!
IranianStudentAssociation | Game Night and Nowruz Egg Coloring
February 24th | Time: TBD | Location: TBD
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Coloring eggs is a Persian New Year's tradition Join us as we do it prior to the Persian New Year, and hold onto them until then. 24
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FOR ANY QUESTIONS, CONTACT EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, ANTHONY NGUYEN AT OUAASA.GENSEC@GMAIL.COM
Since its rise during Asian acculturation in the United States, the narrative of the “Model Minority” has been fiercely debunked The white supremacist belief that Asian Americans are the “better” race – more docile, less resistant, and, as a result, more successful – couldn’t be further from the truth. Nothing more than a tactic to denounce racial activism,
prevent solidarity, and uphold the white status quo.
The model minority myth was constructed by racist institutions of power and feeds on our community’s insecurities about assimilation. It plagues on our desire – no, desperation – for success and respect in this country. But does this struggle warrant our prejudice against others?
To explore this contentious but too-often ignored question, I chatted with Cecil Ehirindu.
Cecil is a senior studying psychology and health and exercise science, with plans to pursue his Masters of Public Health postgrad. As a leader in OU’s African Student Association, Diversity Enrichment Programs, and Minority Health Sciences Conference (just to name a few), as well as a second-generation Nigerian immigrant and first-generation college student, Cecil is a proven advocate for health and educational equity
As a friend, I know how involved you are with organizations pushing for equity and diversity. How has experiencing diversity, whether with your own Black community or with other ethnic groups, impacted you?
“[My involvements] are my way of owning who I am as a person. They all go back to d
one thing – holding these different identities that have shaped me to the person I am today. In these diverse groups, there’s a lot of empowerment to be educated. I feel more in touch with myself because I’m able to share these experiences with people who look like me I’ve been able to be myself
It’s no secret that Black and Asian communities are often at odds on social and political issues. What would you say are some of the most pressing rifts between Black and Asian communities today?
As a first generation Nigerian American, I think the model minority myth is hard. My parents are also immigrants and have compared who we are to Asian people. They see them as the epitome of success – this is the threshold, where you need to be in society. So a lot of it stems from competition and the historical traumas we’ve both been through. But I think a lot of altercations we have are because we don’t recognize the people who have pitted us against each other. We don’t look at the colonizers and oppressors because we’re comparing ourselves to each other.
But, beyond all of the layers in the model minority myth, I think that there’s a belief that Asian people often choose to be Asian when it benefits them. Black people can’t do that. We’re always Black.
Yes, so many Asian Americans feel that to achieve the “American Dream,” we d
really do need to approximate ourselves to whiteness. Many Asians are led to believe that their success, although a result of forced assimilation and systemic narratives that pit ethnic minorities against each other, really is achievable if you “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”. It pushes antiBlackness in the notion that, “If I as an Asian person can achieve success despite immigration and racism, why can’t Black Americans?” What do you think is wrong with this narrative, or how can we defeat it?
We have to look back at the historical context of what Black people have been through to understand each other Even d
after slavery, there were no reparations or desegregation or education. We were and are hurting. People see us as lazy or stupid, but we’ve been through so much trauma.
That historical context is definitely necessary, and it’s a privilege to stay ignorant to that. Because so many Asian Americans are unaware of this history, I feel like we ignore one of our biggest distinctions from Black Americans: time. While the majority of Black Americans know little about their cultural or familial heritage – a product of the slave trade and white attempts to dwindle Black people’s resilience – many Asian Americans are heavily involved with d
their native culture. Asian migrants came in droves only after the 1950s, meaning many Asian Americans today still speak their native language and practice their country’s traditions. This ability to indulge in one’s culture so freely is a privilege that we take for granted. Within your Black community, do you feel as if there is any tensions for Asian Americans because of this privilege?
Black people are generations removed because of slavery and for any resilience we put up, we were ultimately shut down. From that, there’s a lot of internal struggle about not knowing your culture or lineage or language It’s no one’s fault, but 400 years assimilating in America is a lot compared to a few decades. You start to feel a lot of resentment – some for others, but mostly for yourself – when you start to compare. Asians are such a successful group of people and we see that and wonder how to get to that point. There’s also a lot of arguments that you haven’t faced the same oppression as us, which causes tensions as well.
And I think that that difference between the caliber of our struggles is meaningful. Remembering to stray away from the “oppression olympics” is important, but we as Asians need to realize the part we play in Black oppression. Although colorism, for example, stems from ancient class divides – unskilled laborers and poorer people often worked outside and had darker skin – many Asian Americans
have used this narrative to support antiBlackness. How have you experienced this colorism from the Asian community?
Because of my dark skin, I think I’ve experienced more colorism than others When I talk to my lighter-skin friends, they don’t have the same experiences as me with outward racism. I’ve been called the N word with a hard R at my predominantly white schools. Your complexion matters, and that narrative has been pushed onto me and perpetuated in everyday life.
It’s very difficult for a lot of Asian Americans to wrap their heads around that intersectionality. Colorism obviously affects our communities too, but it’s not nearly as oppressive as it can be to Black Americans. Especially because we participate in those oppressive behaviors. It’s also unfortunate that, systemically, a lot of the tensions between Black and Asian communities will highlight these historical issues rather than the historical solidarities between our communities. For example, it was the 1960s Black Power Movement that inspired us to coin the term “Asian American”. And throughout the same decade, Black and Asian students rallied together to fight for equal higher education opportunities. Why do you think these instances of solidarity are so often ignored?
It’s human nature to look at the d
negatives, but governments and people in power also don’t want that retaliation. It’s propaganda – they’re going to paint every bad picture and ignore what went well. Like you said, we’ve seen moves toward empowerment and inspired each other If other communities saw us rise above all this hate and have solidarity, there would be uproar. They don’t want that. They want to keep us contained in a box so that there isn’t another protest. They can control us that way.
These institutions so often sensationalize the interracial conflicts and violence between our two communities instead of celebrating the steps we’ve taken away from it. Can you d
think of any similarities or solidarities our communities share that should be highlighted?
I feel like Black and Asian communities both value tradition. Not necessarily a lack of change, but how much pride we take in our culture. Eating together as a family, or celebrating the people around us. We’ll always have that. We’re very similar that way.
That’s very true. Past all the anti-Black narratives that institutions push on other minorities, I feel like we can all relate in the sense of culture and familial connection that we feel. On the same positive note, do you have any idea what d
our communities can focus on to work toward solidarity? Especially in younger, more educated spaces like university, what do Asian Americans have to learn from the Black community?
It’s important to know that help isn’t always what’s needed. Sometimes advocacy and understanding is better. By just educating yourself and being open to different experiences – going to a few meetings at a diverse organization, or just showing that you’re teachable and willing to learn – you tell others that you’re trying to understand. People want us to be stuck in the same uneducated cycle because they want to control us. They d d
want to make sure that we don’t rise above. But by being in higher education and being a part of those diverse spaces, you’re showing others that you’re there for them.
While Asian Americans may not be at fault for systemic anti-Blackness, we have a responsibility to combat it whenever possible. Most times, that responsibility starts at home. By denouncing the anti-Black narratives present in our communities and advocating for Black lives whenever possible, we can fight for solidarity against those who have truly oppressed us.
When I was little, I was a huge Disney Channel fan. I loved watching shows like Phineas and Ferb, Zach and Cody, and Hannah Montana and I’d spend hours on end glued to my TV screen. One show that particularly stood out to me was Jessie, a fun and feel-good story that followed the life of a nanny in New York City. It had a surprisingly diverse cast of characters following a Nanny’s hijinks. I was so surprised when they produced a spin-off called “Bunk’d”. In it, they were expanding on some past characters while introducing brand new ones, one of them being a Chinese girl named “Tiffany Chen”, who was played by Nina Lu.
I was so excited as a kid to see an Asian American in Bunk’d, a show so popular with people my age. The reality was so much more disappointing than I could have imagined. Tiffany Chen was written as an Asian American kid who focused on working on school, playing the violin, and studying instead of
wanting to have fun. She was often the punchline where the set up “Look at how much this Asian person studies”. I was devastated that this is how Asian Americans were being depicted in Bunk’d, to know that this is the idea of an Asian American in the American consciousness.
Shh! I'm studying for the National Spelling Bee! If I don't win, my mom won't let me come home. My brother lost last year, and I haven't seen him in ten months!
- Tiffany Chen (S1, E1)In the United States, there’s a common perception of Asian Americans in the public mind. It’s one where it views Asian Americans as naturally good at math at science. It sees Asian Americans as amazingly talented studiers and high achieving. Asian Americans are viewed musical geniuses or have some sort of innate talent for playing piano or violin. Our mothers are tiger moms, our fathers are effeminate and nerdy and, notably, Americans don’t hold leadership positions in their respective fields in a phenomenon called “The Bamboo Ceiling”. These are all components that make a narrative that’s known widely as “The Model Minority Myth”.
You might argue it’s a “media perception” or just a fad, but the truth is that The Model Minority Myth is ingrained into the public consciousness. It practically is the Asian American stereotype in this country. It’s such a baffling and nuanced expectation to hang over us, - the notion that we are somehow superior to others in certain aspects (like academics and music) and worse in others (like sports and leadership).
However, there is a historical reason for this prejudice existing. It’s not just a perception that appeared out of thin air, its origins can be traced back and explained. And unfortunately, like many things in this country, its roots are steeped in racism and bigotry. During the immigration wave in the 1960’s from Asia, the United States prioritized “skilled workers” with relatives already from the US, creating barriers for poor and working-class immigrants.
This is part of the reason Asian Americans have a different position than other minorities in the United States, a good chunk of the Asian immigrants who came here were already educated and skilled workers. In 1963, during the turmoil of the Civil Rights movement, politicians weaponized the unique status of Asian Americans against other minorities in
this country who were marching for equality They pointed at us and yelled, “Look, the Asian Americans aren’t complaining about Civil Rights, they’re a model minority!” We were pointed at as “not a problem minority”, who didn’t protest or complain about the status quo. We were used as a convenient tool, a pawn in a game of racism and bigotry in the fight for Civil Rights and social equality.
This is the basis behind Model Minority Myth, it’s built on the perception that Asian Americans are somehow harder working, smarter, and a “better” minority than other minorities in this country.
It’s tempting to buy into this fantasy, the idea that Asian Americans are unlike other minorities. The truth is that the Model Minority Myth is alarmingly dangerous to the community and is based on lies and expectations that continue to damage the image of Asians in modern society. We, as Asian Americans, already know that the Model Minority Myth is untrue, but the problem is when this caricature of Asian Americans is used against other minorities in this country. We’re put on an imaginary pedestal and pointed at as the “example”. This flawed and harmful image is weaponized against others in a way
that’s dangerous and pits minorities against each other, when the truth is that we’re not comparable.
White supremacists use the myth to justify oppression of other minorities in this country. Instead of blaming the systemic issues in our system like racist housing policies and biased policing strategies, they choose to blame minorities for the racism they face. Asian Americans are part of this blame game White Supremacists use We’re used as an example of what minorities should be, when the example itself is inaccurate and racist to begin with.
The Model Minority Myth is a tool to wash away the effects of white supremacy and put the blame for systemic injustices on those being oppressed, rather than the people doing the oppressing.
The reality is that the Model Minority Myth does more harm than good. It traps Asian Americans in a box. It stereotypes us and allows people to judge us without knowing who we really are. Not only that, but it minimizes our achievements and successes as individuals because of what’s expected of us Asian Americans who study tirelessly to achieve good grades aren’t given proper credit because it’s what people think that’s what they should be doing.
And for those of us who aren’t good at academics, there’s a crippling standard that we have to follow a path that we don’t want to follow. It makes us all think we have to be doctors or engineers. It robs us of the opportunity to explore ourselves and who we want to be. Growing up with that burden is heavy and more importantly, taxing on Asian American mental health
That idea we have to be perfect, that idea we have to be something we aren’t. It takes its toll. And we can talk about the heavy-minded consequences, but honestly, it just sucks. It sucks that people just think you’re good at math and science. It sucks that people think you’re naturally going to be a doctor. It sucks that people think it’s okay to put others inside of a box.
That’s where this gets frustrating. It’s very tempting not to care. It’s very tempting to not want to make a difference. It’s easy to give up, to think that the things we do won't matter in the end. But cynicism leads to apathy. And apathy is when we truly die as a community, when we stop caring about each other. We cannot allow the Model Minority Myth
There are Asian American children who will continue to grow up, and do we want to give them the same prejudice and expectations?
There’s so much more to you and me than the perceptions people have of us, whether that be positive or negative. Why should people think they know us just because they have an idea of what Asian Americans are like? We’re so much more complex, so much more interesting, and so much deeper than just pencil-pushing-dweebs trying to be doctors We’re artists, actors, fashionistas, writers, creators, and the list goes on. We’re so much more than just the racist caricatures people imagine us to be. The culture of Asian Americans cannot be constrained in any box.
When I was approached to write for the AASA magazine, I was told that the theme of this month is rebellion. I really mulled over what that meant, to be “rebellious” in this day and age. Is it going against your parents? Is it doing things you typically wouldn’t? I was unsure. But as I thought on it, I realized how I wanted to encourage rebellion in this day and age. I remember Bunk’d and how seeing Asian Americans depicted made me feel I remember the rage I felt when I saw Asian Americans depicted as dorky, meek, and always the punchline to a greater joke. I know now what message of rebellion I’d want to pass on.
At its core, prejudice and racism exist because of ignorance and convenience.
It’s easier to make assumptions about people, to not try to truly know someone else. There will be some people in this world who refuse to see who you are. I’m telling you right now, make them. Show them you’re not some racist image in their mind. Be the person you want to be, free from other people’s opinions.
The truth is that Asian Americans have so much talent, so much passion, and so much kindness we can share with the world. We’re not all doctors, we’re not all musicians, and we don’t all care about getting straight A’s In an era where prejudice like the Model Minority Myth seems to be as prevalent as ever, I encourage you to be unapologetically yourself. I want you to be as unique and special as you are, because that’s what it means to be Asian American. It means embracing the things that make us different and cherishing the things that make us similar.
Asian Americans have a place in this country. We have a rich history, a vibrant culture, and a truly unique community. Don’t let the close-mindedness of others change that. Rebel against these perceptions. Don’t let them throw a label on you. Instead, show them who you really are Show them how you’re so much more than their prejudice.
Be brilliant Be brave Be unapologetically yourself.
The “Model Minority” myth has portrayed the Asian American community in a dishonest light. One part of the stereotype is the idea that we are confined to STEM careers That this is the only path for us Unfortunately, this is compounded by expectations from our families, who believe that these types of careers will come with the “American Dream” of success and happiness.
Deviating from these career paths is often met with mixed feelings from both the public and our own Asian community. The opinions range from mild disappointment to complete disownment. It has gotten to a point where many Asian Americans veer away from careers in their non-STEM passions, due to these societal and cultural pressures.
But pursuing a non-STEM career does not mean that you’re destined for failure. You should not deserve to be perceived as “lesser of an Asian” or as someone that your parents are be ashamed of. In this interview, we have had the opportunity to speak to Nicholas Tu, a member of our Asian American community, about his experiences with this subject matter.
Describe the motivations behind your decision to drop college. Was there one that really stood out to you, or was it a combination of several reasons?
When I first enrolled at OU, my plan was to undergo the standard pre-med track: four-year undergraduate education into a graduate medical program, with the intention of eventually becoming an orthopedic surgeon. My parents have both worked as surgeons (my father currently works as a plastic surgeon while my mother has transitioned into wound care) and the majority of my relatives also work in the healthcare field, and with my academic success in high school, it was easy for me to believe that aiming for medical school was the right decision for me.
Nick Tu attended OU from 2017 to 2019. During his time at OU, he switched from a STEM major to a business major before pursuing business endeavors through his own means.It wasn’t until I was a couple of years into my undergraduate education that I began to question whether or not this life plan was right for me. Naturally, as a pre-med student, I had been taking a courseload with a higher proportion of science classes. What I realized in those two years of taking the courses and studying early for the MCAT was that despite my ability to understand and earn good grades in the material, I was completely disinterested in the sciences of chemistry and biology.
With some introspection, I came to the conclusion that I had set out on the path to medical school without any true desire to do so. That isn’t to say that anyone pressured me to become a doctor. I believe that I simply hadn’t ever stopped to think about how I really wanted my life to look like, and the medical field seemed like the best option to fall back on, given my academic success and my family of doctors.
In the summer between my sophomore and junior years, I told my parents that I wanted to switch my undergraduate track from pre-med to business This decision was heavily influenced by one of my good friends named Tony, who I've known since middle school Tony has always had an entrepreneurial mind, immersing himself in knowledge about starting and running businesses and coming up with new ideas for new opportunities every day.
I'm the kind of person who really delves into topics that I find interesting, and spending time with Tony led me to start reading numerous articles on financial/business education sites such as Investopedia.com in my free time. I found myself spending hours per day and entire weekends watching videos and reading articles and books to absorb any bit of information I could.
In the second semester of my junior year, in an MIS class, I met a classmate named Johnny. Johnny didn’t have the greatest understanding of the coding language we were learning, but the code came to me easily. Over time, it became a normal practice for me to walk him through and help him understand the various class exercises assigned to us. It was during that class that Johnny first introduced me to the idea of trading on the stock market.
It started off with him opening his Robinhood portfolio and talking to me about his investments every day, showing me how much he had gained or lost at the time. As before, my interest was piqued from these talks, and I dove into reading how I could enter the stock market myself; perhaps I could make a bit of pocket change while finishing my business degree
It was around that time that the COVID19 pandemic hit the U.S., and OU transitioned to online education.
During the pandemic, I really leaned into learning about the stock market, and I actually was able to make a decent amount of money trading stocks intraday.
After several months of trading on the stock market, I did the math on my average performance and calculated that in theory, I could eventually begin to make a living off of trading; not only that, but I enjoyed the process. Nowadays, I’m able to make a living off of the money I make trading in the futures markets. I put a lot of time into watching the financial markets day-today, and I’m constantly reading about and testing new trading strategies. I’m also largely interested in real estate investing, and I would like to eventually be able to funnel the money that I make from trading into passive rental income.
Ultimately, I would attribute my decision to drop out of college as a combination of the influence from Tony and Johnny and my trait of wanting to learn everything about topics that are interesting to me. I believe that without Tony and Johnny to expose me to entrepreneurship and investing, I wouldn’t have even known that I’d be able to pursue a career in trading the markets. And I don't think I would have been nearly confident enough to dive right into trading if I hadn't developed my knowledge base as much as I have
How did your parents and family members initially react when you made the decision to drop college to pursue business? Do they still feel the same about the decision today?
When I decided that I wanted to drop out of college and pursue a path in futures trading and real estate, I told my parents my plan with all the details: what I wanted to do, how it worked, how much I had already been profiting on average, how much I projected myself to earn in the future, etc...
I told them that I'd understand if they didn’t want to support that path and that I would move out, find some entrylevel job, and support myself if necessary. However, I was fortunate enough to have accepting parents who allowed me to explore what I could do, for a gap year at the least. They were skeptical of my idea, but they told me that as long as I have a plan with some concrete details behind it, they would let me see what I could do.
My extended family is supportive of me now that I’m making good money from trading, but my mother always reminds me that she’s saving some money in case I want to go back to college and finish my degree.
How did your friends, particularly within the Asian community, react when you made the decision?
The majority of my friends were supportive of (and very intrigued about) my decision to drop out of college. I was always considered “the smart guy” of my friend group, so it was surprising to everyone that I wasn’t going to finish my bachelor’s.
Do you have any regrets about the decision? If so, what kind of regrets? Personal, academic, social, etc.
Right now, I don’t have any regrets about the decision itself. One mistake that I wanted to avoid was getting stuck working in a career I wasn’t passionate about for 40 years, and I believe I’ve escaped that fate successfully.
After I explained my plan, everyone understood and wished me well. A few of my friends even offered to lend me capital to help me start off (since there is more potential for profit with more capital when you’re trading).
There were some people who felt that I had changed now that I was so invested in the business and financial world. They talked about me behind my back and ended up distancing themselves from me for several years. They’ve since reached out to me and explained that they were in a bad place in their personal lives at the time and feelings of envy had arisen, so it's all in the past for the most part.
I’m making an amount of money that I’ll be able to support my future family with, and I’m excited for how I’ll be able to scale my career up in the future. Perhaps I regret that I didn’t start sooner.
I do regret that I didn’t make as many friends during college as I could have Currently, I spend the majority of my time at my desk at home, so there aren’t many opportunities for me to meet people.
I’m thankful for my significant other and for the friends that I’ve had from my primary education and that I’ve met online, but I think that it would be an additional positive experience for me to get to know and learn from other individuals in the various fields of business.
Photographer: Emma Nguyen Emma Nguyen
Creative Directors: Emma Nguyen Directors: Emma Nguyen
Anthony Nguyen Anthony
Models: Luke Jung Luke Jung
Anthony Nguyen Anthony
Lauren Nguyen Lauren Nguyen
Tristan Timog Tristan
Anthony Nguyen
Caitlin Le
Christine Nguyen Emma Nguyen
Ivan Ma
Nate Reese
Kelvin Yang
Amy Nguyen
Kaella Glenn Mahlinee Chonlahan
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AASAADVISOR
Daniel Li
STUDENTASSISTANT
Xian Lai
TREASURER
Anthony Nguyen
GENERALSECRETARY
Dana Ta
SENIORNIGHTCHAIR
Ariana Sayeed
OUARPAGEANTCHAIR
Seth Phung
TALCCHAIR
RJ Cortez
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Laura Nguyen
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Brandon Kieu
Lana Nguyen
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Amelia Torrevillas-Brown
HISTORIAN Bella Pham
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Lina Thai
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Maria de Asis
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Dim Zuun
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Margaret Le
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Brittney Luong
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Syeda Sayera
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Sana Arshad
FRESHMANREP Ryna Zubair
The Asian American Student Association of the University of Oklahoma provides a great opportunity to get involved with the campus community. Our purpose is to promote the cultural diversity of OU through activities that educate and celebrate the rich heritage and traditions of Asian Americans. In addition, the cultural heritage, language, and tradition of Asian Americans are emphasized.
We offer numerous achievements and support services in academics, mentoring, and leadership, as well as programs in cultural and social events to promote and celebrate cultural diversity. Ultimately, we aim to create a "home away from home" or a "second family" for all members.
OU AASA'S MEMBERSHIP CAN BE PURCHASED FOR $15.00 VIA VENMO (@OUAASA) OR INPERSON!
BENEFITS OF AN OU AASA MEMBERSHIP:
- 2022 - 2023 OU AASA SHIRT
- DISCOUNTED RATES TO SELECT AASA EVENTS
- MEMBERS-ONLY SOCIALS
- FREE FOOD, FRIENDS, AND FUN
