Asian American Culture Night celebrated Asian culture through a variety of songs, dances, and more, Saturday, May 9, in Lasker Auditorium.
The event was hosted by the Asian American Culture Club, who collaborated with other groups such as North’s K-pop club and the Wang YMCA Dance Troupe.
According to junior Bahaar Reinhardt, who performed in the fashion show that concluded the night, the purpose of Asian American Culture Night was to raise awareness and visibility of North’s Asian American community.
“We’re a minority in the school, so it’s super important that others are able to recognize us and our culture,” Reinhardt said.
Similarly, senior Daniella Bunch noted that the event was special because “it gives Asian Americans a chance to shine and show their talent, especially in this big school where it can get overlooked.”
A highlight during Act One of Asian American Culture Night was a vocal cover of “The Way Things Go,” written by Beabadoobee and performed by senior Gabriella Cruz and sophomore Camilla Chen. Cruz also accompanied the song on the guitar.
During Act Two, the K-pop club performed a dance medley, which featured multiple songs and dances that incorporated a variety of different K-pop genres.
Senior Keyu Miao performed an elegant traditional Chinese dance paired with a more modern song, “Ode to Spring,” using a fan as a prop during the performance.
Senior Madison Tran and junior Morgan Tran also utilized a fan in their faster and more upbeat performance of “See Tinh Vietnamese Fan Dance.”
The final individual performance of the night was a spoken word piece by sophomore Kiki Rajachard, titled “In This Place: An American Lyric. Rajachard discussed the importance of community when facing discrimination and how everyone must work together to “rewrite the nation.”
Asian American Culture Night also helped to foster community.
According to junior Emma Liu, the event helped to introduce her to other Asian students at North whom she would not normally see. She added that she has grown close with other performers through show rituals between pieces.
“It’s these small acts of kindness that bring us all together,” Liu said.
Liu added that the event highlights the importance of community, especially during difficult times. “It’s more important than ever to remind everyone that we are not alone,” she said.
According to Reinhardt, the performance was successful in celebrating and sharing Asian American culture.
“I’m so happy that so many people came, and it was just super fun expressing my culture,” Reinhardt said.
Asian American Culture Night concluded with a fashion show, where 35 students presented both traditional and modern clothing from their varying cultures.
