Asian Heritage Month at Rider includes rare look at Chinese-American women’s history

Asian Pacific American Heritage Month has become an annual tradition at Rider. This year, Asian Students at Rider (ASAR) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs encourages everyone from the Lawrenceville and Princeton campuses to take part in both old and new festivities encompassing the month-long celebration.

For ASAR, the month of April is described as their pride month, celebrating the diversity and cultures of the many Asian cultures around the world. This April, ASAR is bringing some new and old activities back to the celebrations that range from Holi, the celebration of throwing friendship and love, to having a formal dinner for ASHA, honoring the diversity of Rider’s community.

“There have been many events in which the members of ASAR and Rider students have always enjoyed,” says ASAR President Megan Chin ’17. “While our mission is to educate the Rider community about these cultures and traditions from which many on both campuses come, we aim to also do it in an engaging way that makes ASAR stand out in these final weeks of school.”

Thanks to Moore Library, a special addition to this year’s celebration is the exhibit “Herstory: The Legal History of Chinese American Women.” On display in the Moore Library lobby through May 12, the exhibit offers a rare look at Chinese-American women’s history, told through legal cases fought in the Supreme Court of the U.S. and the supreme courts of its states. Using the personal collection of Dr. Chiu Chang (邱彰博士), "Herstory" features rare photographs and case descriptions of efforts by Chinese-American women to gain legal standing in the U.S.

ASHA has always been ASAR’s largest event during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. In the past, the club has held ASHA as a student showcase, but this year there will be major changes to this event. This year, ASHA will be presented as a banquet featuring multicultural entertainment and food.

“ASHA is the Hindi word for ‘hope,’ a universal concept that includes everyone from all cultures,” says Chin. “With that in mind, ASAR will be working with other diversity groups like Black Student Union, Black & Hispanic Alliance, and SPECTRUM for events throughout Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.”

The Director of the Multicultural Affairs, Dr. Pamela Pruitt, also added that the events held during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month are one of the many opportunities that Rider has to offer to its students, in not only maximizing their college experiences, but also by exposing them to a world that is bigger than their own.

“Students will hopefully become familiar with the customs of other cultures during their college experience at Rider,” Pruitt says. “Having events that introduce traditions from other countries helps to broaden students’ awareness and knowledge of other cultures.”

ASAR invites and encourages all Rider students, faculty and staff to enjoy the events that will be hosted in April; and to learn more about the many Asian cultures and celebrations practiced in Asian countries.

“There are so many different Asian cultures and traditions that ASAR wishes to show to the Rider community,” Chin explains. “For many Asian-Americans, like myself and others on campus, Asian Pacific American Heritage Month serves as an opportunity for us to show those around us the different backgrounds we come from and celebrations we take part in to keep our heritage strong. And ASAR aims to do that through our unique events.”