Asian American Association builds community, is a resource for AAPI students

Led by seniors Talvin Dhingra, Raye Hegarty, and Johann Bishop, the Asian American Association is focused on creating a community for AAPI (Asian American and Pacific Islander) students at ARHS.

Last year, the group started out small, with four students, led by senior Sea Kay Leung and advisor and English teacher Amanda Lewis. This year, thanks to student action from the three remaining members, the club now boasts over 30 students.

“We have a vibrant community that just needs organization. I think this club is a great way for that to happen,” said Dhingra.

Dhingra said that there hasn’t been a strong resource for Asian Americans at the school. “It’s a place Asian American students can find a sense of community, somewhere where they can be surrounded by peers that look like them,” said Dhingra.

Last year, Leung, Dhingra, Bishop, and Hegarty worked together on Asian American activism outside of school. This year, they have taken a more communal approach to their cause.

“The focus of the club this year is more on community,” said Bishop. “We have group activities, and we want to try to get involved with school events. [We’re planning] some fundraising events, have field trips on the horizon, and we’re discussing ideas for a mural in the school,” he said. 

The group meets in Lewis’s room on Wednesdays during Flex Blocks and after school. Despite it being early in the year, the AAA has already begun to fulfill its agenda through the few gatherings it has held. 

During meetings, students connect by sharing lived experiences, similarities, and differences within the Asian diaspora, as well as telling jokes, eating, and laughing together. They have created a joyful community that they look forward to building as the club grows.

“The club is very inclusive,” said senior Nipuni Dayarathne. “It brings together the diversity of the Asian American community here.”

During their October 11 meeting, co-presidents Bishop, Hegarty, and Dhingra addressed the group of people from different ages, ethnicities, and walks of life. 

After discussing plans for the club while snacking on Hi-Chews and White Rabbit candies, Hegarty addressed the students with a discussion question. 

“How have stereotypes influenced your self-perception and your perception of others?” she asked. The question allowed for an open space for students to speak, listen to each other and share each other’s experiences, the good and the bad. 

Club leadership said the group meets a critical need.

“We knew that this was something that people wanted but just didn’t know existed,” said Dhingra.