Lunar New Year Celebration Welcomes Campus and Community
February 17, 2026
The AAPIA Lunar New Year Celebration brought vibrant energy and cultural exchange to campus as faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered to welcome the Year of the Horse on February 27, 2026. Held at the Santa Rosa Community Village, the event drew about 100 attendees, with guests from the campus and local community joining throughout the day.
The celebration featured a variety of interactive and educational activities. Attendees enjoyed hands-on arts and crafts stations, including red envelope decorating, horse-themed scratch art, and calligraphy writing. A highlight of the event was the dumpling-making demonstration, where participants not only observed traditional techniques but also had the opportunity to make their own dumplings.
The program also included panel presentations showcasing diverse Lunar New Year traditions across cultures. Presenters from the Vietnamese Student Club, along with faculty and students, shared insights into Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Korean customs. Students also highlighted their experiences from a recent UNIV 392 trip to Korea, while information about study abroad opportunities added a global perspective to the event.
With a shared meal, cultural learning, and creative activities, the celebration fostered a strong sense of community and appreciation for AAPI traditions.
AAPIA Hosts Mid-Autumn Celebration Showcasing Asian Cultural Traditions
October 7, 2025
The Asian/Asian American and Pacific Islander Association (AAPIA), in collaboration
with the Indian Student Association (ISA) and Vietnamese Student Association (VSA),
hosted a vibrant Mid-Autumn Celebration on October 7. October marks a month of cultural
festivities across Asia, and the event highlighted traditions from Korea, Taiwan,
Vietnam, and India through engaging presentations by faculty and students from AAPIA,
ISA, VSA, and the UNIV 392: South Korea class. Attendees enjoyed sampling traditional
treats shared by the presenters before participating in a hands-on activity making
kimbap—a Korean rice roll filled with vegetables and meat—at the Community Kitchen
in Santa Rosa Village.
The celebration brought together students, faculty, and staff, fostering community connection and a deeper appreciation for the richness and diversity of AAPI cultures at CSUCI.
CSU Channel Islands Hosts Inaugural AAPI Stoling Ceremony
May 15, 2025
California State University Channel Islands proudly celebrated a historic milestone with its first-ever Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Stoling Ceremony on May 15, 2025, honoring the achievements, cultural identities, and resilience of graduating AAPI students.
Held at the Grand Salon, the ceremony brought together students, faculty, staff, and community members for a meaningful celebration of academic achievement and cultural pride. More than 40 graduating students participated, each receiving a commemorative stole symbolizing their heritage and journey at CSU Channel Islands.
The evening began with welcome remarks from university leadership, including President Yao, followed by a student address from graduating senior Emily Chang. The program also featured a keynote speech by Dr. Sumun Pendakur, who spoke about the importance of representation, belonging, and the contributions of AAPI communities in higher education.
A highlight of the ceremony was the invitation for each graduate to be stooled on stage by a loved one, creating a meaningful moment that honored both personal and academic milestones. The event also featured a Bollywood dance performance by Danzifit, adding a vibrant and celebratory element to the program.
In addition to the formal program, attendees participated in interactive cultural activities, including a “flowers in water” display and a collaborative tree of reflections using leaf-shaped notes.
The AAPI Stoling Ceremony reflects CSUCI’s ongoing commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion by creating spaces that honor students’ cultural identities and lived experiences.
CSUCI Celebrates AAPI Heritage with Weeklong Events
April 2025
CSUCI proudly hosted AAPI Celebration Week from April 22 to April 26, welcoming more than 800 attendees across a range of events celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures. The week began on April 22 with “RISE in Representation: Asian Americans in Cinema and Pop Culture — A Conversation with Jeff Yang.” The New York Times best-selling author joined Dance Studies Lecturer MiRi Park in a discussion on how pop culture and the media have shaped and challenged perceptions of Asian Americans.
On April 23, Dr. Lily Anne Tamai, Assistant Professor of Asian American Studies at CI, gave a powerful lecture on “Mixed-Race Identities and Interracial Marriages in the AAPI Community and Beyond,” tracing the historical conditions that created a generation of Amerasians and their struggles with identity, immigration, and belonging.
The centerpiece of the week, the inaugural AAPI Night Market on April 24, brought together campus and community members for an evening of cultural celebration. President Richard Yao opened the event, followed by performances from Kilusan Pilipino, Ka Hale Hula 'O Pilialohaokalani O Hilo, Team DanZiFit, and Sasaki Kenpo, and the Andrew Hart Band. Attendees enjoyed street food from different AAPI communities, connected with AAPI student clubs on campus, and explored handmade arts and crafts from local AAPI vendors.
On April 25, AAPI student Jacob Girardot presented “Next Stop South Korea – Lessons from New Zealand,” sharing insights from his study abroad experiences. The celebration concluded on April 26 with the 12th annual Pilipino Cultural Night hosted by Kilusan Pilipino, featuring traditional Filipino dance and storytelling.
AAPI Celebration Week was co-sponsored by the Asian/Asian American Pacific Islander Association (AAPIA), Inclusive Student Services, Dance Studies Program, Broome Library, Kilusan Pilipino, and the Center for Global Engagement. The events brought together students, faculty, staff, and local community members, fostering greater understanding and appreciation of AAPI cultures on and beyond the CI campus.
AAPIA Cultural Celebration Event - 2023
AAPIA Inaugural Event - 2022
AAPIA Cultural Celebration - 2022
