To honor Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, West Essex hosted its first-ever AAPI Celebration on May 17 that featured a variety of musical and dance performances and offered an assortment of foods for attendees to enjoy. Students, teachers and administrators from all cultural backgrounds came together to acknowledge the achievements and history of the AAPI community while experiencing its diverse cultures firsthand.
“AAPI” serves as an inclusive term that covers individuals of Asian American and Pacific Islander heritage, which includes those from East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Pacific Islands. These diverse groups, while having shared experiences, also celebrate their individual cultures and identities. Given their histories of marginalization, members of the AAPI community have also successfully advocated for policies and initiatives that address their specific needs.
“Celebrating AAPI heritage is important because it ensures that the voices, histories and contributions of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities are recognized and valued,” Principal Dr. Kimberly Westervelt said. “Events like this help foster an understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures.”
Mandarin teacher Mu You, who also serves as adviser for the West Essex Chinese Honor Society and Chinese Club, played a pivotal role in bringing this event to life. Months prior, she applied for a grant from the AAPI New Jersey organization as well as NJEA. With this money and support from the West Essex community, she was able to begin her half-year journey of planning the event and gathering volunteers.
“It’s not easy to get the money, to be honest,” You said. “So, I was thrilled to know that the grants got approved. I was also so lucky to work with my friend Linda Liu. She is a great resource and she reached out to local families, volunteers and officers.”
You says her inspiration for this vast celebration mainly stemmed from the wave of hostility toward Asians following COVID-19. After watching how poorly people of her background were treated, she says she made it a goal to inform society about Asian history and tradition.
“COVID-19 was a very big motivation,” You said. “I also always tell my students that I want them to be international citizens, because the world is massive. You must want to experience the rest of the world, not only America. There are so many countries around.”
On Saturday, the event started off with a welcome from student MCs Katie Cho and Kevin Zhao, Superintendent Damion Macioci, West Essex High School Principal Dr. Kimberly Westervelt and other special guests. Shortly after, a series of performances began, showcasing the diverse traditions that AAPI encompasses. This included musical performances, a Chinese yo-yo act, a Dragon dance, a Sword dance, Indian classical and Bollywood-style dances and more. Attendees were then given the opportunity to walk around and enjoy Asian food and Asian-themed activities. Local businesses such as Cozy Tea Loft, Sushi Cafe, New Kitchen, Blom Cakes & Bakery and Jyoti contributed meals, alongside Filipino delicacies provided by West Essex Culinary Arts teacher Michael DelaPaz. Finally, the event concluded with a final Mongolian dance performance, as well as an Asian fashion show featuring West Essex students.
You is extremely grateful for everyone who contributed to the event. She would especially like to thank Culinary Arts teacher Michael DelaPaz, Multicultural Club Adviser Suzanna Duby, English teacher Bonnie Jing and Supervisor of the Social Studies and World Languages Laura Drago for their unwavering support.
“Most of all, I want to express my deep gratitude to Mrs. Linda Liu, whose tireless efforts in coordinating with parent volunteers and reaching out to offices and organizations behind the scenes were essential,” You said.
Overall, the event was a tremendous success, receiving positive feedback from numerous students, families, teachers and administrators.
“The energy, engagement and enthusiasm were evident from start to finish,” Westervelt said. “I am so proud of the students, staff, parents and community members who planned and participated in the celebration. You could feel the richness of the AAPI culture coming to life in the gymnasium because of their dedication.”
You said she felt especially proud of the event’s result. As many people have become closed-minded and unaware of the cultures around them, You is continuously striving to inspire others to embrace the “melting pot” concept and discover the world around them.
“We should open our arms to embrace the beautiful cultures,” You said. “Something you’re not familiar with, something you need to explore and something you need to discover. I think that’s the whole point. Just take some chances and start new journeys, because you never know what surprise is going to be waiting for you. Just like when I visited 30 countries—I planned itineraries, but the most beautiful things were always unexpected.”
