Four student organizations held a cultural gala to celebrate the Year of the Dragon on Wednesday. The dragon is this Lunar New Year’s zodiac animal, one of 12 different animals that alternate each year and represent unique characteristics.
The dragon is an important symbol commonly associated with intelligence, authority and good fortune, according to Smithsonian Magazine.
The Vietnamese Student and Scholar Association, Chinese Culture Club, Asian American Student Association, and the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers planned the event, which celebrated the Lunar New Year and Asian culture.
Many who attended the event were excited to see cultural representation on campus.
“Lunar New Year is celebrated in several Asian countries and not just restricted to [China], so I’m glad everyone gets to know about that,” Sherry Nguyen, an educational psychology graduate student who attended the event, said.
The event featured games, crafts and trivia on Asian culture and performances from dance groups HallyUA and KPOC, two student groups dedicated to Korean culture and music performances.
Bryana Washington, a sophomore majoring in psychology and a member of KPOC, said she was surprised that 250 people attended.
“We were nervous and had new members performing for the first time at the event,” Washington said. “We did pretty well.”
MaryElla Woolf, a senior majoring in economics and political science and a member of HallyUA, said she appreciated how the event allowed students to come together and celebrate cultural diversity.
Salma Mohamedali, a junior majoring in chemistry, gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for Asian cultures by attending this event.
“As a minority, I think it’s important for us to have a way to find community,” Mohamedali said. “You can find a lot of people who are like-minded and have had similar experiences to you.”
