The international assembly held at Copper Hills High School each January features performances from several affinity clubs such as Latinos in Action, Black Student Union, People of the Pacific and Asian American Student Association. Each spring, these clubs host a multicultural carnival with dance performances, artifact exhibits and cultural presentations to showcase their heritage.

“Those times are really great opportunities to see the clubs and how we represent ourselves,” Asian American Student Association President Cassidy Orme said. “Our club is focused on creating community and educating people at our school about Asian culture.”

The AASA has 55 members on the books and a leadership council of six who plan regular socials, such as celebrating the Lunar New Year this month, when they get together for an activity or craft and to share food.

“Some of us will bring cookies from the grocery store, but a lot of us will try and bring more ethnic food,” Orme said. “I like to bring dango, which is like small mochi balls, and we have some members that like to bring egg rolls. And sometimes we have cake pops.”

 Like other school clubs, the AASA participates in service projects, such as the annual charity fundraiser. Like other school teams, they occasionally perform at school sports half-time shows. Members have learned a traditional Filipino dance and a Laotian line dance to perform this year.

Students with Japanese, Laos, Filipino, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese heritage are members of the club, but membership is open to anyone.  “We don't want to exclude anyone because that's kind of backwards,” Orme said.

She and her Asian peers have experienced negative attention due to their ethnicity. Other students sometimes treat their cultures as “exotic” or “weird,” she said, which makes them feel separated from others.

“A lot of people that I meet are kind of ashamed that they're Asian or, like, feel like there's a target on them because they are Asian,” Orme said. “I want them to come out of the club feeling proud of who they are and knowing that they shouldn't feel the need to change or, like, be scared of getting hurt or something because of who they are.” 

Being involved in the AASA has helped her feel supported and more hopeful that she can help improve things for teens like her.

“It makes me more courageous and proud of my identity,” Orme, who is half Japanese, said. “Because Asians kind of get a lot of criticism and microaggressions, like, still to this day, and this club kind of helps people recognize those problems and how we can start to overcome them as a society.”

Club Adviser Lindsay Reyes, who is half Filipino, said it's important for students to have a space where they can strengthen each other.

“This was a club that I wish that I had access to when I was in school, just knowing that there is a space where I can celebrate my culture and talk to other people and share experiences, whereas some of my other friends who are White--I may not be able to share those same experiences with them,” Reyes said.

This year, Reyes got approval to expand the club into a class. She teaches the Asian American Student Association class to give students more opportunities to appreciate their cultures and to develop leadership skills.

“In the class, we promote cultural awareness, and share things from our own cultures, learn about other cultures, and something we've been trying to move towards is also serving the community,” she said.