Asian Pacific American Coalition works to return after COVID

Photo Courtesy APAC Facebook Page.

NORMAL, Ill. – The Asian Pacific American Coalition serves as a safe space for Asian Americans and for people who want to learn more about the heritage of Asian culture on campus.

APAC, Vice President Christine Aganon explains how they are currently working on growing as an organization.

“Recently, our organization is working on getting new members because last year was difficult with COVID and being online,” Aganon said.

New members are able to network with older members in an effort to bring the organization back to life. APAC has also started getting more established with the new space in the multicultural center for future events.

“We’ve also been getting comfortable with the MCC, the Multicultural Center, and it has been really cool to get to know that we get to learn it ourselves and introduce it to our new members,” said Aganon.

APAC is currently planning the Friendsgiving event discussing thanksgiving and the indigenous side aspect behind it.

“We will be talking about thanksgiving, were not professionals but we want to address the indigenous side to thanksgiving. We want to talk about holidays we celebrate as well lunar new year. Which is not talked about and just share stuff like that. Celebrate the end of the semester,” Aganon Said.

Aganon says the organization is important to her because being at Illinois state there aren’t many people that look like her.

She described the group as feeling like ‘home’ and said it was a way for her to connect with people who had similar experiences.

She hopes her group could grow in making a stronger impact on the campus. She says it is a place that Asian Americans can find a safe space.