UCSD’s Hapa Club hosted the first ever Mixed Race Awareness Day on Wednesday, manning information tables on Library Walk to educate UCSD about the mixed-race community.
Guardian
“”We are here to embrace a community,”” said Hapa Club president Emily Leach, regarding the event. “”People don’t really see [the] presence of mixed-race students on campus.””
The club distributed pamphlets noting census figures of multiracial people in the United States, a history of multiracial people in North America, and information about mixed-race civil rights and mixed-race celebrities.
Attendees were encouraged to sign a petition to create a mixed-race course at UCSD.
“”[At UCSD] certain organizations cater to certain groups, but Hapa is unique in that it addresses issues of mixed-race students,”” said Thurgood Marshall College student Jimmy Pascascio, who is of Chinese and African descent.
The Hapa Club bills itself as the only mixed-race club on campus. The club promotes diversity on campus and works to provide a space and community for the mixed-race community.
“”Part of the college experience is about learning as much as you can,”” Pascascio said. “”Events like these bring diverse issues to students.””
Hapa is a Hawaiian word, which used to be a derogatory term meaning half Japanese-Hawaiian and half foreigner, according to pamphlets at the table. Now it is used to describe anyone of partial Asian or Pacific Island ancestry.
The event is about raising awareness of people of mixed ethnic backgrounds, not only of mixed Asian descent, Leach said.
“”The event helps to educate and spread awareness of something that I think people are not fully aware of,”” Kandis Burns said. “”There are a lot more mixed race people now and this is a continuing trend. People need to be aware of that.””
The club also showed the film “”Doubles,”” which was made by Hapa Club members. The film is about Japan and America’s intercultural children, and documents the stories of families created in Japan following World War II between American GIs and Japanese women. Club members interviewed multiracial students in the Price Center for the production.
