Colorful lighting and paper lanterns surround a stage where performers displayed their talents during the Asian Pacific American Coalition (APAC) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs’ (OMA) Multicultural Talent Show. Viewers sat around tables decorated with various candies and flags from Asian Pacific countries and were offered dishes (and noodles from a noodle bar) catered by APAC before the performance began.
“Our main goal was really seeing the diversity of talents and cultures,” said Juliet Romero, FCLC ’26, president of APAC. “I wanted people to express their culture in a way that also showcases any talents that they have.”
APAC is a newly revived club for all Asian Pacific Americans to exchange and learn about the various cultures present in each Asian Pacific identity. The club became inactive a couple of years ago when smaller, separate identity clubs gained popularity for specific Asian Pacific identities. With help from OMA and her executive board, Romero brought APAC back to life.
The executive board of APAC is a diverse group, which aims to show off a core value of the club. Romero herself is Filipino, Vice President Regina Chiem, FCLC ’26, is Cambodian and Chinese, Secretary Bea Del Rosario, FCLC ’26, is Filipino, Treasurer Tejas Niroola, GSBLC ’26, is Indian and Public Officer Zainub Shah, GSBLC ’26, is Bahraini and Pakistani.
“Everyone has a different way of expressing their cultures,” said Romero. “It’s been very insightful to hear their perspectives on how we should progress the club in the upcoming years if we choose to continue and establish a heavy and diverse community.”
Chiem and Francesca Africa, FCLC ’26, knew they wanted to support APAC, so they decided to perform at the showcase. The duo sang “Chasing Pavements” by Adele while a backtrack flowed behind their voices. Chiem and Africa finished their performance and landed a spot as a finalist.
The top three performers were selected and given prizes for their performances. The finalists were EMPIRE Dance club, singers Chiem and Africa and performer Ellie Kim, FCLC ’27. The winners were awarded a weighted blanket, a JBL speaker and a sunset lamp respectively.
Events such as these aim to allow individuals to showcase their talents and culture, help clubs expand their outreach and provide a fun and entertaining environment for participants and viewers alike. According to APAC, providing opportunities for students to share and learn about different cultures fosters a more inclusive environment for all at Fordham University.
“I appreciate being able to attend an event where I can learn about other people through various art forms,” said spectator Candace Lavache, FCRH ’23. “It’s important that we recognize the many different cultures that make up our shared community.”
“Events like these create a greater community within the university and with New York as a whole through supporting small businesses from catering” said Chiem.
APAC said that Fordham can establish relationships with surrounding communities and expose students to companies they might not have known about otherwise through supporting events that celebrate certain backgrounds.
“That’s really our mission,” said Romero. “Just fostering an environment where everyone feels comfortable to express who they are, their culture and their ethnicities in their own way.”
