On May 17, Asian Students In Action (A.S.I.A.) hosted their biggest event of the year: Asian Night. Hundreds of attendees, consisting of students, faculty and family members came together to enjoy a spectacular set of performances which honored the Asian American and Pacific Islander community at Boston Latin School.
The theme “A Night of Lights” serves to recognize the many unique celebrations students have with their cultures through light as well as shed light on and honor the talent within the Asian American community of the School.
A.S.I.A. officer Angela Deng (IV) remarks, “It’s also a way to represent the opportunities that all of us as a student will have in the future, showing that there is light even if there is darkness.”
The event started at 6:00 P.M. and students scrambled to purchase tickets, which were seven dollars and could be purchased at the door or from an A.S.I.A. officer. Before the performances began, people were able to enjoy food from the Eggroll Cafe food truck, which was parked outside the front entrance of the School.
Once the event began, attendees were treated to diverse and impressive performances, ranging from a reimagined take on the traditional lion dance to a fashion show. The event was in conjunction with several in-school and out-of-school groups, including BLS Koreo, BLS Desi, BLS Dance and The Color Blue. Guest speaker and alumnus Johnny Wu (‘90), CEO of Quartzy Capital Advisors, shared his experiences on finding success and grappling with his identity.
Many of the performances, such as those of BLS’s own Zebra Therapy, BLS Koreo and BLS Breakers, involved the use of lights and lighting changes in order to enhance their performances.
“It’s really exciting because there’s so many people and the performances are really cool. I like the energy,” says Noah Liu (III) when explaining why the culmination of Asian Night was appealing.
The amount of collaboration between the groups along with the fact that this is the most elaborate event that BLS A.S.I.A. puts on each year meant that Asian Night took quite a lot of set up.
The A.S.I.A. co-presidents and officers were selected last school year, and the planning took place at weekly Tuesday meetings, which began soon after winter break. Everything from marketing and logistics to the booklet design and talent lineup was handled by the executive board, all of whom had to balance preparation efforts with schoolwork, especially during AP exam season.
A.S.I.A. faculty advisor Mr. Steven Chen remarks, “This is not something that comes together magically. It comes together through the work and blood, sweat and tears of many, many people who are involved.”
While the event may have required a lot of work to put together, it is one of the most encompassing ways that the diversity and talent of the BLS community is showcased. It is also a great way for all attendees to learn more about the traditions and beauty of many Asian cultures.
