Asian Student Union Kicks Off Lunar Year Event at Moravian University

Delaine Popa Nina | Writer 

William Aguirre and Elaine Nguyen, President and Vice President of the ASU club.

Lunar New Year is a holiday that is celebrated by many Asian countries, marking the beginning of the new year in the lunisolar calendar. The Asian Student Union (ASU) club at Moravian University launched its annual Lunar New Year event on Feb. 19, bringing together students from diverse backgrounds to learn about the holiday’s traditions through a cultural presentation, food, games, and music.  

William Aguirre, President of the ASU club, shared that the highlight of the event was getting to spend time with his friends, whether from his hometown or classes. 

“School can be hard, especially in the spring,” Aguirre said. 

He shared that it can be rough to get through classes and everyday life during the last semester of school. He hoped for this event to be “like a breath of fresh air” to get the weight off of students' backs. 

As the evening went on, students enjoyed eating dumplings and other traditional foods, as well as playing games to win prizes. They played traditional music and held a cultural presentation, which showed the celebration activities, zodiac animals, and Lunar Year taboos that were celebrated within the culture. 

This event not only showed the history and fun behind the traditions, but also helped those students who were experiencing it for the first time to feel a part of something important.  

Vice President of the ASU club, Elaine Nguyen, explained that the event's goal was not only to celebrate the Lunar New Year, but also to create a welcoming space for students of any background to learn about  Asian culture and feel a sense of belonging. 

“No person should ever feel like they don’t belong,” Nguyen said. “And even if there's not a group who can represent them, they’re always welcome at ASU.”

Looking into the future, ASU plans to host additional cultural events throughout the semester, such as  Holy, which is the color festival. Karl Adriano, Secretary of the ASU club, shared that this is an event  where they collaborate with other affinity clubs on campus to “bring the entire student body together regardless of race, ethnicity, and background.” 

Nguyen shared that this is going to be a very fun and exciting event that hopes to bring even more people  together, aiming to continue the spirit of community that kicked off this year's Moravians Lunar New Year celebration.