This fall, the Asian Student Coalition (ASC) made strides to celebrate and highlight the Asian and Pacific Islander population in Tabor Academy. Following a successful collaboration with the Public Health Club in November to raise funds for the Asian Health Society, ASC started planning the Lunar New Year.
I really enjoyed helping out at the ASC and Public Health Club fundraiser. I was able to bond with the club members while making matcha. I think ASC in general is a very cohesive club, everyone really respects each other’s culture and are very supportive. Gray Liu’27
The Lunar New Year is an umbrella term for celebrating the arrival of spring based on the lunisolar calendar across various Asian countries during the month of February. It is a major 15-day celebration marking the start of the new year in the lunisolar calendars that usually fall between January 21 and February 20. Over a billion people celebrate it (primarily from East and Southeast Asia), however, many Asian populations worldwide also celebrate it with their own unique twist.
During the second week of February, ASC brought a unique twist on the celebration for the first time in many years- a street fair entirely student led, with the support from faculty such as Ms. Rosemarie Wallace, director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. The fair featured a wide array of activities including karaoke, origami, mahjong, poker, mafia, food tasting, calligraphy making, and lantern making. Students and faculty from all backgrounds joined to participate and celebrate this festival. Many hung their calligraphy couplets and decorated lanterns around the Travis Roy Campus Center for the holiday duration. Asian students make up a large percentage of Tabor’s international pool, and while they couldn’t go back home to celebrate like they usually do, it provides comfort knowing that there’s a community here for them.
Many activities such as an all-school chopstick’s demonstration, closed door conversations, and club meetings happened this year under the leadership of four seniors: Sue Zhao ’26, Tutu Hu ’26, Emily Daniels ’26, and Namil Nam ’26.
I loved the dumpling making (and eating) station, Karaoke and the Public Health Club blind bags! There were a lot of great drinks and snacks with a wide variety of activities. Gray Liu’ 27
Moving onwards to late April, the Asian American Footstep Conference (AAFC) happened once more. Last year, Tabor had the honor of hosting, which involved over 400+ Asian students on campus. The AAFC is at Winsor this year; Tabor students such as Wendy Xue ‘28 and Dora Shen’28 are looking forward to holding workshops there. ASC is also looking forward to celebrating the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month in May with many activities planned in the Stu.
Last year AAFC workshop leader. This year street fair. Really fun, people really cares about their culture. Grady Gao’27
With the many years to come, the ASC will continue to be an unwavering community representing, uniting, and celebrating the Asians at Tabor Academy.
