Yorba Linda High School is home to a diverse student body where students can learn from each other and grow together. With so many students from different backgrounds, it’s important to create spaces that celebrate diversity and personal cultures. In particular, many clubs have been formed on campus, such as French Club, German Club, and Indian Club. On September 26th and 27th, Yorba Linda hosts its annual club rush where students are provided the opportunity to get involved and join any club that interests them. Among the countless clubs at Yorba Linda, APISU stands out as a passionate group dedicated to Asian Pacific Islander culture and inclusivity.
APISU stands for Asian Pacific Islander Student Union. Its mission is to expand API pride and promote inclusivity through education, community service, advocacy, and the arts. They host multiple events and monthly meetings in order to educate students about API heritage, unite students across several ethnic backgrounds, and to have fun.
Here at Yorba Linda High, APISU is led by presidents Austin Truong (11) and Avery Yang (11) and vice president Tyler Leu (11). The rest of the board includes ambassadors who each represent an API culture. This includes students from Korean, Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese, Filipino, and Vietnamese backgrounds.
Austin reflects on his role as president and explains that “I hope to celebrate our individuality and uniqueness in society as Asian Americans…I am excited about hosting on-campus events and especially growing not only APISU as a club, but also every individual’s sense of identity on campus.” To him, “APISU intends to serve as a platform to teach others about [their] unique identity and customs, ultimately creating cultural bonds that go beyond the fences of our campus.”
Similarly, Avery states “I was excited to be president of APISU because I saw it as an opportunity to connect different people over something really important to my identity and upbringing.” She also mentions “Working with the APISU ambassadors to plan events and meetings has taught me a lot about both culture and leadership. Even though it’s definitely chaotic sometimes, I really love the tight-knit and supportive community that the club has become.”
One of the biggest events APISU plans for the school is the Lunar New Year event. During this time, APISU organizes several games for students to play in the Quad. Last year, they also handed out Filipino, Chinese, Taiwanese, Korean, and Vietnamese snacks. Avery especially looks forward to this event, describing that “I loved seeing everyone in the Quad getting to try the games and snacks. We had a super successful event last year, but there are still some things that we want to improve. Hopefully it will be equally as fun—if not more—this February.”
Whether you are Asian or a non-Asian ally, APISU is a great club to join among the numerous clubs at Yorba Linda High School. As Austin put it, “One of the most important aspects of the high school experience is discovering one’s identity” and it is essential that you “[acknowledge] where it is you came from, especially culturally.” APISU aims to expand on this by “connecting all the different, diverse Asian and Pacific Islander cultures.” Getting involved in a club is intrinsic to the high school experience, and APISU provides a unique opportunity to meet new people while also diving deep into foreign culture.
