Executive Board approves Asian Student Union Club
Lake Stevens High School welcomes a new club that celebrates all cultures of any ethnicity
March Madness: Romeo Bustillo and Kelly Nguyen discuss upcoming events regarding ASU. Members worked on various projects to present to students during lunch periods in last meeting. “I wanted to create an Asian Student Union where people can come together and share racial experiences on what they go through and microaggressions because of their ethnicity,” ASU President Kelly Nguyen said.
Since January, Asian Student Union President Kelly Nguyen and Vice President Romeo Bustillo have been pushing to add ASU to the list of clubs here at LSHS. They went through the process of sending a proposal to ASB, finding an advisor and then creating a presentation to unveil to the Executive Board.
The new club provides an opportunity for students to share their experiences, learn about cultural differences, and meet dependable friends to discuss various topics. ASU serves as a safe space for students to show diversity and make change within the Lake Stevens community.
“ASU welcomes anybody of any ethnicity; we don’t just limit it to Asian people. So I feel like if anyone’s interested to join in just be part of a really, really fun group that talks about their experiences, maybe witnessed racism towards Asian people, you witnessed racism yourself, or you’ve experienced that yourself. You can come join and we can talk about it,” Nguyen said.
Of the 28.3% of minorities in Lake Stevens High School, 4.4% are reported to be Asian. This causes there to be little to no Asian representation in the community and students are pushing to change this. With limited representation, students feel like they’re not being depicted in the way they deserve to be or getting the help they would like.
“When I was in ninth grade, something had happened to me too. And then I went to go talk to a counselor and didn’t feel like she understood what was going on. And she didn’t understand why it was so hurtful. So having people who like, have the same experiences as you is a really nice way to help you grow,” senior Tiffany Tran said.
Aside from discussing serious topics, club members have fun and interactive activities planned for students. Activities are not just to see who’s interested in joining the club, but are also a fun way to learn about Asian culture. Stop by and talk to ASU members during lunch periods whenever you see them to learn or show your knowledge.
“We’re planning on doing a booth during lunch, to basically get the word out with what was happening. And in the future we’re planning on doing more community service like food bags, and other stuff just to help the community more often,” Vice President Romeo Bustillio said.
If you are interested in joining ASU talk to Kelly Nguyen, Romeo Bustillio, or show up to their next meeting. ASU’s next meeting will be Mar. 24 from 2:50 to 3:50. The club meets every other Thursday in Mrs. Gray’s room NE103!
