The Associated Students of Skyline College have been hard at work putting on events for Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), College Lecture Series, the Glide Memorial Tupperware Drive and the kick off to Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI). Coinciding cultural competency and diversity and equity awareness, April is loaded with events.
Hitting the ground running upon returning from Spring Break, the ASSC kicked off the month with the nationally recognized Sexual Assault Awareness Month Day of Action on Tuesday, April 5. Students, faculty and staff received information pamphlets and other SWAG to show their support and raise awareness to sexual assault. On Wednesday, April 13 an event called “Shine the Light” to end Sexual Violence was geared towards men taking a stance to end sexual violence against women. A petition was available for men to sign and white ribbons were given out to support the White Ribbon Campaign and luminaries lit the Fireside Dining Room and the Quad to cap off the evening event. The ASSC participated in an Escalation training and will be facilitating an Escalation Workshop open to the campus on Thursday, April 28 at 11:00 am in room 6202 to wrap up SAAM.
Pulitzer Prize-Winning Journalist Jose Antonio Vargas’s film Documented premiered on April 6, the day before we had the honor of hosting Jose Antonio Vargas on campus for the annual College Lecture Series. Conference rooms packed with people from Skyline College, San Francisco State and San Francisco’s International High School were enthralled by Vargas’s words as he spoke about his experience as a person who’s family came from the Philippines, being undocumented and living in America.
Islam 101 took place on April 11 and included Arabic calligraphy, hijab wrapping demonstration with a free scarf for students, trivia questions and free crispy Pakistani chicken and vegetable pakoras. Later in the week was an Islamophobia Panel with guest panelists from the San Francisco Islamic School and Council on American-Islamic Relations where students engaged to discuss misconceptions of the Islamic faith, stereotypes around terrorism, and to think critically of media portrayal. Islam 101 was a success in getting the campus to think critically and break down the stereotypes surrounding Muslims in America and increase the visibility of Muslim-American students on campus.
The AAPI Kick off was a smash! Guest ‘ukulele artist Ben Ahn took the audience away showcasing his versatile ‘ukulele skills. The Pacific Islander Cultural Association (PICA) stopped by with scholarship information and in search of volunteers for the PICA’s annual Aloha Fest in San Mateo. What else is missing? Food! The Hula Sistahs served up a mean plate of Kalua Pig Nachos that were onolicious.
The following day we calmed it down with Asian Wellness Day featuring sister artists Yangqin and Gangqin Zhao from Melody of China who enlightened us with their music during the tea tasting ceremony. After filling up with tea, students were encouraged to visit the Asian American Donor Program table to register as a bone marrow donor. Dr. Ronda Wimmer wrapped up the day by conducting a workshop for students to engage in meditation and Tibetan Singing Bowls.
There is still more! Join the ASSC on Tuesday, April 26 in room 6202 for a Tattoo Lecture featuring Seymour Kaniho of A-Town Tattoo who will be discussing the art of traditional Pacific Islander tattooing. There will also be a Tattoo Photo Gallery featuring students and faculty. There is still time to drop off your new and lightly used food storage containers to be donated at the end of the month to San Francisco’s Glide Memorial.
Article by Anjelica Gacutan
