The show displayed various cultural arts performed by Michigan Taekwondo, rXn Traditional, Kappa Phi Lambda and Pi Alpha Phi, K-Motion, Hula Michigan, VeryUs, Sinaboro, Seoul Juice x Emily & Jae, DVN Guy-Girl Traditional, and DB3, all affiliated with Chinese, Pacific Islander, Vietnamese and Korean backgrounds. Each act was meant to reflect the unique experiences and traditions of their respective cultures.
This year, the show was called "TECHNICOLOR: Vivid Past. Vibrant Future." GenAPA board member Jenny Yu, a Business freshman, said the club and event aimed to explain how cultural traditions of the past affect the future.
Yu noted the recent changes in mass media that have increased the prominence of A/PIA people in the eyes of the public, like the blockbuster film "Crazy Rich Asians." YouTuber David So, whose main channel GeniusBrain (originally called DavidSoComedy) amasses more than 1.4 million subscribers, headlined the event.
So performed a 30-minute act, telling stories about growing up in a community with few other Asian Americans and having a hard time fitting in at school. However, So said things have changed since then.
Yu wanted the show to offer a diverse portrayal of different Asian cultural backgrounds.
Sporting her Kappa Phi Lambda sorority jacket, U-M alum Arielle Chen was attending the event to support her sorority members, who were performing a collaborative dance performance with the fraternity Pi Alpha Phi. Kappa Phi Lambda is an Asian American Interest sorority. Both are organizations open to, but not excluded to, Asian American students on campus.
Nursing freshman Helen Nguyen and Business senior Sandra Plamondon, both of whom participated in the DVN Girl-Guy Traditional dance, a traditional Vietnamese leaf that dance, said they were excited to perform in front of a large crowd.
Plamondon said cultural events like this one serve as a communal learning experience and provide exposure to new cultures.