Multicultural organizations highlight resource fair

September 2, 2025 (Volume 49, Number 1)
Article by Sofia Ellis

tables line a sidewalk leading to the cook carillon tower

student Kevin Nguyen sits behind a poster for the Vietnamese Student Association

Emma Ramos sits behind a corkboard with photos on it at the fair

Students attend the Laker Connections Resource Fair at the Kirkhof Center lawn on August 29.

Photo Credit: Cory Morse

Various student organizations were represented at the Laker Connections Resource Fair on August 29, hosted by the Office of Multicultural Affairs.

Thalia Guerra-Flores, assistant director of OMA, coordinated the event, which was held on the Kirkhof Center lawn area. “The goal is to give our multicultural student organizations more visibility on campus,” she said.

Co-president Michelle Arandela represented the Filipinx American Student Association. The group was established in 2021, when the population of Filipino students grew large enough to create a cultural club. Arandela said meetings revolve around an aspect of Filipino culture and tradition, including dance. The group performs at various events throughout the semester.

“We do traditional dances from different regions of the Philippines, which get passed down through generations. And then we also do modern twists, like modern music, which is what we performed at Campus Life Night,” said Arandela.

The club has grown through the years and now has around 50 members.

You Beautiful Black Woman (YBBW) is a sisterhood organization on campus that meets weekly.

“We do events and we do community service,” said Amirah Lee, a junior. “Our biggest event of the year is probably our hair show that happens in the fall semester, and it basically showcases the Black hairstyles on campus.”

The Vietnamese Student Association was established at GVSU in 2018. Each month the organization holds a fundraiser, the most popular being "Pho night," when members make and sell homemade pho alongside other Vietnamese cuisine.

“We try to create a welcoming atmosphere for everyone, not just Viets or Asians, to learn about Vietnamese culture,” said co-president Kaila Le. “We’re all-inclusive, so we love it when other people want to join and learn, too.”