Through sampling traditional cuisine, Tagalog language lessons, traditional dances and more, the Filipino American Student Association shares Filipino culture with USC students.
FASA is a growing Filipino cultural interest group at USC that holds social and cultural events to engage more people in Filipino culture. The organization has over 100 members that are all passionate about welcoming anyone into their community, Veronica Hari, a fourth-year mass communications student and FASA vice president said.
Third-year data science student and club secretary Zephanae Liis said FASA welcomes anyone that is interested in Filipino culture.
"We always strive to make sure anyone new who joins feels the central part of Filipino culture is about community and about making sure everyone feels like family," Liis said.
Hari said the organization is working on providing members with more opportunities for engagement this year. She said the club used to coordinate activities and events once a month, but that they've now ramped up to at least once a week.
Recent opportunities have included language lessons in Tagalog, fundraising opportunities around campus and social and culture events.
At the monthly general body meetings, FASA discusses details about their upcoming events with members and holds an activity for members to engage in.
Liis said the activities for members at meetings include cultural workshops, and are always centered on building connections.
Outside of activities at monthly member meetings, the organization has events such as meet-ups at local businesses, Karaoke nights and cultural lessons each month.
"They (the members) genuinely love coming to attend events, because there's always a friendly face, like a genuine friendly face who wants to get to know them and is working there on (the executive board) for their best interests," Liis said. "So every event that we throw, it really does feel like we're thinking of the members who are here in the present."
FASA also holds a few larger events throughout the year that anyone can attend. Some of the FASA events are free for everyone, but others require non-members to pay to attend.
The organization starts the semester with a large welcome dinner featuring Filipino food, known as a Salo Celebration. Liis said Salo in Tagalog typically means a party or a big gathering.
To close out the fall semester, FASA held their Pagsasama event, for the third year in a row. This event is normally in October for Filipino American History Month but was held Sunday, Nov. 16 this year at the Koger Center.
Those who attend this event typically can experience traditional dances from different parts of the Philippines, martial arts performances and traditional Filipino cuisine Liis said.
"We showcase everything again, with our heritage and our culture and it brings together the Filipino community who's outside school ... just to showcase who we are on and at USC," Hari said.
Hari said Pagsasama means being together, and that this event is their centerpiece of the semester that brings together the Filipino community both on campus and outside of USC.
Although some events require those who are not members of FASA to pay to attend, Liis said Pagsasama is not one of them.
"This event is free for ... anyone who wants to attend, and it has been for the past few years just to make sure that we are fully striving to achieve our goal of making Filipino culture to locals as accessible as possible," Liis said.
Kayla Rivero, a FASA member and first-year nursing student, said one of the dances she participated in this year for their Pagsasama event is called Tinikling. In this dance, the dancers perform foot patterns on bamboo sticks.
"I've never tried to learn our traditional dances, and it really opened my eyes to what cultural things I haven't seen before," Rivero said.
This year is the first time that FASA is trying out their "Ate-Kuya" program, in which older FASA members get paired up with a new member to mentor them and encourage them to get more involved in FASA and on campus.
Liis said the pairs for Ate-Kuya program are revealed during the Salo celebration dinner at the beginning of the semester. Throughout the semester they check in with the pairs to see how well they are working together to volunteer outside of FASA and participate in FASA events together.
"Many of our members, they seek other Filipinos or just someone who has more experience than them, whether in the school or in the organization, because they just want a connection," Liis said. "So we try to pair based on what they want out of the program."
The Ate-Kuya program is optional for members as are all the other events and activities that FASA does for their members. FASA does not require members to attend a certain amount of events each semester, Liis said.
Hari said FASA's main goal for the future is to continue growing their family to get to share and enjoy Filipino culture with more people.
"If I had to be honest, it feels like home," Rivero said. "Everybody there is so nice, and we've become so comfortable with each other."
FASA accepts new members throughout the school year. The only requirement is that each member pays $20that goes towards paying for FASA's activities and events.
More information about the organization can be found on its Instagram, uscfasa, and its page on Garnet Gate.