There’s a new club at Poly – the Asian Student Union!
The Asian Student Union (ASU) was founded recently by juniors Sophi Bender, Ethan Eblaghie, and Zoë Hong. Their goal was “to provide a space for Asian students of all ethnic backgrounds to gather, and talk about our experiences as Asian Americans,” says Bender, adding that they also wanted to share Asian culture with the greater Poly community.
Although our school is very diverse, Asians still represent the minority, making up around 7% of the population, and Bender notes the corresponding lack of Asian representation in the Poly curriculum. They emphasize that the ASU wants “Asian students to know that they have a group that they can relate to and feel supported by” and hopes “that the curriculum at Poly will start to include more of our culture, such as our literature and history.”
Although the club is still in its early stages, the plan is to host regular fun activities, such as crafting, cooking, and watching movies. There are often Asian snacks, and Bender underscores that “the meetings are quite laid-back and friendly.”
Anyone is welcome to join, with meetings occurring twice a month on Mondays and Wednesdays in room 333 (Ms. No’s room). If you have any questions, contact the official Poly ASU instagram at @poly.asu. See below for our full interview with Sophie Bender!
An Interview with Sophi Bender, co-founder of the Asian Student Union
How did ASU start? Why did you found it?
ASU started as an idea between me and a few of my friends last school year, but we never really put the idea into action until around November of 2022. My friends, Ethan Eblaghie, Zoë Hong, and I contacted Ms. No to see if we could use her room for our meetings. Initially we weren’t sure if we wanted to be an official club with activities or not, but we knew that the goal of the ASU was always to provide a space for Asian students of all ethnic backgrounds to gather, and talk about our experiences as Asian Americans. We also wanted to be able to share bits and pieces of our own cultures with others. At our first unofficial meeting, we decided we wanted to be an official club with activities and fundraising events. We are still working on getting that on track, though.
What is the main goal of the Union? What future objectives do you wish to accomplish?
Forming a community and connecting people. In the future we want to create a space where more people are comfortable with sharing their experiences as Asian Americans. We want to expand our platform and let more students know about our club.
What is it like to be an Asian student at Poly? Why is the Union important? What issues facing Asian Poly students do you wish to address with the Union?
My friends and I have noticed that there is little representation for us in the curriculum. Although we are lucky to be in one of the more diverse schools in America, we are still a minority. This union is important because we want our community to be connected. We want other Asian students to know that they have a group that they can relate to and feel supported by. Our hope is that the curriculum at Poly will start to include more of our culture, such as our literature and history.
Are there any particular events the ASU would like to host?
So far, we’re still in the process of discussing what kind of events we want to host, but we are strongly considering setting up a stand at the spirit fair. Eventually, we would also like to host meetings where we can make crafts, cook, watch movies, and do other fun activities.
What does a typical meeting look like?
Typically, we bring asian snacks and eat while chatting and discussing the asian american experience, as well as how we want our club to grow. The meetings are quite laid-back and friendly.
When/where are meetings? How can interested students join? Who is welcome at the meetings?
Meetings are twice a month, on a Monday and a Wednesday, in room 333! Anyone is welcome to join. Interested students may simply show up to the meeting, or if they have any questions, they can directly message the Poly ASU official instagram.
Works Cited
High schools in Baltimore city public schools district | Maryland … (n.d.). Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/maryland/districts/baltimore-city-public-schools-107947
