As the month of May comes to a close, many BYU students are still unaware of the massive percentage of the world that Asians and Pacific Islanders make up. Thanks to May being Asian-American and Pacific Islander Month, though, BYU was able to introduce this concept to over 30 students.
BYU, known for its outstanding academic programs and its ability to maintain a safe bubble of obliviousness to the outside world, found itself faced with a startling revelation: Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders actually exist and contribute to the rich tapestry of American society. The month-long AAPI event served as a much-needed crash course for BYU students, whose exposure to diversity has typically been limited to the various shades of white found in Provo.
Most BYU students are aware of the hit blockbuster “Johnny Lingo” and “The Other Side of Heaven”, but have not made the connection between these fictional portrayals and the real people behind them. To remedy this problem, the BYU Anti-Racism Club put on a screening of “Crazy Rich Asians”, which was met with astonishment by the attending students. “I had no idea that Asians could be rich or crazy,” remarked Kerstyn, whose mind was clearly blown by this newfound information. “It’s like they’re real people or something!” Jaykub Smith added, “I always thought “Asian” meant sushi and fortune cookies. But now, I’ve found that there’s so much more to Asian culture, like dragons and chopsticks.”
Despite these successes, not everyone on campus was thrilled about the exposure to other cultures. Some conservative voices in the administration expressed concern that students were being exposed to “foreign influences” and that this newfound awareness might lead to questioning other long-held beliefs. “We need to protect our students from this dangerous knowledge,” administrator Manny Flanny proclaimed. “Next thing you know, they’ll be thinking for themselves!”
As the curtain falls on AAPI Month at BYU, the university can celebrate its achievement of enlightening over 30 students about the existence of Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders, expanding their understanding beyond the confines of Church-made movies. There are only about 28,984 students left to educate.