The Hui Hau’oli ‘O Hawai’i Club kicked off WSU’s celebration of Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month with a dance performance in the CUB on Monday.

The month will be filled with a variety of events ranging from educational workshops to cultural performances, which were coordinated by the Asian Pacific American Student Coalition (APASC).

APASC Chair Malvin Harrison said the workshops will be centered around culture and heritage. The events throughout the month are put on by different organizations under APASC.

Student Involvement Multicultural Coordinator Phillip Sinapati said the heritage month is meant to celebrate different cultures and ethnicities within the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities (AAPI).

He said the celebration of culture is also meant to encompass cross-cultural collaborations between groups.

APASC will be collaborating with a few other students groups throughout the month.

Harrison said the cultural workshops planned will include guests invited to speak about heritage, background, cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation.

An event called Culture Shock will showcase culture through dances and spoken word poetry. It will take place at 7 p.m. on April 17 in the CUB Auditorium.

Other planned events include movie showings at 12 p.m. on April 8 and 15, History of the Tatau presented by Mitamitaga O Samoa on April 11, and a BBQ organized by APASC, the International Student Council and MEChA on April 19.

The AAPI population on campus is incredibly diverse, he said, there are different group demographics within the AAPI community.

Harrison said all students are welcome to attend the events hosted throughout the month.

“It’s an opportunity for students to learn about our traditions and culture,” he said.

The heritage month celebration will be concluded with a closing ceremony in the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center.