Celebrating Asian Culture

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2010, Texas A&M International University held Asian Cultural Awareness Day in the Student Center Ballroom. Hayley Kazen, Instructor of Reading and Writing for the University College, coordinated the event that began at 9:30 a.m. and ended at 12:30 p.m. The event consisted of powerful lectures presented by various TAMIU professors. These lectures touched on some cultural and political issues within Asian countries as well as the horrors of human sex trafficking.

The University College staff organized the event and although it was open to the public, it was geared toward freshman.  The purpose of the event was to substantiate this year's Reading Globe common read: The Road of Lost Innocence written by Somaly Mam. This is the author's firsthand account of being sold into sex slavery, at the age of twelve, in Cambodia. The book shines a light on the severity of sex trafficking in Southeast Asia.

Asian Cultural Awareness Day consisted of approximately one hour lectures. During each hour, three different lectures were occurring simultaneously. The lectures ranged from introduction to Buddhism, to Cambodian and Vietnamese Refugees in America, and a general overview of sex trafficking in the United States. Dr. Frances Bernat, Professor and Chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences, urged students to become more aware of the severity of sex trafficking in her lecture, "Coordinating a Common Response to Trafficking."     

When asked to comment on the purpose of the event, Kazen responded, "to give the students a better idea of what is going on in these parts of the world." Kazen was referring to the Asian countries, such as Cambodia, which is the setting for The Road of Lost Innocence.  Karina Rodriguez, freshman student, shared her experience from attending the event. "It was eye opening. There is so much going on in all these places. It's good that they're giving us these presentations, so we can be more aware of other cultures and their history."

For further information regarding University College you may contact their offices at 326-2134, or for further information on Asian Cultural Awareness Day you may contact Hayley Kazen at hkazen@tamiu.edu.