By APASA Interns Anika Nedunuri and Joshua Santhirasegari

Welcome to Roots to Shoots! A collab event with ESA and SC Garden Club

On October 17th, APASA hosted a collaborative event with the Environmental Student Assembly (ESA) and SC Garden Club focused on environmentalism, sustainability, and their connection to APIDA experiences and culture. Organized by our Co-Advocacy Chairs Emma Ngai Kei Hui and Ricca Yip, “Roots to Shoots” brought together both undergraduate and graduate students to discuss sustainability issues and initiatives within APIDA countries while also giving attendees a chance to decompress from midterms.

During the event, attendees decorated plant pots with colorful chalk while hearing about the environmental difficulties facing APIDA nations, such as immense air pollution in Hong Kong, increased temperatures in Island Nations, and flood threats in Myanmar and the Philippines. Through sharing individual experiences surrounding environmental concerns, attendees also got a chance to introduce unique aspects of their cultural heritage. But aside from being educated on environmental change in APIDA lands, the event also focused on empowerment amidst disaster and the role culture plays in promoting sustainability. From common household practices like reusing containers and grocery bags to the implementation of APIDA agriculture in America, APIDA individuals have always participated in fighting for environmental justice and access to natural resources. The work that APIDA individuals such as Pakistani and Chinese-American farmers have done in America has been an expression of not only cultural heritage but also deep concern and respect for nature.

To recognize the interconnectedness of APIDA culture and the natural world, attendees planted herbs such as Thai basil, cilantro, and green onions in their pots. These herbs have had strong standings in countless APIDA dishes and cultures, and planting them together allowed students to pay homage to their heritage and recognize the power they hold in creating change in issues of sustainability and environmental change. By planting practical vegetation, new conversations surrounding APIDA cuisine and nature were introduced and allowed attendees to understand how the food we eat is intrinsically linked to how we define our identities. Through identity gardens that exist in homes and throughout APIDA regions, cultural heritage is preserved practically and allows communities to remain connected to their identities no matter where they are located or how distant they feel from their heritage.

APASA E-Boarders and Interns serving turon from Dollar Hits!

All while enjoying turon, a delicious Filipino dessert made of deep fried bananas wrapped in spring roll wrappers, attendees listened to the way identity gardens exist in homes and places all over the world, showing how gardening unites and connects the Asian diaspora. In sharing their experiences cultivating and appreciating nature, students were able to express their identities and recognize how the natural world and their heritage continue to shape and inform one another, offering opportunities in work and providing the unique dishes that comprise APIDA cuisine. “Roots to Shoots” created a safe and comfortable environment for us to look at our APIDA identity through the lens of environmentalism, and allowed students to reflect, learn, and participate in APIDA environmentalism.

Roots To Shoots - APASA x ESA x SC Garden Club