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APU’s Ethnic Organizations Connect and Uplift Students’ Stories
February 13, 2025 | Written By Saundri Luippold
![female students hula dance on stage at APU's annual luau](/_resources/images/articles/ethnic_orgs.jpg)
Everyone has a unique story to tell. As chapters unfold and plot twists take you somewhere you never thought you’d be, God is the faithful author writing your story. By engaging with people and their stories from various cultures, we embrace what it means to live out the biblical commandments of loving God and loving our neighbors (Matt. 22:37-39).
At Azusa Pacific University, we create space for students of all backgrounds to share their stories, learn from others, and celebrate that we are all made in the image of God. As of Fall 2024, undergraduate ethnic minority students comprise 66 percent of the student body. Students from 18 countries are represented across campus. Ethnic organizations on campus bring students together to bond over shared interests or identification with an ethnic group, transforming APU into an institution that uplifts diversity.
Armando Bustos Jr., executive director of diversity initiatives, oversees the Center for Reconciliation and Diversity (CRD), which houses APU’s ethnic organizations. “As a Christ-centered community, APU approaches diversity from a biblical perspective, affirming that diversity is an expression of God’s image, love, and boundless creativity. Ethnic organizations are vital threads in the vibrant mosaic of the APU community,” Bustos said. “These groups have long championed diversity and unity, contributing to APU as a truly dynamic and inclusive place to learn and grow.”
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With a rich history that began in 1973 with the formation of the Black Student Council (now the Black Student Association)–BSA draws students together to engage in the music, stories, heritage, and values of black culture. K’Cia Reed ’27 is BSA’s current president. “My siblings are alumni and were involved in BSA, so growing up I always heard about it,” she said. Reed fondly remembers attending BSA’s annual talent show “Expressions” held at the end of Black History Month, which showcases beautiful creative minds in the black community through dance, music, and visual art.
As BSA president, Reed seeks to create a welcoming environment that feels like home for black students along with students of all backgrounds. “Whenever we get together for fun events and traditions, it feels nostalgic, like celebrating with family.”
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The Latin American Student Association (LASA) hosts events and activities to showcase Hispanic culture on campus. Mateas Ledezma ’25 serves as LASA’s president. “We have so many amazing Latin students at APU and LASA strives to actively celebrate them,” Ledezma said. His team strives to make Hispanic Heritage Month memorable on campus. For the past couple of years, LASA has organized “Pueblo de Azusa,” a festive event on Cougar Walk featuring talented Folklórico dancers, mariachi, authentic Mexican food, and artisanal vendors. This event provides an opportunity for the APU community to come together and celebrate Latin heritage.
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The Pacific Islanders Organization (PIO) was first known as the Hawaiian club, formed by a small group of students in 1987 who missed their home. The organization has now expanded into a large group of students from Polynesian backgrounds coming together to embrace their cultures’ values and glorify God through fellowship.
Helmut Baschleben ’25 and Maya Juliet Jenkins ’25 serve as PIO’s co-presidents this year. Jenkins discovered PIO through a friend who invited her to one of the club’s meetings. “I instantly felt such a connection to the people there. I truly felt I was meant to be there,” Jenkins said.
Every year, PIO coordinates a lū’au, one of APU’s largest campus events. All APU students are welcome to participate in the show, which beautifully depicts a Bible story with Hawiian flair. Last year, 134 students performed in the lū’au, which celebrated women in the Bible. “We don’t mind if you’ve never danced a day in your life,” Jenkins said. “There’s always a place on our team, and we love to see people who are enthusiastic to learn about our culture.”
In addition to the lū’au, PIO hosts an annual beach bonfire to provide students a fun day of fellowship and food. “I love the fact that our club is so spiritually oriented and guided. We do everything through God and by His power,” Jenkins said. Whether they’re engaging in traditions or learning each other’s stories, the students in PIO discover God’s goodness in the ways Polynesian cultures value knowing Him.
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The Third Culture Kids club (TCK) draws students together to embrace a mixture of cultures. Many club members don’t identify with one ethnicity. Rather, students in TCK resonate with being born or growing up in one country and moving to another, and sometimes multiple countries. Some have family members from different ethnic backgrounds and they seek to embody all parts of their culture in themselves. Some are from missionary families serving around the globe. TCK members bond over the shared experience of not having one culture that fully captures their identity.
Julia Hayes ’26 serves as TCK’s president. She discovered the club as a freshman and appreciates the sudden immersion in community that TCK provided her. “I’ve made so many genuine friendships through TCK because it not only embraced, but celebrated my diverse background,” she said. “We take the time to hear each others’ stories, and doing so has shown me Christ’s love.”
A welcoming environment to all, TCK reminds students that no matter where you’re from or how hard it is to answer that question, the similarities we share outweigh the differences. We’re all people seeking to discover deep connections with others, make a difference in the world, and come closer to knowing God and ourselves.
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By finding how much we have in common, and celebrating the beauty in each individual’s unique qualities, ethnic organizations provide students with opportunities to learn each other’s stories, share their own, and encounter God’s beautiful creativity as our creator.
Follow @iamapubsa, @apulasa, @apu_pacificislanders, @apukapamilya, @apucrd and @apu.tck on Instagram for updates from ethnic organizations.