Welcome to the VSU Website!

December 15, 2008

I hope everyone is enjoying their winter breaks! Now that finals are over, we can enjoy a little vacation. But look forward to another great term with VSU in winter quarter! Watch out for our HOPE High School Conference, which is scheduled to be on March 7th! If you would like to help out or find out more, check out the Events page for more information!

November 24, 2008- Thanksgiving with VSU

Everyone looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday? I know I am! Well, tonight will be the night where VSU will be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner at 1415 Camden Ave #207 Los Angeles, CA 90025. It'll be a small event to give thanks and to give to the homeless community.

For those attending, there is a $5 charge to cover food and supplies, with all leftover money being donated towards a good cause Everyone will be meeting at Bruin Bear at 7:50PM and rides will be provided as well.

Also, there'll be no general meeting this week! Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday everyone!

November 16, 2008- Community Advancement Session

In the spirit of community building, the Mother Organizations have developed a series of Community Advancement Sessions that will ensure consistent dialogue between students concerning critical issues affecting our lives as students, leaders and community members. Our first session is on Thursday, November 20th, 2008 from 8:30-10:30pm. It is our hope that these sessions will result in the positive reinforcement of a positive campus climate, embracing of diversity, and the increase of cross community collaboration. We plan to hold these sessions 1-2 times per quarter. This unprecedented series will be extremely beneficial to our campus community for years to come.

This week's topic will be Post Elections 2008 to discuss the implications of the 2008 election results and what it means for communities of color.

FREE FOOD provided.

Please be sure to add yourselves to the facebook group. It is critical that we all attend since at all the townhalls, the boards from all staffs wanted a space to become more knowledgeable on one another's communities and this is the first step in doing so. It will also play a large role in shaping the relationship with other communities of color within the project spaces and foster a place for collaboration.

November 11, 2008- Beyond Boundaries: Education in Action on November 15! and Seventh General Meeting

Come join us in commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Asian American Studies Center! Come celebrate the foundations of VSU and other student orgs on campus: STUDENT ACTIVSM.

There will be inspiring community speakers, performances, workgroups discussing issues and plans of action, and free food. The first 80 people to register (www.apcla.org/conference) will be entered in a raffle to win prizes (t-shirts, DVDs, dinner vouchers, and much more!). VSU staff members will be out there volunteering, actively participating, and meeting tons of students and community members--and so should you! Please join us on SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15.

For more information, contact Malina Tran at tran.malina[at]gmail.com or feel free to call/text her at 323.246.9683.

And this week's general meeting will be tomorrow in SAC Basement, from 5PM -7PM. In this week's meeting, we will be screening a movie and jumping to a discussion exploring the experiences of those leaving Vietnam aftere the Vietnam War.

November 5, 2008- SPITS! Feature this Thurs: BEATBOXING BOY WONDER!!

CAPSA (Critical Asian & Pacific Islander Students for Action) Presents featured artist Carlo aka "Overvoice." Bunche 3211 6-8PM. (Even weeks) Just two Spits! left for the Fall quarter.

Your favorite API (Asian Pacific Islander) hosted open-mic on campus is ready to throw down once again. Come through sign-up for open-mic and tell yo friends and fellow artists.

*Thursday Night Spits* is the only Asian American open mic series fostering a progressive creative space for our community and all friends and allies. Anyone can sign up for the open mic!

Artist Bio:
OVERVOICE is six years deep in the beatboxing game YEEEeee! Straight R.A.W. from the mouth and the voice box. Carlo has been showcased in numerous shows including LA battle night where his skillz and credentials earned him a ticket to perform in England (International... Wat!?!. As an innovator Overvoice is gonna change the face of beatboxing with the incorporation of spoken word!

One love for hip hop and originality…

November 4, 2008- Election 2008 and Sixth General Meeting!

Everyone excited for election day?! Cause I am! There are a variety of issues on the board, so be sure to keep on top of it all! Be sure to check out the Election Screening Party tonight in the LATC Clubhouse.

And join us tomorrow as we talk about and reflect on this year's election. What happened, how it all played out and what we can do now that is is over. We'll be meeting at Boelter 2444 from 6-8PM, so see all of you there!

November 1, 2008- Pho Night with CSULA and USC!

Hey everyone,
Come join our friends from CSU Los Angeles and USC for a night of pho. Mingle with other people and share your love for pho!

BE SURE TO RSVP with Lisa Nguyen by Wednesday, November 5th!
Contact: Phone- (714)598-9102
Email: lisathynguyen[at]gmail.com

October 28, 2008-Fifth General Meeting

Join us in a discussion on how the immigration experience and policies have changed over the years. Agree or disagree, come on out to share your thoughts! The meeting location will be at SAC Basement from 5-7PM

October 22, 2008- SEA CLEAR Mentorship *Update*

Hey everbody! In case you missed the deadline last week for SEA CLEAR mentorshihp, it's been extended to this Friday (October 24th), so pick up an application or download one off the SEA CLEAR page and turn it into the SEA CLEAR office in SAD 105D!

October 19, 2008- Fourth General Meeting: Join the Family!

Hey all!

This week at VSU, come on out to find out who your family is! Meet your VSU "parents" and siblings and get together for some quality bonding time. The meeting location will be at SAC Basement from 5-7PM. I'll see you there! We may even be in the same family!

*Update*
Feeling the drag of midterms week? Then come to the Study Hall Social after this week's general meeting! Bring your notebooks, textbooks, pencils and papers and join with others and work that collective mind to its fullest!

October 18, 2008- VCN Traditional Dance

Interested in being in Traditional Dance?

Get ready to be a part of an amazing traditional dance segment of an even more amazing Vietnamese Culture Night this school year! Under the direction of VCN Director, Sahra Nguyen, the UCLA VSU will once again bring old world culture and modern issues facing Vietnamese Americans together onto the stage of Royce Hall.

The traditional dance this year will showcase ancient Vietnamese myths. As your traditional dance coordinator, I will be merging different disciplines of dance (jazz, lyrical, modern, etc.) with props (fans, umbrellas, non la, flutes, etc.) and stage lighting to present a truly dramatic experience for both dancers and audience members!

Female and male dancers will find enjoyment in gender-appropriate choreography (LOL!). No experience is necessary. Dancers of all skill levels are welcome. Those that have more dance experience will be provided the opportunity to showcase some of their trained talents if desired. Those without dance experience can acquire new talents and be just as comfortable doing choreography! This is your chance to learn something new!

Mandatory Practices begin WEEK 3 on TUESDAYS and THURSDAYS from 7-9pm at Student Activities Center FIRST FLOOR LOBBY AREA

Please arrive on time in order to stretch, warm-up, and bond with your fellow traditional dance members! Workout attire is best (workout pants, tights, sweats, tanks, t-shirts, avoid flip-flops, etc). You'll do much better if you're comfortable in what you're wearing.

I am so excited to be able to share such a meaningful experience with all of you! Spread the word! Bring your friends! Get ready to put on an eye-opening performance!

Your Traditional Coord,
Kel B.

Contact: kelbanh[at]gmail.com

October 16, 2008-SEA CLEAR Mentorship

Have you heard about the SEA CLEAR Mentorship program?

If not, then here's a tidbit of information for all of you:

SEA CLEAR Mentorship aims to supplement your college experience by adding to your support system here at UCLA. Get paired up with a culturally relevant mentor or mentee who will provide support, guidance, and friendship as you navigate through your college experience. Mentorship aims to help you help yourself identify your needs as a student. Mentorship also aims to provide a collective Southeast Asianspace through events that willprovide a space to develop newperspectives on issues relevant tothe Southeast Asian community. Make friends, have fun, and learn something new about yourself and others through SEA CLEAR Mentorship. Get plugged in and take ownership of your education at UCLA—the Southeast Asian way.

Mentorship applications can be found under the SEA CLEAR page. Turn completed applications to the SEA CLEAR cubicle in SAC 105D or e-mail it to seaclear.mentorship[at]gmail.com

Due by: Friday, October 17th at 5PM

October 13, 2008-VSU Modern Try Outs TODAY!!

Hey everybody!
Here's a quick update just in case you missed the e-mail:

VSU Modern Tryouts!!!
(aka VCN Modern/Hip Hop)
Learn it Monday 8pm @ the stage in Bruin Plaza
Tryout Wednesday 8pm @ the stage in Bruin Plaza

No experience necessary. Come check it out!

Contact VCN2009[at]gmail.com for questions.

October 9, 2008- SEA the Vote!

Greetings everybody!

Interested in the upcoming elections? Do you want to learn more about the issuses on the table? Then come on out to learn more about what you as a voter can do in the 2008 presidential elections!

October 8, 2008-Diversify university campuses

UCLA students and administrators should do their best to promote progress for disadvantaged communities

Sarah Nguyen
Published: Wednesday, October 8, 2008

I would like to congratulate the black community on its increase in UCLA acceptance rates and enrollment. Such an achievement marks the talents and accomplishments of distinct individuals to be fully recognized.

The political spectrum positions poor communities of color in direct conflict with a small group of the rich and powerful. Thus, I believe that an accomplishment on behalf of one marginalized community is a victory for all marginalized communities.

The political spectrum positions poor communities of color in direct conflict with a small group of the rich and powerful. Thus, I believe that an accomplishment on behalf of one marginalized community is a victory for all marginalized communities.

The increase in black admits and the decline in Vietnamese American numbers are not to be regarded as correlating incidents. The results are mutually exclusive. In addition, for Groseclose to imply that the increase in black admits is a result of fraudulent admissions (considering race) completely discredits black students of their merit, character and academic excellence.

If the conversation continues in the thought that admittance numbers are a trade-off between the black and Vietnamese American communities, then it places our communities in opposition with each other. In this framework of manipulative discourse, the controversy distorts the diversity issue into a competition between races and diverts the discussion away from the most important question at hand: Is the university committed to increasing diversity on the UCLA campus by doing everything it can to promote and support community outreach efforts?

UCLA is among the most sought-after universities in the world, so it is no surprise that the admissions process is highly competitive. To assume that the low number of minorities admitted to UCLA are the only ones qualified enough to be accepted would imply that marginalized communities lack the talent, drive and ambition to be successful in higher education. Clearly, this is not the case. Individuals across all communities have the potential and skills to be successful.

However, the social, economic and political conditions which shape their existence deprive them of necessary resources and guidance for success.

For example, students living in low-income neighborhoods experience poor-quality schools because a lack of funds results in overcrowded classrooms, outdated resources, frustrated teachers and ultimately, uninspired students.

Thus, in understanding that certain communities are overlooked and disadvantaged, while recognizing that bright, young minds exist within all of these marginalized communities, it is our social responsibility as privileged college students and powerful university administrators to fully invest in disadvantaged communities in order to achieve a true range of diversity. Why waste our energy, dialogue and media attention around the discourse of questionable merits and Groseclose’s poorly conceived allegations, which only diverts our focus away from the real effort for progress and positive change?

Nguyen is a fourth-year Asian American Studies and world arts and cultures student and is a member of Concerned Asian Pacific-Islander Students for Action.

Original article can be found here: http://www.dailybruin.ucla.edu/news/2008/oct/08/diversify-university-campuses/

October 7, 2008- Second General Meeting and Vietnamese Culture Night 2009

Hey everyone!

Come to this week's VSU General Meeting from 6-8pm at Kinsey 1200 (Meet near the Inverted Fountain) to find out how you can sign up and be a part of VCN 2009-- drama, traditional dance, modern/hip hop, breakdancing, chorus, martial arts, and more!

Drama Auditions will be held this Wednesday and Thursday 8-11pm in VSU's office, Kerckhoff 4th floor. You only need to attend one of these tryouts.

Tell your friends! See you there!

Sahra Nguyen
VCN 2009 Director

September 30, 2008- VSU Week 1- First General Meeting of the Year

Hey all! Be sure to attend our very first general meeting of the year! Come check out what VSU is all about and meet new people. We will all be meeting in front of the Bruin Bear at 6pm. Hope to see you there!

And if you've seen us at the Activities Fair or on Bruinwalk you'll know all about the awesome events we've got planned for you this week!If not,check out our Facebook events page

September 14, 2008-Buddy Up!

Are you new to UCLA? Do you think you need help moving in? Need help finding classes? Advice? Someone to hang out with? Well, VSU is here for you! If you find yourself a little lost in L.A., or need some transitioning PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT VSU! Contact Lisa(lisanguyen[at]ucla.edu) or Lucy (ltv151[at]gmail.com) for more information. We are here to help you :-)

September 7, 2008-To a New Year!

Hey everybody,

This is your new Webhistorian here. My apologies for the lack of updates in recent months, but the new VSU design is up and running now! I hope everyone's summer has gone well! School is just around the corner (Or perhaps has already started for some), so I hope everyone is prepared. Look forward to more VSU events in the near future. And more updates in content and function will be coming in the next few weeks.

Your 2008-2009 Webhistorian,
Phillipp Nham