The Rice University community joined together at the grassy knoll outside the Memorial Student Center and Brochstein Pavilion to celebrate Rice’s first Southeast Asian and Pacific Islander (SEAPI) Night Nov. 8. More than 800 people took in an evening of entertainment, fellowship and food and beverages from local businesses operated by people with SEAPI heritage. The evening was a collaboration between the Rice Vietnamese Student Association (Rice VSA), Rice Filipino Student Association (Rice FSA) and Rice Southeast Asians United at Rice.
“SEAPI Night celebrates the vibrant heritage of Southeast Asian and Pacific Island cultures, where stories, songs and dances connect and bring a wave of history, tradition and beauty to the Rice campus,” said Vy Luu, a Hanszen College senior and event organizer.
The programming portion of the evening allowed a multitude of student organizations, both from Rice and surrounding universities, to show off some of their customs. Participating organizations included Rice Kasama, Malia’s Hula Hut, Rice FSA, Rice VSA, Rice Thai Ramwong, Baylor Lions, Rice Lions, UH Vietnamese Students Association’s Thang Long Phong, Baylor x Rice Hula and Baylor Filipino Student Association’s Tadhana.
Local businesses joined the celebration at the vendor’s market, including Lao’d District, Godo’s Bakery, Hafa Adai Express, Thien An Sandwiches, Wiwas Tempeh, Kawaii Baby, Central Vietnam Coffee and Stayce Realty.
For event organizer Kat Codiamat, a Baker College senior, SEAPI Night was four years in the making.
“We’re really happy to have planned Rice’s first-ever SEAPI Night,” Codiamat said. “This was something that I and many others had envisioned ever since my freshman year, and now as a senior, I feel so fulfilled to see it come to fruition.”
With such a booming turnout, the stage has been set for SEAPI Night to return in the future.
“As someone who spent her entire life around a very strong Southeast Asian community, I felt extremely honored to have the opportunity to share this culture with Rice,” said Lana Nguyen, a Baker College sophomore and event organizer. “There was an amazing turnout, and there was an air of excitement as people engaged with the vendors and the entertainment. I am eagerly awaiting an even bigger SEAPI Night for the years to come.”
