The University of Rhode Island Asian Students Association and 193 Coffeehouse teamed up for their first collaboration on Tuesday night, hosting ASA After Dark with Vietnamese coffee and karaoke.
Ray Tellier, ASA’s philanthropy chair, is also the treasurer of 193. He said his positions on the two e-boards allowed him to bring the organizations together for the event.
“Even though we’re the Asian Students Association, we’re really just trying to spread Asian culture,” Tellier said. “It’s stuff like this that’s not just celebrating Asian culture, but working with others.”
Attendees were able to sing solos or duets, and the Vietnamese coffee was sold throughout the event. According to Tellier, the proceeds will go toward ASA fundraising for future events.
Tellier said the organizations sold $100 worth of Vietnamese coffee and had approximately 25 performers throughout the event.
Vietnamese drip coffee (cà phê phin) is traditionally made using Robusta coffee beans, a small metal filter (a phin) for a slow drip method and sweetened condensed milk. Many of the supplies were donated by ASA President Kenneth Huyhn’s family, who owns a Vietnamese restaurant.
“They were gracious enough to donate some supplies, like some of the special filters that are needed for the coffee,” Tellier said. “193 has a couple Asian drinks already.”
Karaoke performances included Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” “From the Start” by Laufey and “Beaches” by beabadoobee. Tellier said his favorite performance of the night was by Ace Crowell, an ASA member who sang a song entirely in Mandarin.
“Ace is part of the Chinese Flagship Program at URI, and also did a Tai Chi demonstration at last year’s 32nd Culture Show hosted by ASA,” Tellier said. “We always look forward to him getting up on stage.”
Other ASA member performances came from M.U.S.I.C. Liaison Jessica Tran and Vice President Sadie Jasmine, who duetted “Beauty and a Beat” by Justin Bieber and Nicki Minaj.
ASA’s upcoming events include a Taste of Korea Charity Event on Saturday, with 15% of in-store proceeds going toward the Korean American Scholarship Fund. Their next general meeting will be a Cambodian culture exposure, a social symposium about Cambodian culture and traditions with catered food from Apsara.
With recent approval from the Student Event Advising Office, ASA will host their second cultural exposure of the semester on Thursday, Nov. 24, focused on Korean culture.
“I will be highlighting the Korean tradition of Gimjang, the en-masse preparation of Kimchi before the wintertime,” Tellier said. “We’ll be having student leaders from the Cooking Asia Club at JWU come lead the workshop, so all who attend are able to prep and bring home some kimchi for themselves.”
ASA’s general meetings are on Tuesdays at 5 p.m. in the Multicultural Student Services Center Hardge Forum.
