FUSO hosts annual event
The Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization celebrated with food, a play, and live music
On Saturday March 4, FUSO (Filipino Ugnayan Student Organization) hosted “Pilipino Culture Night” in Camino Hall’s Shiley Theatre. The event was designed to showcase the greatest aspects of Filipino culture and celebrate the diversity of the USD student body. The evening was broken into three sections: a dinner with traditional Filipino foods, a performance by YouTuber AJ Rafael, and a play featuring the members of FUSO. There were also performances from USD’s Less Than Three (LT3) dance team and Folklorico and Mariachi Association of USD (FAMA).
Beginning at 6 p.m., a variety of traditional Filipino dishes were served to the attendees of the event. The dishes served included Lumpia, Pancit, Chicken Adobo, and Sisig. Lumpia, a type of spring roll that includes meat or vegetables, was a crowd favorite that went fast. Pancit is a Filipino noodle dish with cooked chickencooked chicken with a traditional marinate. Sisig is a dish made from cooked pig head and liver. The line for dinner stretched all the way across Camino courtyard with patrons excited to try the delicious food. Students, professors, and family all came together to enjoy the lively night and experience the culture.
Following dinner, the event was moved inside Shiley Theatre for a performance by Youtube star AJ Rafael. The theater was packed with eager fans waiting for his performance. Rafael boasts 730,000 subscribers on YouTube as well as millions of views on his videos. Rafael performed his original songs for the audience and the crowd went wild. The energy in the room stayed high all throughout his performance and conversation with the audience. Rafael is Filipino himself and stated he was extremely proud to represent his culture and contribute to the event.
After Rafael concluded performing his hit music, event host and junior Alyssa Gamatero got the audience very excited for the next act on stage, the FUSO play “Where is The Love?” Gamatero explained what FUSO and the ability to have a space to represent her culture on campus mean to her.
“I think it’s important to present the Filipino culture to our USD community because what we learn in school omits historical events, like the ones presented in our production,” Gamatero said. “I feel like showcasing different cultures to our peers on campus will help create solidarity with other cultures and bring about more cultural awareness to everyone here.”
The play put on by FUSO, “Where is The Love?” describes the story of two young adults who lived in the Philippines during World War II. It provided a view into daily life in the Philippines during that time and examined the personal and societal turmoil caused by the war.
Melissa Carin, commissioner of cultural affairs for FUSO, wrote the play and explained her inspiration and personal connection to it.
“My inspiration for the play initially started from when I took a trip to Japan,” Carin said. “I visited the Hiroshima memorial and saw in person how damaging the effects of WWII was. I was also inspired by the Black Eyed Peas song of ‘Where is the Love.’ When I went back home from that trip I remembered the story my Lola (grandma) told me when I was young about how she lost her entire family to WWII. So I interviewed both her and my Lolo (grandpa) for more details about their experience. These bits of pieces of my grandparents stories out together to make a whole new story about family, hope, and love.”
Carin’s personal connection and family inspiration for the play made it a truly special and unique piece of theater. The play did an excellent job of portraying the effects of war beyond the battlefield, and its effects on the daily lives of people not involved militarily. During scene shifts, the room would go dark and songs in various Filipino dialects and English would play. These songs reflected the upbringing of the members of FUSO in houses that spoke both those languages. The play was a beautiful reflection of the cultural heritage of Filipino-American Toreros.
Between Acts one and two of the play, there was an intermission where USD’s LT3 dance team put on a phenomenal performance. LT3 is a student run dance team that began in 2015. Dancing rapidly to the beat of Chris Brown’s “Questions,” they put on a show that blew the audience away. The crowd went wild at the rhythmic and snappy movements of the dance crew as they moved about the stage. Along with LT3’s striking performance, FAMA performed a traditional Mexican dance “Ballet Folklorico.” The three performers came on stage in long floral dresses that they twirled effortlessly as they danced across the stage. The performance commanded the audience’s attention with its bright colors and coordinated movements.
Having FAMA and LT3 perform at the event. Allowing multiple cultures created a unique sense of unity and solidarity in the room and left a lasting impression on those who came to the show. On the topic of having their culture represented and finding a community at USD, FUSO member, “Where is the Love?” actress, and first-year Kelly Tran shared why FUSO is important to her.
“I joined FUSO because I wanted to get more involved on campus and meet more people who have a similar cultural background as me,” Tran said. “While the organization is primarily Filipino they welcome anyone of any racial background. I am Vietnamese and I feel right at home with my FUSO family. Especially being from out of state, joining this organization provides a special bond and connection for me that is difficult to find elsewhere on campus.”
Melissa Carin shared why FUSO is important to her as well.
“I really appreciate that USD gives me outlet to share my cultural background,” Carin said. “Being first-generation American, my Filipino roots mean a lot to me. Finding FUSO helped me find several people I could culturally relate to. During PCN rehearsal everyone said their parents same song they sang to me when I was young, which was featured in the play. I am really happy I became commissioner of cultural affairs for FUSO. It allowed me to share my background with not only people who come from a similar background to me, but to those who may have never had experienced Filipino culture before.”
“Pilipino Culture Night” was an eventful night that Toreros of all backgrounds came together to have a night full of fun, culture, and food. It provided a great outlet for FUSO students to feel proud of their heritage and share a unique side of themselves with their friends, professors, and the USD community. The months of hard work done by FUSO students and faculty paid off with this beautiful celebration of their culture and history.