By: Ngai Yeung ‘23

After being away from campus for so long, my friends and I itched to attend USC events whenever we can. APASA’s Cultural Arts Expo is one of the organization’s flagship events. It’s also Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at USC, and we’re Asian, so of course my friends and I had to check it out.

By: Tamanna Sood ‘24

This past week USC celebrated Holi on campus! Learn more about Holi and how Trojans celebrated it in style!

By: Sophia Pei ‘22

With their Bellagio-esque dancing fountain, four pools, gaming room, free shuttle, and other amenities, the Lorenzo is a popular choice for students at USC. Part of the Renaissance collection, the Lorenzo is privately owned by GH Palmer Associates and marketed as luxury student housing. While GH Palmer Associates is creating much needed housing in downtown LA, the Italian façade luxury apartments don’t serve the greater community. The increasing demand for exclusive student housing has decreased the economic incentive for developers to create additional much needed affordable housing units in South LA.

By: Lilly Kate Diaz ‘20

Hello, all! I hope your semester has been going well and that you are all taking care of yourselves. While I am a bit late on posting this, I firmly believe in “better late than never!” If you haven’t heard yet – it’s a very special time of the year for me and my fellows Latinx/Hispanic folks:

By: Terry Nguyen ‘20

The diverse city of Los Angeles contains boundless opportunities to immerse yourself in unfamiliar cultures and their traditions. February, although mostly celebrated as the month of love, is also Black History Month and in this stormy political climate, a significant and relevant time to commemorate the Day of Remembrance for Japanese Americans. On Feb. 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, issuing the order to legally contain Japanese Americans in separate internment camps on American soil. The Day of Remembrance should be made aware of, and while we shame this period of American history for its discriminatory legislation, we should also strive to commemorate and understand the stories of those affected by this Executive Order. Below are a few events, exhibits and destinations you can visit if you want to further your understanding of American history and the effect of EO66 on the lives of many Japanese Americans.

By: Rachel Bennett ‘18 and Ayman Siraj ‘18

As the sun set at the heart of the island, we were welcomed to a feast. In the middle of the Tahitian jungles, local men and women pulled colorful foods from a traditional earth oven set deep into the ground.

By: Ayman Siraj ‘18

The biggest fear for any international student coming to the U.S. for the first time is not being able to adapt to U.S. culture. It’s true that cultures are different as you transgress borders. When I was learning English, I was at a British School in Saudi Arabia and it led to a few funny encounters with my friends here in America. One such instance: My friend Tim and I went grocery shopping and I was like, ‘Tim, should I grab a trolley?’ Tim burst out laughing, and I didn’t understand why. He responded that it’s called a shopping cart here. While I wasn’t wrong, Tim and I at that moment realized that even though we speak the same language, there are subtle differences in word usage between different countries.

By: Judy Lee ‘17

Being dropped into a strange place is great, I’ve found. It not only gives you an appreciation for something new, but something you may have had along. Studying abroad in London has definitely allowed me to appreciate the states while growing fond of the land beyond the pond. Here are a few things that struck me while I’ve been here this past week: