Leyla J. Mercado, Features Editor / Asst. Social Media Editor
The Asian Student Association (ASA) at Manhattan University is making their mark by hosting a two-day matcha fundraiser on Tuesday and Wednesday, April 7 and 8 on Kelly Commons’ first floor. From 12 to 4 p.m., ASA’s E-board sold strawberry and cookies and cream flavored matcha with spicy crab flavored ornigiri.
@ASA_MANHATTAN / INSTAGRAM
According to akimatcha.com, matcha is a high-grade, finely powdered green tea that’s made from shade-grown Camellia sinensis leaves, which began in ancient China before finding its home in Japan. Onigiri, Japanese rice balls, are a portable, seasoned rice snack typically shaped into triangles or rounds and wrapped in seaweed (nori).
With that being said, deciding on matcha, a drink of Asian culture, was a no-brainer when choosing what to utilize as the heart of their fundraiser.
Shu Amanuma, founder and president of the ASA and a junior majoring in international studies with a concentration in global affairs spoke to The Quadrangle about what exactly inspired a matcha fundraiser specifically.
“It is one of the most well known and popular Asian drinks, and we thought it would be a big hit and we also heard from students that they missed the Starbucks matcha,” Amanuma said.
“Our fundraisers are part of ASA’s initiatives in branching out our cultures to the larger student body through the means of food and drinks. It also supports our fun event activities.”
Many club members also come by and support the ASA as much as they can, making it a socializing point to catch up and converse with other members. The sense of community created within their atmosphere has been a vital part of the club’s success.
Amanuma further went on to walk The Quadrangle through an attendee’s experience at the fundraiser.
“They would be greeted with a welcoming atmosphere at our table in Kelly, followed by some introductions of the club and the board … Once purchased, the attendee is able to watch the process of their drinks being made right in front of them,” Amanuma said. “I hope that the larger student body takes away the cultural aspect, because we choose our drinks so that there is always something new every time … The fundraiser being something centered around a popular drink was something I always had in mind, I just didn’t expect this much success!”
The ASA’s attention to involving the student body within the favorite parts of their culture has led them to become even more creative with their fundraising, setting the stage for future events that continue to celebrate and share Asian culture with the Manhattan University community.
Gabriella Dimalanta, a junior biology major, is the ASA’s event coordinator. Dimalanta spoke to her role in helping plan the matcha fundraiser.
“I helped organize the stand, prepared the food [making the onigiris] that were sold in the fundraiser and made the matcha for those buying them,” Dimalanta said. “We all collaborated together to determine which flavors of matcha we should do for the fundraiser, worked the night before to prepare food for the next day and saw who was available to run the fundraiser throughout the day.”
Dimalanta also shared what part of the fundraiser she was most looking forward to and believed a matcha-themed fundraiser was a good idea for the ASA.
“I was excited about students trying our unique flavors of matcha and just sharing our love of food with everyone,” Dimalanta said. “I think it represents a well known drink that is popular that originates from Japan, and due to its popularity it was able to give us a chance to share more about Asia and the culture behind it to the Manhattan University community.”
This fundraiser means more than just building funds for the club, but building community amongst Jaspers of all different ethnicities and backgrounds.
“For the Asian students, I want them to feel that there is a community on campus where they are safe to explore their cultural backgrounds,” Amanuma said.“Furthermore, for the larger student body, I hope our club serves as a door to trying something new, or engaging with another culture, or possibly an interest in visiting one of the Asian countries eventually.”
The ASA will continue to host different events and fundraisers that you can keep up with on their Instagram account: @asa_manhattan.