Awareness, community, and culture are the three focuses of Berkeley High School’s South and South East Asian Student Union (SASU), which was described by one of its club members as feeling more like a group of friends than a typical club. “I feel like we’re more connected than other people that are just in random clubs,” Asha Bui, a BHS junior who is the president of the club, said. Bui hopes that SASU can be a place for students to both learn about culture and also socialize and form connections.
The club meets every week on Mondays in C-206. Just a few weeks ago the meetings were bustling with students preparing for the club’s art exhibit, which was held on Sunday, April 19, 2026 at the Berkeley Art Center. It was a major event put on by the club that focused on uplifting student-made art. The art show featured works from numerous BHS students.
“A lot of times student artists don’t have a way to show their art,” Bui said, “So I think it’s good to provide that to specifically minority students.”
BHS junior Jennifer Keith Mendoza, another SASU member, echoed this sentiment. “I thought it was really cool how we were fundraising for the project (and) making art that relates to our identity in America,” Keith Mendoza said.
Putting the art show on was also a unique experience, according to Julian Martinez, another club member and BHS senior. “It was a really fun process, and I think it turned out really well,” Martinez said.
Although the art show took up the most recent meetings, the club mostly focuses on spreading awareness of South and Southeast Asian culture.
“I think it’s a nice community. And also people get to talk about issues that they think about and aren’t really discussed in mainstream media,” Martinez said. He explained that during meetings there are sometimes presentations about issues related to the community, such as cultural appropriation. In addition to presentations, the club also celebrates and teaches about holidays such as Diwali and Lunar New Year together.
In a school of 3000 students, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to find a community. “(SASU’s mission is) to provide minority students with a community and a group of friends that they can go to, where we can connect about our culture. Because a lot of times we feel very isolated,” Bui said. If you’re looking for a friendly lunch environment and a place to learn about and celebrate South and Southeast Asian culture, SASU welcomes all to C-206.