Ryan ChartrandAlthough Cal Poly’s Filipino Cultural Exchange and Omega Xi Delta fraternity recently postponed their long-awaited Affinity event, a fundraiser will be held Saturday to help support the upcoming showcase of hip-hop and dance.
The two groups will co-host the fundraiser from 10 p.m. Saturday to 2 a.m. Sunday at The Graduate in San Luis Obispo. Prices will be reduced to $6 for attendees 21 years and older and $8 for those between 18 and 21.
All proceeds from Saturday’s music and dance party will fund the May 26 Affinity event at the Performing Arts Center.
“We really need to raise money for (Affinity),” said electrical engineering junior Brian Kwa, a member of both the Filipino Cultural Exchange and Omega Xi Delta. “That’s what Saturday is for – to try to get the ticket cost (in May) low. What better way to provide for the show than dance (Saturday)?”
Kwa said Affinity was postponed from its originally scheduled date of Saturday to May 26 because not enough acts had been signed to perform at the event. The two groups hope Saturday’s fundraiser can help in that respect.
“The reason why (Affinity) was pushed back was because (acts) were starting to cancel on us,” Kwa said. “If there weren’t enough acts, it was ridiculous to have a show. We pushed it back and tried to get commitments for performers.”
The purpose of Affinity, Kwa said, is “to promote Asian talent and diversity.”
May would be a good time for the event, Kwa added, because it is Asian-Pacific Islander Month.
Saturday marks only the first of two fundraisers for Affinity, Filipino Cultural Exchange president and graphic communications senior Stephen Heraldo said.
The second will be a hip-hop workshop in the fitness room at the Rec Center from March 9 to 10.
“The event we’re promoting is a hip-hop cultural showcase,” Heraldo said. “We recognize that hip-hop plays a big part in our culture, especially today.”
Heraldo said that the more money the two groups can rake in Saturday, the better the show in May will become.
“What this fundraiser (Saturday) does is the more money we bring in, the better the show gets,” Heraldo said. “It’s really just to pay for the show because we’re getting the PAC. It’s an expensive building to rent for the night. We’re trying to get that lower bowl filled up. We just want to come out and support the culture that isn’t really represented.”
One of Filipino Cultural Exchange’s members, psychology sophomore Maribeth Diesta, said the group represents a “home away from home for basically anyone.”
“They don’t have to be Filipino,” Diesta said. “It’s just a way of having people from high school and college and helping them. Just finding yourself.”
Heraldo echoed those sentiments, adding that Filipino Cultural Exchange is the largest cultural club on campus.
“We know that for students coming from minority backgrounds,” Heraldo said. “It’s kind of a culture shock to come here. Our motto is ‘a home away from home.'”
Although the group is named the Filipino Cultural Exchange, Heraldo said that the “exchange” component is the main part.
“We accept members from any background. You don’t have to be Filipino to be in the club,” he said. “Basically, it’s just a group of students that want to have that family-oriented experience in college.”
Heraldo said Filipino Cultural Exchange also organizes a variety of intramural sports teams and has a big-brother, big-sister program.
“We’re an all-around organization,” Heraldo said. “We do events almost every weekend and yet we’re kind of the unknown identity on campus because we are a cultural organization. Our doors are open to everybody.”