This spring, the UCOP Asian Pacific Islander Staff Association (APISA) brought colleagues together for two joyful celebrations of Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures, traditions and community. Through food, performance, hands-on activities and shared learning, APISA’s Cherry Blossom Celebration and Rice Is Life events offered meaningful opportunities to connect and celebrate AAPI heritage at UCOP.

Cherry Blossom Celebration

APISA hosted its inaugural Cherry Blossom Celebration on April 7 in the Broadway Conference Room, bringing employees together to honor Japanese culture and the beauty of the cherry blossom season. Attendees enjoyed a variety of Japanese-inspired foods, including chicken karaage, gyoza, agedashi tofu, cucumber and avocado sushi, and an assortment of desserts featuring cherry blossom and matcha flavors. Guests also sampled a special mochi dessert prepared by Brenda Perez.

The event featured interactive activities such as origami and rice ball-making stations, providing attendees with hands-on opportunities to explore Japanese traditions. A highlight of the celebration was a taiko drumming performance and educational presentation by Berkeley-based Tatsumaki Taiko, which introduced guests to the history of taiko drumming.

President Milliken attended the event, welcoming guests and enjoying the performance. He also spoke about Sacramento’s connection to Sakura cherry blossom trees and the city’s rich Japanese American history.

Rice Is Life

In celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, APISA hosted its Rice Is Life event on May 13 in Franklin Lobby 1. Highlighting rice as a staple food and cultural cornerstone across many Asian countries, the event featured a variety of traditional rice dishes representing diverse Asian cultures.

Attendees had the opportunity to sample these dishes while learning about their cultural significance, history and role in communities throughout Asia. The event provided a meaningful and engaging way to celebrate the rich culinary traditions and cultural heritage of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community.

Among the featured foods were puto, a popular Filipino steamed rice cake traditionally made from slightly fermented rice batter; bún, a refreshing Vietnamese rice noodle salad; and sikhye, a Korean sweet rice beverage made from rice and malted barley. Together, these dishes offered attendees a taste of the unique flavors and traditions that rice brings to cultures across Asia.

Acknowledgements

APISA extends its sincere gratitude to the APISA officers, the Cherry Blossom Celebration and AAPI Heritage Month planning committees, and the many volunteers whose efforts helped make these events a success. Special thanks also go to the Facilities team for room setup, event coordinators Alex Santos and Margie David, and the A/V team — Regana Staccato-Johnson, Daniel Aguilar, Justice Mickels, Lily Dimitrova and Derek Stokes — for their invaluable support and contributions.

These celebrations reflected the heart of APISA’s work: creating space for cultural learning, connection and community across UCOP. Thank you to everyone who joined, volunteered and helped make this year’s events so memorable.

Learn more about APISA

APISA promotes and enhances the well-being of its members and supports equitable access for all through active participation and representation at UCOP and the community at large. APISA sponsors activities that foster inclusivity, understanding and community building related to the Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander cultures. Learn more at APISA’s website.

About

View all post by