Theme

Close your eyes and imagine a gathering over a meal. Breathe in the swirling aromas before you. Listen to the chatter of friends and family around you. Feel the warmth emanating from the bowl or plate of a hot meal in your hands. Take in those comforting sensations, and let them empower and sustain you for the wonders you will witness this weekend.

Food is a reflection of our stories. Whether we are savoring the delicious Indonesian sate ayam, refreshing Vietnamese gỏi cuốn, or the vibrant Thai tom yum, we are celebrating the passions, the backgrounds, and the people behind each dish. Although some forces may threaten to erase our voices, our culture and our people still persist. Much like the foods shaped by both hardship and triumphs in our community’s history, we adapt and ultimately produce a recipe of resilience, unity, and aspiration.

When varied cuisines and dishes come together, it is the union of cultures that learn and inspire one another while maintaining their individuality. And when we congregate at the dinner table, each member carries a tale of their own, a source of joy, as well as struggles. In the same way, we hope the SEA Space can be a place where everyone, regardless of background, feels they have a seat at the table and are empowered to share their experiences while learning to listen to others with compassion and respect. When it is time to wave farewell, we hope that you can embrace your journey ahead with no doubt that wherever life takes you, there is a community that sees you, supports you, and continues to cheer you on even after the weekend has passed.

And so, we warmly welcome you to the Student Experience Weekend: Hosted by Southeast Asian Coalition. This weekend, we are excited to see what personal recipe you will bring to the dinner table, where we will SEA-vor Our Roots!