Elson Courtyard was bustling with music, conversation, and the enticing aromas of Asian cuisine on Friday night as the Asian Women Empowerment Club (AWE) hosted its highly anticipated annual Night Market. Tables crowded the courtyard as students browsed a vibrant selection of food stands representing a diverse range of Asian cultures from popular drinks like boba milk tea to savory snacks such as onigiri, pani puri, and Jin ramen. Despite a sudden downpour mid-event, spirits remained high. The lines at food booths barely thinned, as students laughed, ate, and supported one another in a warm display of cultural appreciation.
The Night Market was unique in that, unlike many affinity spaces that are reserved for students of certain identities, this event was open to everyone. As an inclusive cultural celebration, the Night Market allowed students of all racial, ethnic, and gender identities to learn about and enjoy the cultures of their Asian peers. Christina Appau ’27, who attended the event to support her roommate, one of the club’s co-heads, shared her thoughts on the experience.
“It’s very beautiful. The night market was very close-centered and it’s a very intimate space. There are cultural foods we can try in case we haven’t been exposed to them before. This is my first time trying boba, and it was really nice.” said Appau.
The sense of joy and curiosity was shared by organizers as well. Kaya Managani ’27, a board member of the AWE, reflected on the smooth planning process and praised the team’s ability to execute their vision successfully.
“We’ve had tons of people come in. The planning process was smooth, we figured out what we needed and ordered everything. Setup went well, and the event has run smoothly overall” said Managani.
However, the event was not without its challenges. According to Chloe Park ’27, co-head of the AWE, it was difficult to find a faculty chaperone due to the concurrent dedication at Falls Music Center. In addition, sourcing authentic ingredients for some of the more specialized dishes required extra effort and coordination. Still, Park was proud of how the night turned out and was especially moved by how engaged attendees were with the cultural offerings.
“A lot of people didn’t know some of the foods. It was great to see how excited they were and how they were just as excited as I was to share it with them.” said Park
The Night Market is the club’s most popular event of the year, and Park is already thinking ahead to how they can make it even better next year. She emphasized the importance of maintaining tradition while making room for improvement.
“There will probably be a few changes, especially with the food. We’ll consider what people are clinging to. We definitely want more drinks next year, we had a lot of food, but not enough drinks. Other than that, this event is a tradition for our club, and we want to stick as close to it as we can” said Park.
