Anahita Saxena

On March 27th, a blacktop playground in Lynwood, California transformed into a site celebrating Asian Cultures. USC Student and advocacy chair of the Asian Pacific American Student Assembly, Anahita Saxena coordinated a Friday afternoon event at Rosa Parks Elementary that introduced Hispanic and Black students to four Asian performing arts: classical Indian dance, Chinese Hip-Hop, traditional Japanese Taiko drumming, and, the fan favorite, Taekwondo. Seven months prior to the event, she reached out to the school’s principal directly, and the principal was so thrilled that she gave an immediate yes.

The event wasn’t just centered around the performances but about sharing a slice of the world to give back in return. Yet, the best part about the whole event was after each group demonstrated their craft, they invited the children to join them. When the first performance ended, the kids were initially hesitant to join, but it took just a few kids to join the center, emboldening others from all grade levels to storm the blacktop. Each performance taught them their own moves, allowing them to move on a stage where self-expression, regardless of culture, is not just accepted but celebrated.

For Saxena, the afternoon carried personal weight. Growing up and deeply ingrained in her Indian background, she was bullied for her heritage during her own primary school years. However, she didn’t shrink from being who she was and instead, built something from it. That hot Friday afternoon at Rosa Parks Elementary redefined what was once a source of shame into an afternoon of pride. She ensured that these kids could feel that pride firsthand, receiving Asian snacks and broken wood blocks from the taekwondo performance. 

"Kids are precious and are deserving of the world," Saxena said. "So we decided to give it to them for an afternoon."

During each performance–whether the thunderous rhythm of Taiko, the electric strikes and rituals of Taekwondo, or the hypnotic grace of classical Indian dance–the students were immersed. When interviewed about their favorite part of the day, the kids shared three common answers: the K-pop hip-hop performance, the Taekwando act, and naturally, the tasty snacks.

APASA, the organization Saxena leads at USC, advocates for and celebrates Asian Pacific American students on campus. But, pursuing that mission off campus and onto an elementary school blacktop expands that purpose where representation exists beyond an institution and is instead given directly to kids who may never have been exposed to such cultures celebrated in that way before. 

"Small acts like these give the kids something to look forward to," Saxena said. "It was truly a day to remember."

What Saxena organized quietly reflects something radical. By not waiting for a platform or budget, she delved right into it–she called the principal, assembled performers, gathered enough snacks to feed 400 mouths, and showed up. The kids of Rosa Parks may not yet have language for what cultural visibility feels like. But on that afternoon of March 27th, they got to live inside it, and then dance in the middle of it.