The University Student Union (USU) is hosting its bi-annual APIDA Welcome event on Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the Northridge Center from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The non-profit regularly puts on a series of events tailored toward different ethnic groups for their twice-a-year Cultural Welcomes events.

Separate events focus specifically on Latino, Black, Native American, Asian American, and Pacific Islander communities. The USU describes these as an opportunity for CSUN students to “build lasting friendships, make valuable connections, and explore exciting opportunities.”

The acronym APIDA stands for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders and Desi Americans. USU encourages students to “start the semester by celebrating culture and community” with performances, games and food.

The Asian American Studies Pathways Project (AASPP) will host a separate Omatsu House Welcome Back BBQ event the following day on Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. According to the CSUN Department of Asian American Studies, AASPP identifies as “the only student-led and student-funded organization dedicated to serving APIDA Matadors.”

“The barbecue happening at the Omastu House is hosted by the Asian American studies department, and it’s open to any students. It’s a way for people to get introduced [to each other] and the department,” said Jenna Grissin, a student assistant for the Asian American studies program. “They’ll have food, games and it’s more so like a mixer … for students who have just joined us for the first time this semester.”

For the first time since last spring, Matadors will experience the newly refurbished Glenn Omastu House, which shares a building with CSUN’s Women’s Research and Resource Center. Founded in 1992 as “the Asian House,” the recently remodeled building was closed for two years during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Both the APIDA Welcome and Omatsu House Welcome Back BBQ events are free of charge and open to all current CSUN students.