“More Than a Club”: Cultural Organizations in the Lives of Filipinx American College Students

• In Event: AERA Research in Progress Roundtable Session Five
  In Invited Roundtable: Research-in-Progress RT062 (Sunday)

Abstract

Filipinx American college students experience higher education in ways that differ markedly from their East Asian peers, yet their stories often remain unheard. As the third largest Asian American subgroups, Filipinxs are frequently rendered invisible within monolithic conceptions of “Asian American.” Guided by AsianCrit and the Social Action, Leadership, and Transformation (SALT) model, this research explores how Filipinx students cultivate belonging, leadership, and activism through college cultural organizations. Using kuwentuhan, a Filipinx-centered storytelling methodology, the study gathers narratives from students across Southern California CSU campuses. Preliminary insights suggest these organizations nurture cultural identity, community advocacy, and collective empowerment—offering crucial implications for educators and administrators seeking to create culturally affirming, socially just higher education environments.

Author

• Jason M Lu, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona