SAN DIEGO — Students from across the San Diego Unified School District gathered at the Eugene Brucker Education Center flagpole on Thursday to celebrate Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Heritage Month.
The event featured performances, spoken word and a flag raising. The APIDA flag was designed by students in the district.
Barnard Mandarin Magnet Elementary School, Erikson Elementary School, Gage Elementary School, Hoover High School, Marshall Middle School, Morse High School, San Diego High School and San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts were all represented at the ceremony.
The event marks the second time San Diego Unified has hosted the student-designed APIDA flag at district headquarters.
Organizers of the ceremony said it was a unique opportunity to celebrate the vast ethnic and cultural diversity of the APIDA community. They said the event also helps to build students’ confidence.
“When students are feeling seen, there’s a light that lights up in themselves and their identity,” said Ethnic Studies Resource Teacher Brian Batugo. “They feel empowered, and they feel valued.”
After the flag-raising ceremony, high school students attended the district’s first-ever APIDA Conference at Mesa College. At the conference, students participated in workshops on higher education, fashion and cultural dance.
Students were also able to engage in a listening session with the San Diego County Office of Education to help shape the County Educational Blueprint, a resource to guide schools in improving equitable educational opportunities for marginalized students.
