Establishing a tradition

Dylan Jin-seok Chae ’24 had one big worry ahead of the first-ever Asian Student Association (ASA) Night Market: running out of food. He asked each booth to prepare 50 servings, thinking it would be plenty — but the turnout far exceeded expectations. What began as a cautious estimate quickly turned into a defining moment, as Chae watched the overwhelming demand transform the Night Market into one of University of Redlands’ most popular campus traditions.

“We had sold out of food in around an hour and a half,” he said. “From that moment, all of us working knew it was going to be big.”

On March 14, U of R celebrated the fifth annual Night Market in conjunction with 10 years of ASA as an on-campus organization. Intent on “bringing people together,” Chae reflected on that fateful evening in 2022 and how, even through trial and error, the Night Market has continually assembled U of R students, faculty, alumni, and members of the Inland Empire.

"Asia is such a big place, and everyone's different from one another," he said. “I found that people are more engaged when they’re not only able to represent themselves but also learn about other people’s cultures. To have an event that allowed everyone to represent themselves how they wanted was important to me and ASA.”

Chae, an Asian Studies major, credits a network of on-campus supporters, including Global Business faculty Heungjoo Cha and Faisal Harahap, the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies, Asian Studies Department Chair, Hongwei Lu, the Office for Inclusion and Community, and the Office of Global Education, for helping turn the idea of the Night Market into reality.

“One of the reasons I applied to U of R was the student-to-faculty ratio,” he said. “It’s an intimate community where most people know each other and where faculty are willing to support and help develop activities outside the classroom. Since graduating, one thing I miss about Redlands is that sense of community — we all took care of each other.”

In addition to feasting on Asian cuisine, attendees of the Night Market enjoyed a flag ceremony, allowing students to further represent their countries and cultures. The evening concluded with the dragon dance, an acrobatic performance symbolizing prosperity, wisdom, and good fortune, while driving away evil spirits.

With the Night Market now half a decade old, Chae has left behind a legacy that current ASA President Chi Luu '26 feels "lucky" to be a part of. For this year’s celebration, Luu and her team chose green as the theme — a nod to spring and the cultural traditions of communities across Asia.

"We want to make sure every culture is represented equally, and no student is left behind,” Luu said.

That spirit extended to the booths themselves, where students from across campus worked side by side to celebrate the depth and diversity of the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community.

"When you come to the Night Market, you enjoy food, hang out with friends, and know it's not only a safe space for Asian students, but also a place to spread joy and create community," Luu said. "It's hard work — and it's rewarding work."

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