February 19, 2022/ 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM
UCLA Nikkei Student Union's 36th Annual Cultural NightRoyce Hall
Cultural Night (CN) is our largest event of the year, usually drawing in an audience of over 1,000 students, staff, alumni, and community members. CN began back in February of 1986 with the Week of Remembrance, an on-campus event created to commemorate the signing of Executive Order 9066, which resulted in the unlawful incarceration of over 110,000 Japanese Americans during World War II. Since then, CN has evolved as a way to showcase talented performers and feature culture, experiences, and issues that are relevant to the Japanese-American community. This year, our show will be held on February 19, 2022 from 7:00-9:30 PM in UCLA’s very own Royce Hall. The production will feature performances from NSU Odori, NSU Modern, Kyodo Taiko, and our very own drama cast.
In the past, our drama performances have covered topics such as gentrification, mental health, and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami. This year, Seishin, meaning spirit, will focus on the Asian-American identity and its impact on various generations. Through the perspective of two UCLA students, one based in the present day and the other based in the 1980s, these two stories will come together in an unexpected yet valuable way. While we felt it was important to address the significance of the Asian-American experience and how these experiences have shaped each generation’s perspectives, we also hope to shed light on the prevalent notion that history tends to repeat itself.
Given that this production will be our first one back in person since the pandemic shut down all UCLA classes and activities, we hope that our production will help to create the sense of community among UCLA students, faculty, staff, and families of students that many felt has been lacking in the past year and a half. Filled with passion, music, and a total celebration of culture, we hope that this production can foster a sense of community and bring happiness and excitement to all!
Visit UCLA Nikkei Student Union Cultural Night Website