"We're more likely to coordinate events with other smaller groups," she says. AAA is mostly useful in coordinating events "when all the groups are willing to come together," she says.

Despite its popular dances, AAA is even losing its cohesion as a social organization for Asian-Americans at Harvard, Cho says.

"The sister groups have become more of a social focus," he says. "There more to connect with and more commonalities."

A New Role

As AAA's social and cultural importance gives way to its sister groups, Cho and other leaders say they have to define a new role for the organization.

"I think it was never meant to be permanent because you can't lump everyone together as Asian," Tiwari says. "AAA is declining as small groups are on the rise. It's a natural process, but you are left with the question, where does that leave AAA?"

Kim says the organization can't continue without a clearer mandate.

"Alex [Cho] is right," he says. "AAA has to change its role."

But while leaders agree there is a need for change, there is no consensus about where AAA should go.

Cho believes AAA's future lies in actively working towards a political agenda shared by all Asian-Americans, regardless of their ethnic origin.

"Last and this year especially, we're consciously wanting to steer toward being more focused and more issue oriented," he says.

Earlier this year, AAA sponsored a workshop on anti-Asian violence, and co-sponsored a discussion about workers in the garment industry.

Several members of AAA are currently working in conjunction with the Ethnic Studies Action Committee (ESAC) for courses in ethnic studies, including Asian-American studies, Jung says.

Difficult Shift

Shifting AAA back to its original identity, as a united political group, will not be easy with such a large and diverse population.