In an effort to discuss the goals of the Asian American Association (AAA), the organization sponsored an interethnic forum last night in Loker Commons Coffeehouse.

The forum brought together students from a number of Asian American organizations, including the Japan Society (JS), the Harvard Philippine Forum (HPF), the Harvard Vietnamese Association, the Chinese Student Association (CSA), among others. Twenty-five students attended from the nine groups who were invited.

Emily Y. Yang '01, co-president of AAA, said the organization was "aiming to open lines of communication between the organizations."

Some students said they believe there is no reason the organizations cannot cooperate.

"I don't understand why these groups don't work together--why they don't make up an Asian-American community that's unified," said Chhay Chhun '02, AAA educational/political co-chair.

Discussion focused on AAA's role in relation to the other organizations present.

"Officially our position is [that] we are not an umbrella organization," Yang said. "How is it that we can get the Asian-American community to work together more?"

Participants said AAA has the "political clout" the smaller, more specific Asian organizations lack. However, the smaller organizations focus more on cultural and educational aspects than political ones.

Former Japan Society Co-president, Kentaro Fujita '00 said, "AAA has always tried to be a separate organization focusing on the political. I know the Japan Society focuses more on the cultural."

Members at the forum highlighted some of the problems they said AAA needs to resolve.

While AAA has a mission statement to educate Harvard about the Asian-American community, students say it is unclear what this means.

"Why am I going to invest my time in an organization where I don't know what I'm working toward?" said Robert S. Nocon '02, a member of HPF.

Paula V. Fernandez, also a member of HPF, said AAA focuses on East Asian issues.

"AAA is East-Asian oriented, and the Philippines has a very different history," she said.

Additionally, organizations want to work together, but they want to preserve their own distinct identities as well.

"We want to work together, but we don't want to lose our autonomy . And this problem is going to always be here," said Thomas S. Yu '00, co-president of CSA.