Subscribe
SAN DIEGO – Naval Medical Center San Diego’s (NMCSD) command diversity committee hosted a virtual Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month celebration via the hospital’s video teleconference system May 28.
The event celebrated Asian and Pacific Islander Americans for their profound and enduring contributions to the United States military. Event organizers showcased the importance of each other’s culture to NMCSD staff.
“The Navy, much like our country, is a melting pot of different nationalities,” said Hospitalman MarkReyden Salano, NMCSD’s diversity committee’s public affairs officer. “There are a lot of Asian and Pacific Islanders serving [in the military], and it would really be nice to showcase our culture and educate those around us about it.”
During the virtual event, speakers highlighted Asian and Pacific Islander American terminology and their meanings, along with offering viewers an opportunity to watch a traditional hula auana dance which belongs to the Hawaiian culture.
“There are two types of hula, ‘hula kahiko’ (ancient hula) and ‘hula auana’ (modern hula),” said Salano. “During our celebration, we performed the Heali’I’s Polynesian Revue, which is the hula auana.”
“Hawaiians fall into the Asian-American and Pacific Islander community,” said Salano. “Hula has been around for hundreds of years, and is one of many traditions that symbolize the Asian-American and Pacific Islander lifestyle.”
Attendees of the ceremony said it was very rewarding and they were able to learn from the virtual experience.
“During the pandemic, we are not able to do what we usually would do and present the events in public,” said Barry Orell, NMCSD’s television production supervisor. “We didn’t want to break any social-distancing barriers because it would have been too risky to have people gathering up and potentially infecting one another. Thankfully, we live in the modern age of technology where we can still present events by broadcasting it.”
NMCSD’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training, and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians, and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.
Visit navy.mil/local/sd/ or facebook.com/NMCSD for more information.
| Date Taken: | 05.28.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 06.04.2020 11:36 |
| Story ID: | 371365 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 38 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NMCSD Celebrates Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month, by PO2 Cameron Pinske, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT