San Diego, CA – July 29, 2025 –
San Diego State University’s Asian, Pacific Islander and Desi-American (APIDA) Center is gaining significant recognition for its profound impact on students, particularly in fostering a strong sense of cultural identity and igniting a passion for health equity. The center’s dedicated efforts are perfectly exemplified by the transformative journey of public health student Krissa Jackson, who credits the APIDA Center with helping her embrace her heritage and shape her career aspirations.
Jackson, now in her third year at SDSU and working as a student assistant at the center, shared that her initial exposure to her APIDA heritage was limited. “Growing up, I didn’t know APIDA Heritage Month existed, and had never heard the term ‘APIDA,'” she recounted. This perspective shifted dramatically upon discovering the APIDA Center at SDSU, a vibrant hub designed to promote APIDA cultures and elevate the experiences of students from these diverse communities.
As one of 10 community centers at SDSU, the APIDA Center plays a crucial role in facilitating the academic and personal success of APIDA-identified students. It achieves this by offering relevant programming, valuable resources, and supportive services, all aimed at addressing barriers to achievement, fostering strong community bonds, and advocating for the inclusion of APIDA histories, cultures, and perspectives across campus.
For Jackson, the center proved to be a powerful catalyst. It provided her with an invaluable opportunity to delve into her cultural history, which in turn inspired her to pursue a future devoted to health equity. Today, she actively contributes to this vital mission by developing cultural campaigns and presenting educational workshops to support APIDA-identifying students and their allies.
The center’s director, Virginia Loh-Hagan, emphasized its far-reaching impact. “One of the main goals of the APIDA Center is to ensure that all of our SDSU students, regardless of ethnicity, have access to APIDA histories and narratives,” Loh-Hagan stated. “We pride ourselves in our commitment to teaching and learning about all the unique experiences of APIDA communities.”
The APIDA Center’s essential role in empowering students like Krissa Jackson to connect with their roots and channel that understanding into meaningful societal contributions underscores its vital importance within SDSU’s diverse academic landscape.
