The Vietnamese Student Association brought together women of diverse Asian identities and cultures to represent their nations through dance, song, traditional attire and various skills at its annual Miss Asia pageant in the Mandela Room this Saturday.

“Miss Asia: Inside Out” was themed after the movie franchise, and the cultural showcase and pageant featured six student contestants representing the Philippines, China, Japan, India and, for the first time, Uzbekistan and Laos.

“Miss Asia is an annual cultural pageant organized by the Vietnamese Student Association,” Winston Ong, VSA’s president and a senior majoring in mathematics, wrote in an email. “The event celebrates the rich diversity of Asian cultures represented within our community. Participants showcase their heritage through traditional attire, talent performances, and personal narratives. The primary goal is to promote cultural awareness, foster inclusivity, and empower Asian students by providing a platform to share their unique backgrounds and talents.”

Upon entering, attendees were given a pamphlet and tickets for a raffle that they could enter to win four prizes and an invitation for a selection of food that included tofu, white rice, chicken and broccoli and stir-fried vegetables before taking a seat. Guests ranged from students and alumni to representatives from schools part of the Northeast Union of Vietnamese Student Associations.

The Mandela Room was transformed into the “Inside Out” protagonist Riley’s mind, with cardboard cutouts of emotions like Embarrassment, Anger and even the elephant Bing Bong decorating the space. The lighting was on theme, washing the room in the colors that represented Riley’s emotions.

“We felt this concept resonated deeply with the event’s goals — showcasing the inner emotions, struggles, and triumphs of our diverse participants, while also celebrating how these emotions shape their outward cultural identities,” Ong wrote. “It’s a creative and relatable way to connect attendees with the stories behind the individuals they see on stage.”

Johnny Pham, VSA’s cultural events coordinator and a junior double-majoring in biology and Spanish, had been a part of Miss Asia 2024’s planning since the end of last semester. He described the event’s importance.

“It really is a great way to bring all the Asian communities [together] on campus and in addition to [providing] other organizations such as other cultural communities that aren’t specifically Asian [with cultural knowledge],” Pham said. “I think they also have a great time.”

The pageant consisted of five rounds — an introductory catwalk where contestants sported their country’s flag; a cultural catwalk that showcased traditional outfits from their represented countries and an outfit of their choice; a talent portion; a costume walk where the contestants dressed as “Inside Out” characters; and a final walk and Q&A that highlighted the contestant’s respective cultures and social and political issues they hoped to raise awareness for.

EJ Arturo, who represented the Philippines and is a junior majoring in nursing, explained why she chose to compete in Miss Asia 2024.

“I did it for my [organization] first and foremost,” Arturo said. “I wanted them to have a good experience at Miss Asia because I’ve been to these things before. It’s so fun when you are able to support someone in it. I’m in the Philippine-American League, and I’ve been in it since my freshman year. I’ve been to Miss Asia before and I’ve had people in the [organization] that I’m really close to do this so it’s honestly an honor to continue the tradition.”

The cultural catwalk gave contestants the chance to showcase traditional and modern dances. Some performances included Miss India, Ashwathi Chemban, a sophomore majoring in biochemistry, performing three different styles of Indian dance — classical, Bollywood and South Indian — in a traditional sari, and Miss China, Rose Deutsch, a junior majoring in integrative neuroscience, performing a graceful fan dance in a modern Qipao.

Other traditional garb and performances included a traditional Philippine folk dance performance by Arturo in a Filipiniana dress, and Miss Japan, Cocoro Kitagawa, a sophomore majoring in anthropology, who performed a parasol dance in a Kimono.

Sharon Zohirova, a senior double-majoring in economics and philosophy, politics and law who represented Uzbekistan, performed a Bukhara dance in a vest made from Adras, a handmade fabric part of Uzbek culture. Zohirova said how the song she danced to, “Nazar Nazar” by Sardor Rahimxon, sings about a “Samarkand Flower,” and how her family is from the city of Samarkand.

This year’s pageant also included a lion dance from the Rutgers University Vietnamese Cultural Dance Crew, whose performance was met with roaring applause as the dancers leaped into the air and moved in sync with one another beneath their elaborate costumes. The performance also included a video narrating a tragic love triangle between the three lions, much to the audience’s amusement.

The pageant encouraged audience participation with games and raffles in between rounds. Games included charades where participants had to guess the emotion being portrayed, musical chairs and a scavenger hunt. Raffle prizes included gift cards, a mini projector, Bubble Skincare products and a JBL Speaker.

Contestants’ performances varied greatly, especially in round three’s talent portion. Kitagawa performed a martial arts dance consisting of jump kicks and punches in sync with her backup dancers. Hayden Sokkoth, a sophomore majoring in Korean studies representing Laos, gave a bold improv dance. Sokkoth explained why she competed in this year’s pageant.

“What really pushed me to do it is the fact that Laos has been so [underrepresented],” Sokkoth said. “I wanted to take this chance to find a community on campus because right now, it feels like I’m the only Laos person on campus, so I hope that I brought a community out.”

Zohirova expressed a similar sentiment, as Miss Asia’s first representative of Uzbekistan.

“I hope people learn a little bit about Uzbek culture,” Zohirova said. “I’m glad to be representing it and I’m hoping this opens up the door for other Uzbek girls to come and perform at Miss Asia. I’d love to see it, and just other underrepresented cultures to do the same.”

The three finalists, Chemban, Zohirova and Sokkoth, moved on to a Q&A portion of the pageant, where they answered the question “Why Miss Asia?” and discussed an issue in their country that they felt needed more awareness. Sokkoth expressed concerns about Laos’ economy relying on tourists, while Chemban and Zohirova highlighted issues of women’s rights in India and Uzbekistan and the progress they hope will be made.

Ultimately, Zohirova was crowned as VSA’s 2024 Miss Asia. She expressed her gratitude for her fellow contestants, VSA and her experience as Miss Uzbekistan.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” Zohirova said. “I didn’t know how heartfelt it could be, I never imagined that I would be almost tearing up on stage. I feel like usually I’m a good public speaker but I really was at a loss for words but I’ve loved the whole experience.”

Once again, VSA’s Miss Asia pageant showcased the diversity of BU’s Asian community, especially with this year’s representation of Lao and Uzbek cultures. Hailee Tran, VSA’s secretary and a senior majoring in integrative neuroscience, expressed what she hopes attendees took from Miss Asia 2024.

“I hope attendees leave with a deeper appreciation for the rich cultures within the Asian community,” Tran wrote. “Whether learning something new, feeling inspired by the contestants, or enjoying the performances, I want everyone to feel connected and enriched, gaining insight into different cultures through dance, music, and speeches.”