Dialogue and Action: Soka Students Bridge Cultures During Alternative Spring Break

Seventeen Soka students from six countries spanning North America, Central America, Asia, and Australia participated in SUA’s annual Alternative Spring Break this semester. They began preparing for their volunteer work in October, participating in 14 dialogue-based seminars, team-building activities, and debrief meetings. The students collaborated with the Tiyya Foundation to support the refugee community in Southern California, particularly youth, by organizing Tiyya’s Tea and Tots program, co-creating a youth development initiative, and holding a college information night.

On March 20, the ASB students, in conjunction with Tiyya, hosted a college night event in Anaheim for refugee families with children ages 13-17. Parents received guidance on college admissions from SUA’s Associate Director of Admissions Jimmy King, while youth engaged with a college counselor to navigate their academic paths. Following separate sessions, families, volunteers, and staff from Tiyya and SUA shared a meal, observing Ramadan with an Iftar dinner after sunset prayers.

Please enjoy these photos from the college night, an evening of building community and fostering cultural exchange.