For Randelle Agravante, ‘28, college wasn’t just about academics — it was about finding a place to embrace his heritage.
Today, he’s the event coordinator for Lehigh University Kapamilya, a group dedicated to celebrating and sharing Filipino culture.
From family values to sharing traditional dishes to building community, the club’s events and community engagement all support important parts of Filipino culture.
LUKA welcomes students of all cultural backgrounds, including those from Moravian University seeking a local Filipino community. The club also fosters intercultural learning by collaborating with other cultural organizations, including the Dominican Culture Club and the Latinx Student Alliance.
“When I was looking for schools and saw that Lehigh had the Filipino club, I saw it as an opportunity to get involved with the growing Filipino base here and bring together a strong community,” Agravante said.
He said being a part of LUKA allows him to share and deepen his connection to his culture.
Since joining, he has taken part in the Tinikling dance program, a traditional folk dance performed with two bamboo poles. The club first learned Tinikling through a workshop, then built on the basics to perform a full routine at two of Lehigh’s campuswide dance showcases.
“Learning Tinikling reignited what I learned from when I was young,” Agravante said. “I just fell in love with my culture even more.”
As the event coordinator, Agravante collaborates with other clubs and has plans for another Breakfast for Dinner — LUKA’s most popular event that brings cultural groups on campus together to share their signature dishes.
Last year, more than 100 members of LUKA, the Latinx Student Alliance, the Caribbean Culture Club and Fuerza Mexicana came together to share their favorite cultural dishes like longanisa, garlic rice, chicken adobo, chilaquiles, jamaican patties and huevos con chorizo.
Jasmine Linang, ‘26, a co-president of LUKA, said the event illustrates Filipino culture’s broad nature and its connections to other multicultural traditions. She also said sharing the similarities and differences among these cultures builds community.
“LUKA is a place where people, whether Filipino-American, mixed, from the Philippines, or not Filipino at all, can come together to embrace our differences and share in the heart of Filipino culture,” Linang said.
The club also offers a mentorship program that reflects the culture’s strong emphasis on familial bonds. General members are paired with an executive board member — a “kuya” or “ate,” meaning “older brother” or “older sister” — who serves as a mentor.
Ashley Suarez, ‘26, a co-president of the club, said she often has dinners with her “kids” and is not only a leader, but also an older sister to members.
The club “families” also compete in a Family Feud event, inviting the Latinx Student Alliance to join with its own family program.
“Family is not just blood-ties,” Suarez said. “Whoever is around me is family and no stranger is a stranger. Family is someone who can be part of my life, and we share beliefs and accept each other.”
In October, the group hosts “Halo Halloween,” where members celebrate in costume while enjoying “halo halo,” a popular Filipino dessert. The dish illustrates the Philippines’s multicultural history, with each ingredient symbolizing a country that once had control over the region.
The club also hosts fundraisers, including a lumpia sale featuring the popular Filipino fried spring roll and ube cookies.
Suarez said she thinks LUKA is an important group on campus because it focuses on collaboration, not just confining itself to Filipino culture.
“We want to explore other cultures and have this diverse community that can coexist and celebrate each other,” Suarez said.
