Kristen Artero is proud of her heritage. In fact, the junior in the College of Arts & Sciences and president of the Pacific Islands Student Organization is participating in a six-week long festival celebrating the many different cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands.

The Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration, which lasts from Nov. 1 to Dec. 10, is meant to celebrate the people from Asia and the Pacific Islands and their ways of life, said Natalie Gross, interim assistant dean for Multicultural Programs in the Office of Student Development.

"It's a celebration of our heritage," said Artero. "We want to show people about ourselves and about our culture."

The celebration includes many events, including the Ramadan Dinner Series, which ends this week, and the "Hmong History and Culture" lecture, featuring Sheng Lor, on Nov. 16 from 5 to 7 p.m. in rooms B and C of the John P. Raynor, S.J. Library, Gross said.

Tonight, from 9 to 10:30 p.m., students can participate in the "Think Fast, Cultural Quiz Show!" in the Weasler Auditorium, she said.

She said the quiz show will be a "fun and different" way to learn about various cultures. The winner will be awarded a cash prize.

On Nov. 30, Marquette alumnus Fan Shen will speak at "Soup with Substance: A Journey of a Red Guard" from noon to 1 p.m. in the Alumni Memorial Union room 227, Gross said. He is the author of "Gang of One: Memoirs of a Red Guard."

"A lot of the events are student-based and run," Gross said.

Many of the multicultural organizations are sponsoring events, including the Pacific Islands, Arab, Pakistani and Bayanihan student organizations.

PISO planned three events, including Wednesday's coconut candy-making demonstration from 7 to 9 p.m. in AMU 111, Artero said.

On Dec. 1, students can attend the Pacific Islander Student Organization Dinner from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in AMU 111.

The cost of the dinner is $5 per plate, Artero said. Ethnic foods, such as rice and adobo, which consists of chicken, onions, vinegar and soy sauce, will be served.

On Wednesday, the Women's Studies Program and the Office of Student Development are sponsoring the "Women and Culture Film Series: Whale Rider" from 4 to 6 p.m. in room 105 of Straz Hall, she said.

"We're trying to represent as many Asian countries as we can," said Abir Chaudhry, a senior in the College of Health Sciences, president of the Muslim Student Association and treasurer for the Pakistani Student Association. "Asia is a country with many different varieties of cultures, and Marquette represents students from all the different Asian countries."

Gross said students should try to attend an event scheduled during the celebration in order to continue to educate themselves about different cultures and to celebrate the history of the many people of these cultures.

"You can meet people that are in that culture or are as interested in that culture as you are," she said. "You'll see the things you do and don't learn about in the classroom come to life."

Tej Desai, sophomore in the College of Engineering and president of the Indian Student Association, said the celebration will "give students a taste of how things are in other people's lives."

For a complete list of events planned for the Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Celebration, go to www.marquette.edu/osd/intercultural/api-heritage.html.