Crafty students sell products at debut Makers’ Market

by Gabriel Schneider, Staff Writer • March 16, 2022

The APIDA Center’s Makers’ Market encourages student entrepreneurs to sell their creations and student artists perform in front of a live audience, with this year’s edition on March 9 featuring lots of cool items.

The Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Resource Center hosted a Makers’ Market, where student vendors sold their creations and student musicians showed off their skills on March 10 in the student union.

“I wanted an opportunity for our makers and our original music makers to celebrate the things they do with their hands, hearts and minds,” Virginia Loh-Hagan, program director of the APIDA Resource Center, said.

The event was from 2 to 8 p.m., with people coming and going to buy items and listening to the artists perform throughout the day. Some of the items sold included clothes, crochet items, crystals, recycled vases, water bottles with designs, professional headshots and much more.

“I was walking by and saw some super cool art and saw some people inspired and I wanted to check out what was going on,” Starleen Martinez, an SDSU psychology major said.

Martinez said she loved the atmosphere and thought it was incredible that SDSU hosted an event like this for students.

Anoodnya Sangan, a computer science major at SDSU, was one of the performers at the event. She has been playing music since a was child and was happy to take the stage.

“I loved how APIDA combined the songwriters with the makers,” Sangan said.

Gabriela Garcia, an SDSU student and vendor at the event sold a range of items from key chains, necklaces, scrunchies, rings and y2k creations. Garcia’s passion for making items began at the age of 13.

“It is a huge honor to be able to go to a school that supports people that actually make things,” Garcia said. “It’s really hard to find spots at different farmer markets and flea markets.”

Loh-Hagan said she was impressed with all the students and staff who participated in the event and looks forward to the next Makers’ Market.

Some of the organizations and vendors who participated in the event were Asian American Journalism Association, Bunnie Box, Happy Hearts Handmade Gifts, Moshi, Steam Botanics and many more.

For more information on the vendors or about events held by APIDA follow their Instagram.

About the Contributor

Gabriel Schneider, Senior Staff, '22-23 Editor-in-Chief

Gabriel Schneider (he, him, his) was born in La Mesa and grew up in Hemet, California. He is the current editor-in-chief of The Daily Aztec. Before arriving at San Diego State University, he was editor-in-chief of City Times, the news organization of San Diego City College. Schneider was in the Marine Corps as an Infantryman before starting his journey in journalism. He loves finding different ways to express himself through creative techniques.