About 250 students attended the Midwest Association of Filipino Americans, or MAFA, conference this weekend.

The annual assembly, which is held at a different school every year, brings together students from a variety of Midwestern colleges and universities to promote unity and educate them about Filipino American history and culture.

"The Filipino American population in the Midwest is very small," said MAFA co-coordinator R.J. Quiambao. "In order to make ourselves more visible and our political voices stronger, we need to band together."

The free event, which began Friday at the Union, featured workshops on history, activism and Filipinos in the media, cultural performances, a variety show and a banquet at the Kellogg Center.

Quiambao, a social relations senior, said students drive from other states for the conference because they want to be brought up to date on current issues.

The first MAFA conference started nine years ago at Marquette University, and MSU first hosted the event in 2002.

MAFA co-coordinator and journalism senior Tracy Jimenez said the event was beneficial the first time she attended because she was able to meet Filipino students from other states and extended her support network of friends.

"They're people you can relate with," Jimenez said. "They're going through some of the things you are and understand."

Quiambao said this year's conference theme was derived from the Philippine national language Tagalog, "Ngayon," which translates into "Now." The theme addressed the identity of Filipino Americans in current society. "Now," also refers to the importance of activism and the context of the changes taking place in the world.

Human biology freshman Dennis Zurbano said the workshops he attended were focused on preparing for life after graduation.

"The conference helps in getting ahead and being who you want to be," Zurbano said.

Finance senior Shannel Mangao said the conference was a good way to compare the cultural differences between Filipino Americans from the Midwest to that of students living on the West coast, where there is a traditionally higher Asian population.

She said it's important to compare how Filipinos living in different regions throughout the United States identify with and celebrate their culture and history.

"I became more socially aware of political and educational issues," Mangao said. "We learned about how they see things and how their points of view and ours fit together."