California Afghan student associations compete in volleyball tournament

The five-hour event brought the local Afghan communities across the Bay Area and NorCal together

Students from various schools play volleyball at Lake Elizabeth in Fremont on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (Paul Singh / Golden Gate Xpress)

The smell of halal smash burgers filled the air as members from Afghan student associations bumped a volleyball to one another on a sunny Saturday afternoon in Fremont. Students from San Francisco State University’s Afghan Student Association participated in a tournament at Lake Elizabeth in collaboration with Afghan student associations from University of California, Berkeley, University of California, Davis and California State University, Sacramento. Over 70 students and their families sat in lawn chairs and enjoyed their food off the grill while watching the tournament.

“This is very special because I just feel like since ASA at SFSU has been dead for the past couple of years, since COVID, and I re-registered it and brought it back to life,” said Mahsa Furkhunda, president of SFSU’s ASA. “It’s very special having the Afghans at SFSU collab and network with other students.”

SFSU’s ASA has been in contact with the other Afghan student associations since the end of September. Now that the club is more active, it can hold joint events and connect with other ASAs across California.

“It’s really to bring networking and have Afghans get to know each other and get closer within the community,” Furkhunda said. “Whether this is Afghans in Davis, in Sac and Berkeley — we just wanted to have everyone come together, have a good time, network and connect with one another.”

Students from the various universities formed two teams, Mantu and Kohdagai. The winning team, Kohdagai, won a trophy, a box of cookies and halal marshmallows, and coupons for a free dinner at a burger place called Griddle Bhaiyas. 

Usmaan Alloo cooks halal smash burgers on a grill on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (Paul Singh / Golden Gate Xpress)

Abrar Qadir, a candidate seeking election to the House of Representatives in California’s 14th Congressional District, said he was glad that the Afghan population in the U.S. had found community after some had endured hardship. 

“I think it’s a beautiful thing because a lot of the Afghani population in the United States, unfortunately, had to flee here after war in their home country,” Qadir said. “Obviously, it’s very hard on a community to emigrate under those circumstances, but the community has been extremely resilient and they have really taken advantage of the opportunity for education in America.” 

A member of the winning team of the Afghan Student Association’s volleyball tournament holds up a trophy to celebrate their victory on Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (Paul Singh / Golden Gate Xpress)

Abdul Waheed, an event attendee, appreciated the efforts that the Afghan student associations are making for the community.

“I think it’s really good that our Afghan culture is being rejuvenated. They’re bringing that community together,” Waheed said. “It means a lot to everybody here for the future generation as well.”

Ilyas Hussaini, a third-year computer science student from UC Davis, said that there is a need for more Afghan student associations to collaborate on events. 

“We’re not really connected with each other,” Hussaini said. “Afghans are very segregated in their own tribes. We need to all come together. So that’s why this event is perfect.”

Zara Khan, a member of the SFSU organization, said these types of events strengthen the community. 

“I would say it keeps everyone together by just building a bigger community,” Khan said. “You know, creating a friendly space where everyone can just hang out, get to know each other, where it’s not toxic at all, and where you’re just making friends and building relationships within the Afghan community so that it can be stronger and a bigger community.”