Words with Fly Pinay Mentee:
By: Ricky Jugarap-Clark, L.E.A.D Filipino
Name: Dominique Guevara
Major: Health Science
College: San Jose State University
After the Fly Pinay Summit, L.E.A.D Filipino was given the opportunity meet with many talented mentors and mentees. To showcase who the participants were, a Q & A article will run as a regular feature under L.E.A.D Member Ricky Jugarap-Clark’s leadership. For April’s newsletter edition, San Jose State University student Dominique Guevara was a participant.
Since the Fly Pinay program got underway, Dom attended both the Facebook mixer and the Fly Pinay Summit. Dom is currently in her third year and is majoring in health science. Outside of Fly Pinay, Dom is a very active student. She is a general member in San Jose’s Akbayan. In Akbayan, she is a core member of the political and community chair where she helps plan events with L.E.A.D.’s own, Daniel Lazo. On top of that, Dom is active in Akbayan’s Pilipino Cultural Night. For PCN, she is a core member and participates in acting, along with dances in cultural, contemporary, and modern.
How did you hear about the “Fly Pinay” event?
During R.A.A.P last year (Raising Awareness Amongst Pilipinos) conference Angelica (Cortez) hosted a workshop there. She reached out to me and asked if I’d be interested in doing this event. I was just like, ‘heck yeah I was.’ I thought it was pretty cool. The idea of it really interesting.
What part of “Fly Pinay” did you like best? And what was your favorite workshop?
I really like the integration of having a mentor and mentee, for future networking, connections, and stuff. That really helps people in college.
I really liked the ManKIND one. I remember walking into it during R.A.A.P Conference — I was immediately interested, and it’s just really empowering to hear other women’s stories and their struggles — like how she (Tarhata Braszal) was able to get through it. When I first saw her do that (from R.A.A.P Conference)I was like, “Oh my God.” I was tearing up. It still got to me the second time around.
What would you like out of a mentor?
I would just say to guide me to the right direction. I have a lot of questions and I don’t know what to ask, or where to go if I want to do something. I feel like they would help me figure out what I want to do for my future, by hearing from their struggles. It would help me learn from that.
Who has been some of your personal mentors?
I would say someone other than my mom, probably my Spanish teacher in high school. He definitely helped me through a lot personal wise. [By] just building me up to be the woman I am today. I never really had a father figure in my life and he was that person to help me through my heartbreaks, school, and push me to — just go for it. Do you basically.
Let’s reverse the role. If you were a mentor, how would you approach the role?
It’s really a scary feeling to know that you’re going to be a mentor. When I first picked up my first ading (little sibling through Akbayan SJSU), “I was like omg omg what if she hates me, what if she like… all of these things.” It’s just being personable I guess; bring it down to their level, so they know that you’re a person too — like a you’ve been in their shoes kind of thing and just let them know, they’re not alone.
What got you into the field you’ve been studying?
Initially, I wanted to be a forensics science major. I took a few science classes, got to O Chem (Organic Chemistry) and was not feeling it. This is not what I want to do. I knew for a fact that I wanted to help people. When I found out about health science, I took a health science class and was just like ‘wow’ I can really benefit my community in some way as well.
What is your ultimate goal or aspiration?
Kind of like what I answered for the Mankind workshop — build towards my future. Kind of selfish, but I feel like I need to find out what I want to do for myself first, in order to do something for the community.
What makes you interested or inspired you to do community work?
Just the little things, like when I help people or just friends around me and they say ‘omg thanks for being there for me.’ That feeling like ‘wow’ I made an impact in someone’s life. I want to do that. It doesn’t have to be the community, it can be just a person that we help.
While this will be the only Q & A for May 2017’s newsletter, be sure to follow L.E.A.D Filipino social media for more interviews to come, periodically!
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