December 1, 2018
Twice a year, our organizers gather during both June and December, to reflect, plan, and strategize for our group’s programs, initiatives, and educational campaigns.
At the end of the year, December enables us to look in the rearview and celebrate our past year’s work, while also planning for the year ahead.
This past weekend, on Saturday, December 1st, our organizing team spent a day together in reflection, intention, and fun, where we evaluated our series of programs and events, but also defined our action (and intentions) for 2019.
In the coming year, we have a whole lot planned for our organization, and by consequence, each of you.
Thank you to San Jose-Evergeen Valley Community College District Board Trustee, Wendy Ho, for joining us during our Retreat, and furthermore, for her sharing of her experiences and influences in public service and elected office.
In the next few days, we will unveil our 2019 Strategic Plan, but for now, a sneak peek into our organization’s initiatives, programs, and campaigns include:
Awareness in Action Program Expansion
A staple of LEAD Filipino, our Awareness in Action Program (AAP) combines aspects of Filipino/a history, language, identity, and political education. This free eight-week program has been held in San Jose since 2016 and continues to grow in its size and scope. Understanding the interest and need in our community, LEAD Filipino is building its capacity to expand AAP to other parts of the greater South Bay Area. Expansion would involve ease of access to our communities/student populations, more opportunities to attend exposure tours, and leveraging our partner relationships.
Community Workshops
Each of our organizers is tasked with developing a cultural workshop that focuses on Filipino/a leadership, history, identity, and civic engagement. As part of this work, we aim to challenge ourselves as leaders and educators, and work with local organizations and schools to provide free workshops that help bring awareness to health and human issues within Filipino/a communities. We have hosted workshops at UC Davis, De Anza College, San Jose State, Santa Clara University, and Cal State East Bay. In 2019, we look forward to expanding our reach and presence with local community groups and campuses.
3rd Annual Fly Pinays Leadership Summit
Our largest event of the year, our Fly Pinays Leadership Summit (and related Mixer/Summit Revealing) for Pinay professionals and students – also known as – our Fly Pinay mentors and mentees, will continue with with a larger footprint and growing network of participants. With unique and strategic partners, we will work in 2019 to continue serving our mentors, mentees, and broader community in a shared movement to advance gender equity, rights, and inclusion.
2019 Filipino Community Advocacy Day
A new undertaking for our organization, in partnership with the Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies, LEAD Filipino will co-lead the efforts to host a legislative advocacy day, centered on issues within the Filipino American community, in our state’s capital, Sacramento. This means that our organization will take a lead role in the planning, steering, and execution of bringing together partners and leaders to identify a shared agenda, and subsequently, legislative visits with elected officials.
Ethnic Studies – CA Graduation Requirement
Our organization has identified AB 2772 as our number one state legislative priority. AB 2772 was co-authored and introduced by Assemblymembers Jose Medina and Rob Bonta in early 2018. Though vetoed by Governor Brown, we hope that the bill will be re-introduced this legislative session. The bill would have authorized funds to pilot mandatory Ethnic Studies classes at 11 school districts in CA, with the idea being to mandate Ethnic Studies classes as a requirement for all CA public high school students (just like we all had to take PE). LEAD Filipino will follow this issue closely, update our membership, and engage our members and leaders in advocating for the passage of this bill in 2019.
Sulong!
LEAD Filipino
