On Wednesday, September 1st, we celebrated the completion of our 2021 Awareness in Action Program (AAP) Cohort with our participants from across the Bay Area region, state, and country!
This past summer’s 2021 AAP brought a depth and level of closeness and openness that we haven’t otherwise experienced – and it’s something that we revere and honor. Together, our 2021 AAP shared personal stories and experiences around mental health, generational nuances within their families, and many even discovered aspects of their own immigration stories that they hadn’t previously known.
Our virtual Salamat at Paalam [Party] included sounds by DJ Chrstvn and a keynote speech on putting one’s awareness into action delivered by L.E.A.D Filipino Board Member, Meredith Curry.
A staple program in our organization, the Awareness in Action Program (AAP) is an interdisciplinary community-based program that encompasses Filipina/x/o identity, society, history, and culture. In weekly sessions, participants engage in large and small group discussions, hear from guest speakers, and develop a workshop around aspects of the program that speak to them the most.
AAP started in Eastside San Jose, during the summer of 2016 with 5 participants. The next summer we more than tripled our enrollment with 22 participants from local organizations, colleges and universities – where we would meet for weekly classes and organize Ethno-Exposure tours throughout the course of the program. Past AAP Exposure Tours included trips to South of Market (SoMA) Pilipinas, Little Manila in Stockton, Agbayani Village in Delano, and Historic Filipino Town in Los Angeles.
While COVID-19 threw a curveball at all of us – in more ways than one – we’re reminded that the pandemic also brought many gifts and privileges. Among those privileges is the connection and existence of technology that enabled us to continue our programming online.
In spite of the global shutdown, we launched our first-ever AAP last summer 2020. For the first time, we brought regular programs to statewide and national audiences.
A core principle of our AAP is to incite our participants to continue their civic engagement and public leadership within their localities and communities, whether this is through board or commission service, community organizing, or volunteering for an issue-based or candidate campaign.
We’re excited to stay in contact with our 2021 AAP Cohort and learn about the many feats and achievements that are coming each of their way!
Sulong!
