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Awareness in Action: Filipina/x/o Studies & Civic Leadership Program
Registration is CLOSED at this time. Please stay up to date on our social media platforms @leadfilipino.org OR contact our team at info@leadfilipino.org for more information.
ABOUT
Awareness in Action (AAP) is an 11-week summer Filipina/x/o American Studies & Civic Engagement program that runs from June 18 to August 30. Every summer, we offer a hybrid program, with virtual class sessions from 6:00PM-8:15PM PST, and 1-2 in-person field trips taking place in San José or within the region.
Through a series of educational workshops, 1-2 community tours, guest speakers, and group projects, AAP focuses on building strong Filipina/x/o leaders who understand the importance of Coalition Building, Community Solidarity, Political Participation, and Civic Engagement through reflecting on their individual experiences and the stories of the larger Filipina/x/o American diaspora.
Our Purpose
The purpose of Awareness in Action is to educate, engage, and expose Filipina/x/o adults and students to developing their social identities through the lens of being informed, having deepened knowledge of public issues, and ultimately, carrying awareness in their actions as they grow to become the next generation of leaders.
Interested?
Be a part of our incoming AAP Cohort
WHAT TO EXPECT
Our Curriculum
Awareness in Action features workshops, guest speakers, an exposure tour, and two projects. We center the program’s curriculum on professional and cultural leadership with core themes around:
Class participants will receive a syllabus with the weekly class topics after registration. Please email us at info@leadfilipino.org to inquire more about the syllabus.
CULTURAL AND LEADERSHIP WORKSHOPS
Cultural understanding and leadership is the center of AAP’s gravity. To provide a basis on the imperative of Filipinas/xs/os engaging in public service and civics, we interlace key teachings of Filipino American and Philippine history. Incorporating our “History 360” model, we cover periods of Filipina/x/o history while also tying in relevancies to the Filipina/x/o experience today. Through group dialogues, reflections, and local San Jose engagement, we aim to materialize the concepts we teach by bringing the students to action. To achieve these goals, the AAP is composed of a series of thematic workshops which aim to broaden and deepen our cultural understanding.
GUEST SPEAKERS
During AAP, we feature guest speakers and organizations from the San Jose/Silicon Valley community to not only engage with our students, but to also share related insights. Throughout the year, L.E.A.D. Filipino works exclusively with our program alumni and coalition members to build bridges between Pinxy professionals and students in our region. For our summer AAP, we invite various FilAm leaders from different fields to share their inspirational stories. From career paths, to selecting their college major, and the role their Filipina/x/o culture plays in their lives, we strive to provide platforms which connect our Filipina/x/o community.
COMMUNITY EXPOSURE TOURS
As an exclusive feature, our AAP gives opportunities for students to participate in ~3 Community Exposure Tours. Coordinated and guided by our Organizers, the purpose of our Tours is to expose young Pinxys to the industries, environments, and human issues which surround them in the Silicon Valley. Through in-depth conversations with our Tour Hosts, we aim to deepen our students’ awareness and understanding of issues happening in our community. We believe that although it’s important to follow global news, that it’s equally valuable to know what’s going on in your own locality. Past Community Exposure Tours included: Google & Employee Panel with Googlers, Pie Ranch Farm, the SOMA Pilipinas Ethno-Tour, and the Historical Pinoytown Tour in San José.
Interested?
Be a part of our incoming AAP Cohort
FAQs
Awareness in Action is LEAD Filipino’s 11-week Filipino Studies & Civic Engagement program that runs from June to August every year. Our program is hosted in a hybrid format with virtual class sessions with 1-2 in-person fieldtrips.
For participants outside of Northern California, we will have alternative assignments or field trip locations prepared to supplement the in-person field trip in San José.
There is no age limit, however, we do recommend participants be at least 17 to join the program due to sensitive topics that are discussed during our class dicussions.
Yes, AAP participants will need to complete weekly readings and 2 projects throughout the program: the Know Hxstory, Know Self Individual Project & the FilAm Communities Group Project. There will also be readings to help prepare participants for the class material being reviewed in each class session.
Know Hxstory, Know Self (Individual)
Learn about your family’s immigration story by interviewing 1 member of your family and share your reflections with the cohort.
FilAm Communities Project (Group)
Each AAP participant is expected to complete a group Engagement Project. Assigned at the start of the course, students are tasked with identifying a local Filipino-based grassroots organization, historical figure/moment, or active organizer in which they’d like to learn more about. Each group will present a 10-15 minute presentation showcasing their findings at the end of the program.
Our program has a $55 fee to cover instructor time, supplies, the field trip cost, and equipment for the end-of-program celebration, also known as Salamat at Paalam.
Yes, we do! We offer 5 spots to Filipina/x/o Americans in need of financial assistance. If you are interested in applying for a scholarship to be a part of this year’s Awareness in Action program, please contact us at info@leadfilipino.org.
What Past Cohorts Had to Say…
AAP was such an invaluable experience and I learned something new every session. As someone who never learned about Filipinx history or accomplishments in K-12 education classrooms, it was wonderful to not just gain that knowledge, but also do so in community with peers. The relationships that sprouted during AAP have lasted long beyond the scheduled sessions, and to be able to apply new knowledge and skills to civic engagement initiatives was so rewarding.
Isabelle Yisak
AAP Cohort ’21
The “Awareness in Action Program” (AAP) is a great introduction for community members who want to gain an overview of the issues that Filipinos and Filipino-Americans face, and how our community has contributed to addressing these issues. I enjoyed the cohort style of learning; it really allowed all the students to learn in an intimate setting and build rapport with one another. The organizers and facilitators have a history of advocacy work, so they speak from personal experience and can provide more insight into local lobbying efforts and how to put forth a political agenda that is inclusive of the Filipino community.
Jeff Stanley
AAP Cohort ’21
Seeing so many brown faces on my screen every week and knowing we shared the same fight in our hearts is an experience I’ll always be grateful for. If it weren’t for AAP, I wouldn’t have been introduced to and gotten involved with Fly Pinays, planning several beautiful events, and making so many joyful memories with them THROUGH ZOOM! WOW! Although 2020 was such a dark time, the people I met here were such a bright light for me. Thanks for everything, LEAD!
Trisha Fuerte
AAP Cohort ’20
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