We advance our mission with direct community involvement across three (3) program focus areas: Civic Engagement and Literacy, Culturally Responsive Education, and Community-Defined Leadership & Action.
Every program embeds skills development and technical training on power building, community organizing and civic engagement on issues of social justice.
Whether it is our Annual Fly Pinays, which takes place every March during Women’s Herstory Month, our activation work at Delano Manongs Park, or Awareness in Action Program (AAP) during the summer months, we are active throughout the year with various programs, events and workshops.
We also host monthly meetings the second Sunday of the month from 6-8PM (PST). To receive more information about our programs and events, please contact us.
LEAD Filipino Programs
Civic Engagement & Literacy Programs
- Policy, Politics, and Puto Roundtables: Join our quarterly roundtable discussions that focus on particular issues of public and national concern to FilAms and broader communities. These moderated discussions are facilitated by Lendyll Capitulo and open to all. Past conversations have addressed: Stop Asian Hate, 2020 General Elections and Asian American Political Engagement, and the 2022 Philippines National Elections.
- Commission & Board Appointment Workshops: Throughout the year, we partner with other civic-minded organizations and advocates to bring educational workshops on engaging in our local civic environment. This might include serving on commissions and committees or nonprofit boards.
- FIERCE Coalition Network: We provide educational and practical experiences to develop power for our students, parents and seniors. One of our key engagement pathways is to include members in the statewide organizing of the FIERCE Coalition to advance dialogues and learning about public policy related to ethnic studies, mental and behavioral health, racial equity and diversity laws in California. Read more about FIERCE.
Culturally Responsive Education Programs
- Awareness in Action Program (AAP): A 10-week interdisciplinary Filipino American Studies and Civic Engagement course that looks at identity, anthropology, and immigrant experiences that influence sociocultural and sociopolitical issues connecting and distinguishing Filipinos in the diaspora and Filipinos in the Philippines. The program runs from June-September every year and includes weekly meetings, one exposure tour of a Bay Area landmark significant to FilAm hxstory, and guest speakers from the fields of education, advocacy and public office. Learn more about AAP.
- Fly Pinays Leadership Summit: Our Annual Fly Pinays is a conference that promotes the values of sisterhood, mentorship and community-based scholarship among Pinays across all fields, industries and backgrounds. Hosted every March during Women’s Herstory Month, Fly Pinays attracts over 150 women and girls to the San José for a day of collaboration, celebration and connectivity. Major themes in our Fly Pinays work include personal development and enrichment, mental wellbeing and cultural pride. Learn more.
- Queer Lakbay Summit: What started as a conversation at a boba shop after AAP sessions evolved into our community-driven Queermmittee, which now advances our Annual Queer Lakbay Summit. An annual conference dedicated to amplifying Filipina/x/o LGBTQIA+ leadership, experiences and stories, the Queer Lakbay Summit is held during June to imbue PRIDE and create spaces of inclusion and belonging for LGBTQIA+ community members and allies. Read more.
Community-Defined Leadership & Action Programs
- Delano Manongs Park (DMP) Committee: In April 2021, the City of San José approved the naming of a new park in East San José. It was then that Delano Manongs Park would make United States history in becoming the first park in the country named in honor of Filipino American labor leader contributions in the 1960s. The DMP Committee is a space that cultivate community-based leadership and advocacy around future artistic development of the park.
- Parent Network: Monthly leadership development workshops with parents interested in facilitating dialogues and leading resource trainings at local schools and community-based organizations on topics of Stop Asian Hate, Bystander Training, academic achievement, confidence and belonging.
- Filipino American History Month (FAHM) San José Series: Every year throughout October, LEAD Filipino joins forces with other FilAm nonprofits and small businesses to curate a series of public arts and culture events in celebration of Filipino American History Month (FAHM) in San José. These events include partnering with the City of San José to host an annual flag raising, the FAHM JAM Festival, film screening of FilAm history, and much more. We welcome volunteers to join these fun and exciting efforts to share our beautiful culture with the larger Silicon Valley community.