FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 7, 2019
Contact: Angelo Dalmacio, Communications Director
angelo.dalmacio@naffaa.org
Tel. (202) 803-1353

NaFFAA Celebrates Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

Washington D.C. –  This month is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month (APAHM), a month commemorating the rich history, invaluable contributions, and notable accomplishments of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) National Chairman Brendan Flores released the following statement:

“Landing in what is now Morro Bay, California, in the year 1587, Filipino sailors were the first documented Asian people to set foot on land that became the United States of America. In the centuries since then, AAPIs have left their mark on the history and growth of this nation. From the hard working Chinese immigrants who sacrificed blood, sweat, and tears into the construction of the transcontinental railroads, to the brave Filipino farm workers who’s clarion call for fair treatment sparked the modern labor movement, the fingerprints of AAPIs are indelibly etched into the American landscape. NaFFAA is committed to shining a light on the historic contributions of our ancestors, while actively building a bridge of AAPI excellence to 2020 and beyond.”

According to the Census’s 2017 American Community Survey, with over four million people, Filipinos are the third largest Asian population is the US — and the largest in California. As the statistics show, Filipinos and AAPIs as a whole, are a formidable and fast-growing population. “As the largest organization representing Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the United States, NaFFAA is exceedingly proud to contribute to the progress of the AAPI community,” says Flores. “Through NaFFAA’s commitment to advocacy, civic engagement, and leadership development, we plan to harness the knowledge and power of our growing AAPI community and translate it to a future of expanded influence and representation.”

In order to address the needs of this fast-growing section of the Asian American community, NaFFAA will host the 2019 National Empowerment Conference (NEC) in Los Angeles, CA. The NEC is the premier gathering of community leaders uniting to engage in dialogue and action about issues affecting the over four million Filipino and Filipino Americans across the United States. A key topic of the conference will be mobilizing the community for next year’s Census in it’s theme “Make it Count: transforming mindsets for 2020 and beyond.” Visit www.naffaa.org/2019nec for more information.

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About NaFFAA

The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is a non-profit, non-partisan organization. Established in 1997, NaFFAA has been promoting the welfare and well-being of the 4 million Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States. NaFFAA’s vision is to serve as the voice of all Filipinos and Filipino Americans by uniting, engaging, and empowering diverse individuals and community organizations through leadership development, civic engagement, and national advocacy.