2022 FAHM Celebrations
Federation Forum (CLOSED MEETING)
As non-profit organizations look to reassess current programming in consideration of a “post-pandemic” world and upcoming Midterm elections, the opportunity to mobilize our community collectively continues to grow. The “Federation Forum” leadership development summit will highlight tools and best practices around policy advocacy, representation, program development, strategic partnerships and other areas.
In celebration of Filipino American History Month, NaFFAA will host its flagship event, held in Washington, DC, delegates from national and regional organizations will be invited. The outcomes of this year’s Federation Forum include:
- Highlighting program assessment and evaluation best practices to help build the capacity of non-profit organizations in the current environment.
- Creating a blueprint for a national Filipino-American policy platform, with main topics to include:
- Increasing non-partisan civic engagement and voter turnout in the 2022 midterm elections.
- Discussion on recent data disaggregation efforts at the White House and how it affects our community.
- Healthcare access and what organizations can do to collectively advocate
- Developing a sustainable collaboration structure amongst national and regional organizations.
Filipino American History Month Legislative Reception
Come celebrate Filipino American History Month on Capitol Hill! Join NaFFAA and its partner organizations in Rayburn 2337 to acknowledge and highlight the great work that is done every day by Filipino American congressional staffers.
FilAm Alerts Launch Reception - AT&T Forum at 12:30-3:30 PM EST
In partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), NaFFAA has created the FilAmAlerts Program to increase coordination of Filipino Americans to more efficiently respond to natural disasters and humanitarian needs in the Philippines.
There is a significant opportunity to improve our collective national response to providing resources and support when crises occur. Since 2020, NaFFAA and IOM have initiated exploratory investigations and research to formulate a Filipino-American disaster response program. Through this work, the FilAmAlerts Program overcomes the most difficult challenges that our Fil-Ams experience when organizing relief efforts to the Philippines, by providing custom tools for coordination. We took into consideration geographic challenges in communication and relief distribution, accountability for charitable contributions and transparency, the lack of primary source information to FilAms from the Philippines, and other logistical challenges in humanitarian relief and response particularly considering the culture of community leadership in the USA and generational perspectives.
This gathering will officially launch the FilAm Alerts website and recruitment for the Humanitarian Council. The Humanitarian Council will be composed of disaster relief stakeholders that can utilize their positions as an amplifier when there is a trigger of need.
NaFFAA's Annual Filipino American History Month Reception - AT&T Forum at 7 PM EST
The NaFFAA FAHM Reception concludes the Federation Forum and official Filipino American History Month celebrations in DC. A nonpartisan event, the NaFFAA FAHM Reception has been the premier annual event in Washington, DC, that will recognize public servants for their outstanding support of public policies and programs that are vital to Filipino Americans. In addition, NaFFAA honors champions of the Filipino community from outside of the political spectrum who courageously advocate on behalf of the Filipino community.
FilAmVote National Webinar for Filipino American History Month
In celebration of Filipino American History Month, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) will host a national webinar on Saturday, October 15th at 8:30 AM PST / 11:30 AM EST for its FilAmVote program in advance of the midterm elections. This non-partisan event will feature national leaders who have dedicated their service in ensuring a civically engaged Filipino American electorate. In partnership with APIAVote, we will also highlight the findings of what matters for Filipino voters from the “2022 Asian American Survey”.
According to AAPI Data, the Filipino community had the lowest voter turnout rate amongst other Asian American ethnicities in 2020. Given that FilAms account for the third largest AAPI demographic in the United States, ensuring our vote is heard is of critical importance in ensuring that Filipino equities are heard in all levels of government.
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88000976571
FilAmVote Background
Since 2002, NaFFAA’s non-partisan civic engagement program, “FilAm Vote”, has aimed to unite, build, and increase political empowerment through five main components:
- Voter Registration - Increase the number of eligible Filipino American voters
- Voter Education - Filipino Americans will learn the issues that affect their everyday lives
- Voter Protection - Should be explained thoroughly to avoid voter intimidation
- Get Out the Vote - Filipino Americans will turn out on election day
- Running for Public Office - Supporting Filipino American running for elected office
FilAm Vote Vision Statement:
NaFFAA FilAm Vote Program envisions a society where Filipino Americans are included, heard, and represented in the decision-making process at the local, state and national level in the political arena united with one voice.
FilAm Vote Mission Statement:
NaFFAA FilAm Vote Program’s mission is to promote the development of political leadership and build public policy knowledge to strengthen and fill the political pipeline for Filipino Americans pursuing public office at the local, state, and federal levels. Please visit NaFFAA.org/vote for more information about the program
2021 FAHM Celebrations
FAHM 2021: Remembering Early Filipino Pioneers in the US
And Honoring Fil-Ams Today As Pioneers for Future Generations
WASHINGTON D.C., October 1, 2021 – The National Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) welcomes Filipino American History Month (FAHM), a special time when we commemorate the first recorded arrival of Filipinos in the United States on October 18, 1587. They are a group of indigenous Filipinos who worked as sailors on board the Spanish trading ship known as Manila Galleon in Morro Bay, California. This makes the Filipinos the first documented Asian people to arrive in the United States.
Over the years, the Filipino community has continued to help grow and expand different cities in the United States. From establishing the first Filipino settlement in the United States in 1760, to Antonio Miranda Rodriguez Poblador and other Filipinos being sent by the Spanish Government in 1781 to establish what is now Los Angeles, California. The Filipinos did not just help the population growth in the country, but they also helped advance rights and advocated for US workers. In 1965, Larry Itliong and a group of Filipino farmworkers instigated “The Delano Grape Strike of 1965,” which significantly impacted the American farm labor movement as it brought about the creation of the United States Farm Workers Union (UFW).
Today, many Filipino Americans are among the brave frontline workers fighting a much different battle than our ancestors had fought before. Los Angeles Times reported, “Although comprising only 4% of the nursing population nationwide, nearly one-third of nurses who died of coronavirus in the US are Filipino. In the state of California, where the largest population of Filipinos reside, they represent at least 30% of all deaths from COVID-19 despite constituting only 25% of the state’s Asian population.”
President Joe Biden recognized the Filipino frontline workers who sacrificed their lives during this pandemic in his 2020 statement by saying, “Their heroism is a reminder that Filipino Americans embody the heart, the courage, and the values that define the United States. We are a nation that has always been renewed by immigration and fortified by our diversity.”
“Tiis” (Tee-is) is a Filipino word that means “to bear,” “to endure,” and “to suffer.” We don’t just celebrate FAHM to remember the arrival of the early Filipinos, but to remember the sacrifices of every Filipino who came to the United States after 1587. This month we celebrate all our Filipinos, who are considered modern-day heroes who continue to exemplify resilience during these challenging times.
An extraordinary level of resiliency is what we contribute to this country. The ability to make sacrifices with grace and optimism is what kept Filipinos stronger over the years.
NAFFAA Chairman Brendan Flores says, “Our Filipino pioneers never give up despite hardships because they have hope for the future. They want a better future for themselves and their families, which is how we grew incrementally as a strong community. Filipinos are resilient. From being the very first Asians to land in America, to now being over four million strong here in the United States, we would not get this far without resilience.”
Flores asks members of the Fil-Am community to use this month to remember the sacrifices of Filipinos living in past generations. “The early settlers, our manongs and manangs, had no idea that their work back then, would help us today — now that we are four million strong and growing. In the same way, know that what we endure and fight for today will help future generations live better. Like many of our parents and ancestors, let us endeavor to make sacrifices for a brighter future for all,” adds Flores.
2020 FAHM Celebration
Thank you for joining our VIRTUAL CELEBRATION
of FILIPINO AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH!
Many thanks to our Special Guest Speakers:
The Honorable Congressman TJ Cox (CA-21),
U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Congressman Bobby Scott (VA-03),
U.S. House of Representatives
The Honorable Assemblymember Rob Bonta,
California State Assembly District 18
The Honorable Mayor Ron Falconi, City of Brunswick, OH
The Honorable Mayor Peter Urscheler, City of Phoenixville, PA
The Honorable Mayor Pro Tem Rachelle Arizmendi, City of Sierra Madre, CA
His Excellency Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, Philippine Embassy
With a historic Filipino food showcase by
Nicole Ponseca of Jeepney NYC and Kristine de la Cruz of Creme Caramel LA
Get chance to learn from them one-on-one through a fundraising auction at
www.32auctions.com/NaFFAA
Hosted by Jannelle So, Filipino American TV Pioneer
The Filipino Channel, Lifestyle Channel, LA-18
Zoom Space is limited, so please RSVP before September 30.
Event will be broadcasted LIVE on Facebook.com/NaFFAA.National.
