17 April 2015 - The second leg of the Leadership and Mentoring Seminar (LMS): Empowerment for the Emerging Generation, spearheaded by the Philippine Consulate General in New York, was held for the New England youth on April 11 at Stokes Hall in Boston College, Massachusetts.
About 70 students, young professionals, youth advocates and first-generation community members filled the lecture hall to discuss the second-generation Filipino-Americans’ role in the community’s affairs.
Philippine Consul General Mario De Leon opened the program, and thanked the event co-host, Philippine Society of Boston College, and planning partner Jennifer Coliflores, for helping the Consulate General to organize the successful seminar. In his remarks, the Consul General noted the importance of involving the youth in community planning, as he expressed belief that the future of the Filipino-American community lies with the second- and third-generation members. He recognized that the Consulate General, along with the senior organizations in the community, should be responsible in honing the youth to have the proper frame of mind to accept this role. He added that the Leadership and Mentoring Seminar aims to give confidence to young Filipino-Americans so that they may assume leadership starting from their own youth organizations, professions, the community, and the greater US society.
The speakers for each of the modules shared their expertise on assigned topics and welcomed a healthy discourse on issues from the young attendees.
Ms. Alpha Sanford, a UP Diliman-graduate and currently Assistant Headmaster at Randolph High School, lectured on “Understanding the Filipino.” She related her immigrant story and noted that Filipinos are sought-after in the world for their high educational attainment and work ethic. She encouraged the participants to proudly display their Filipino identity and values, and stay true to their narrative or story of being a remarkable Filipino-American.
Dean Mary Grace Almandrez of the Brown University Center for Students of Color gave an emphatic presentation on “Leadership and Motivation.” She described her struggles growing up in a predominantly foreign community as a young immigrant Filipino child from Olongapo. She recounted how she discovered to embrace her identity and make the most of her Filipino upbringing to enrich her character, education, career, and personal life. She urged the participants to break the stereotype and seek for leaders among the community and promote leadership of Filipinos in their organizations, corporations, and the greater US society.
Imparting her knowledge as a Certified Public Accountant, Ms. Jocelyn Santiago, community leader from the Filipino-American Friendship Society of New Hampshire, held an interactive lecture on “Financial Functions of An Organization,” to provide frameworks for young community leaders and prospective founders to set-up their own non-profit organizations under the guidelines set for 501(c)3.
More practicable and transferrable skills were shared by Tinsel and Twine Partner, Ms. Adette Contreras in her presentation, “Events and Real Life.” Drawing from her experience as an events designer, she disclosed some tips on how the participants can maximize their attendance in any event they attend – from formal galas, to business mixers and social club gatherings. She related the importance of approaching the right persons, highlighting one’s own strengths (or having someone do it for you), and being purposeful in one’s participation in their organization and presence in a party or gathering.
Two groups of panelists then rounded up some topics raised in the earlier lectures and discussed questions and comments from the audience.
The first Panel Discussion focused on “The Second-Generation Americans’ Introduction to the Community,” moderated by Ms .Jennifer Coliflores. Philippine Society of Boston College (PSBC) officers Isabella Rosales and Julian Mondonedo related their student organization’s involvement in the community, citing that their annual event “Bayanihan, Spirit of the Philippines” fulfills their effort to promote the culture, talent and social programs of the country to the whole Boston College community. Youth member from New Hampshire Calvin Santiago shared how he was eased into his mother’s community organization and said that to hold the young community members’ interest, the programs of the organizations must also cater to their needs such as socials and school placement. AmeriCorps City Year Boston volunteer Philjay Solar noted that he was fortunate to grow up with a strong Filipino community in his hometown but he also acknowledged that the youth participation in the community’s activities are dwindling. All of the panelists agreed that the second- and third-generation Filipino Americans are willing to take on more roles in the community if only they would be given guidance and the confidence by the elders to lead their own projects and working groups.
As a way to encourage the attendees to go into social entrepreneurship and inform them of organizations welcoming them into their company, four leaders spoke during the Panel Discussion “Strengthening Our Bond to the Philippines Through Civic Engagement and Social Enterprise.”
CEO and Chief Builder of Next Day Better Ryan Letada opened the discussion by sharing his experiences dealing with Filipino influencers in technology, business, arts, food, who are featured in his global speaking events. As a Fulbright fellow and Filipino Young Leadership Prgoram (FYLPro) alum, Ryan informed the young attendees of these opportunities available to the Filipino-American youth and how tremendously he was helped by these once-in-a-lifetime chances.
Recent Brown University graduate, Mr. Rexy Josh Dorado explained the organization he founded, Kaya Collaborative, a fellowship opportunity for students interested in immersing themselves in the culture and social issues of the Philippines. Kaya Co. places each fellow into a customized internship with a social venture in Manila, based on the individual’s unique skill set and the organization’s specific needs. Kaya Co. curates each of these projects specifically to ensure experiential value for the fellow, capacity-building potential for the organization, and long-term impact for the target community. On their first year alone in 2014, Kaya Co. was able to send interns to social enterprises in the Philippines and seek for more funding and sponsorships to increase that number this year.
Young entrepreneur Ms. Rowena Sy-Santos, Business Development Director of Bagong Kulturan Pinoy Inc. (BKP), invited volunteers to their organization which aims to promote literacy and love of reading among children in underserved communities in the Philippines. BKP provides children’s books to partner schools in the Philippines and manages reading programs help develop the young students’ reading and thinking skills.
Tech professional David Zarraga shared that his involvement in the community began because of his two young sons. Their family joined the Iskwelahang Pilipino, an organization that holds bi-weekly lessons in Filipino language, music and arts to create an environment where their children will have the opportunity to learn about their Filipino heritage. Later on, he added, his involvement increased when he learned of the presence of Gawad Kalinga in Massachusetts and started participating in their programs to support beneficiary GK communities in the Philippines.
In closing, Vice Consul Khrystina Corpuz – whose portfolio in the Consulate General includes Community Relations with the second-generation Filipino Americans– rounded up the discussions by noting that the young ones are willing and able to learn and take on leadership roles, and encouraged first-generation members to empower the youth in their organizations to transition into leadership. She also echoed the desire of the participants to give back to the Philippines by way of socially-relevant programs and civic projects that impact the lives of kababayans back home in a wider scale in terms of education, livelihood sustainability, literacy and health services.
The first LMS was launched in New York last September, and two more seminars are planned this year for the youth of Connecticut and Pennsylvania. END