FYLPRO’s Tayo Hosts Act to Change Youth Ambassadors

For Immediate Release

Media Contact: [email protected]

February 7, 2025

Filipino Young Leaders Program’s Tayo Hosts Act to Change Youth Ambassadors

Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)’s Tayo project is hosting four Act to Change Youth Ambassadors this spring.

Geared toward high school students from across the United States, the Act To Change’s Youth Ambassadors Program (YAP) is a transformative initiative that leverages the strengths, creativity, and leadership potential of AAPI youth to develop impactful, community-driven solutions to bullying and social exclusion. 

Over a 8-month journey, ambassadors participate in leadership development, mentorship, innovation and community partnerships. The program culminates in the presentation of their capstone projects in May in New York City.

The four youth ambassadors working with Tayo are:

  • Izaiah Chua – 10th Grade – Tennessee

  • Karmel Lucas – 10th Grade – Northern Mariana Islands

  • Serena Mackay – 10th Grade – New Hampshire

  • Jaylen Rabago – 11th Grade – Hawaii

This group will work on a capstone project to assist Tayo in creating a grant database and marketing campaigns. They are part of a cohort of 19 high school students in the 2024-2025 class.

Tayo previously served as one of three mentorship sites for Act to Change’s Fall 2022 Youth Ambassador Program.

 
Izaiah Chua is originally from the Philippines but immigrated to the United States and is now a sophomore in Tennessee. She is a TNSTRONG Ambassador Alum, Chairperson for FCB Youth Leadership, and a graduate from the UChicago Emerging Rural Leaders Session. Using her leadership, service, and public speaking skills, Izaiah uses her platform as a way to advocate for a nicotine-free generation and foster inclusivity, resilience, and progress.
 
 
Karmel Lucas is a sophomore from Saipan, MP. They dedicate themselves to promoting Filipino diversity and AAPI representation, Karmel wants to raise awareness of Saipan’s filled heritage of culture, and wants to promote love and honor to the unique qualities of the AAPI community by involving herself in the community.
 
Serena Mackay is a newly immigrated sophomore from Manchester, New Hampshire. Grounded in their Filipino roots, they advocate for systemic change and liberation, believing the fight against prejudice is a collective struggle. Serena channels this passion through leadership in campus journalism, graphic design, and debate and is now working to establish a nonprofit encouraging Filipino youth, both locally and abroad, to engage in civic and sociopolitical matters.
 
 
Jaylen Rabago is a junior from Kapolei, Hawaii, with a deep passion for merging social justice and computer science. Motivated by her dedication to inclusivity, she strives to create innovative technology that tackles societal challenges, fosters equity, and drives meaningful change for marginalized communities.

Act To Change is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to end bullying for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth.

Tayo, a project of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), is an innovative data hub that empowers Filipinx/a/o communities by collecting data, fostering partnerships, publishing culturally relevant insights, and developing leaders to create an equitable and sustainable future.

About Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)

FILIPINO YOUNG LEADERS PROGRAM (FYLPRO) is a network of high performing, next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the  Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries. 

We continually expand the pipeline of Filipino young leaders in the diaspora.  By connecting them to the motherland, we foster collaborative multinational  relationships that create innovations and support the socio-economic  progress of the global Filipino community.

For more information: http://www.fylpro.org

About Tayo

Tayo, a project of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), is an innovative data hub that empowers Filipinx/a/o communities by collecting data, fostering partnerships, publishing culturally relevant insights, and developing leaders to create an equitable and sustainable future.

For more information: tayohelp.com.

About Act to Change

Act To Change is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working to end bullying for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) youth. We are the only national nonprofit with this focus. We envision a world where all youth, including within the AAPI community, have the opportunity to grow up feeling proud and supported in the development of their identity and sharing of their stories.

Act To Change is building on its history of success over the past years and aims to continue empowering students, families, and educators with the knowledge and tools they need to become active anti-bullying ambassadors in their communities.

For more information: https://acttochange.org/.


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