Filipino Young Leaders Program and Community Partners Offer Free Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic in Carson, California

 

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Leezel Tanglao

leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org

May 24, 2021

Filipino Young Leaders Program and Community Partners Offer Free Pop-Up Vaccine Clinic in Carson, California

CARSON, California — The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) and its virtual COVID19 help desk Tayo is partnering with the Council of Young Filipinx Americans in Medicine (CYFAM), Mabuhay Credit Union, Filipinx/a/o Community Health Association (FILCHA), Clinica Romero and the City of Carson to offer a free vaccine pop-up clinic in June.

Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be offered. Pfizer vaccines will be offered to anyone ages 12 and older. Parent/guardian permission is required for those ages 17 or younger.  Those who register for their first dose will automatically receive an appointment for their second dose on June 26. 

This collaboration among Filipino focused non-profits and public entities came together as a direct response to the changing situation of the COVID19 pandemic and access to vaccine supplies.

City of Carson Mayor Lula Davis-Holmes said the best way to curb the spread of COVID-19 is to get vaccinated. 

“The City of Carson is honored to partner with Mabuhay Credit Union and other community partners to host a pop up vaccination site targeting our most vulnerable residents,” Davis-Holmes said.

Fred Docdocil, Mabuhay Branch & Business Development Coordinator of Mabuhay Credit Union and Community Leader helped to connect FYLPRO and other community partners to the City of Carson to secure the pop-up site.

“Mabuhay Credit Union is proud to collaborate with our Community Partners in this important endeavor to help keep our community safe in spite of a global pandemic,” said Docdocil, who also serves as FYLPRO treasurer. 

The pop-up vaccine clinic is a natural extension of FYLPRO’s COVID19 efforts through its Tayo platform — virtual help desk for the Filipino community.

“We are grateful to be a part of this crucial effort in making vaccines as accessible as possible for anyone who needs it, thanks to the generosity of our friends at Clinica Romero and the volunteer efforts of trusted healthcare professionals from partner organizations, FilCHA and CYFAM”, said Louella Rose Cabalona, President of the Filipino Young Leaders Program. “I also applaud the work of our entire Covid Task Force and Tayo Help Desk team who have been providing impactful community initiatives like this pop-up clinic since last year. There’s a lot of work to be completed in the battle against the virus; FYLPRO is humbled to contribute our small part.” 

For the Filipino intergenerational community, getting vaccinated is crucial to protect everyone.

“While many in our community work in health care and have received a COVID-19 vaccine, many have not but continue to work in frontline essential worker positions, especially those who are younger, who also happen to live in multigenerational households,” said Dr. Carlos Oronce, President-Elect, Filipinx Community Health Association. “The COVID-19 vaccine is technology that has been years in the making and there is growing evidence that it is effective against many of the novel variants that are spreading around the globe. FilCHA is excited to join other FilAm organizations in LA to put on this event and help reach many in our community who have not yet had the opportunity to receive the vaccine.”

The two June vaccine pop-up will be staffed with volunteers from Carson staff and volunteers from CYFAM.

“The Council of Young Filipino Americans in Medicine (CYFAM) is encouraged by recent news from the CDC that the COVID-19 vaccination, specifically the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is now recommended for all people 12 years and older for the prevention of COVID-19 in the United States under the US FDA Emergency Use Authorization,” said Dr. Antonio Moya, Executive Chair to co-founder of CYFAM.  “As young physicians and physicians-in-training, it is so important that we encourage our peers and younger family members to get their vaccines as soon as possible.  So much of this pandemic has been unfortunately driven by asymptomatic spread of the disease by younger people so we owe it to Filipino American community to get vaccinated now.  We will be on site to answer any questions people have about the vaccine.”

Pop-Up Vaccine details:

When:

First dose – Saturday, June 5, 2021

Second dose – Saturday, June 26, 2021

Time: 9 am – 2 pm

Where: Carson Community Center (801 E Carson St., Carson, CA 90745)

Sign up here: https://tinyurl.com/CarsonCAVax

When contacted, volunteers will schedule you for your vaccination time. Please be prepared to answer questions about your medical history during this call. On the day of the vaccination, please bring a proof of ID.

About the 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 

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FYLPRO $1K Challenge

 

Calling all FYLPRO alumni, it’s that time of year. If you have not renewed your membership dues, this is a great time to do so.

Board of Director JP Ferrer has committed to match up $25 for every alumni that renews their 2021 membership by the end of June up to $1,000.

So don’t delay, renew your membership today. Your $100 membership dues helps support FYLPRO’s mission to expand the pipeline of Filipino young leaders in the diaspora and foster collaborative multinational relationships that create innovations and support the socio-economic progress of the global Filipino community.

How to renew:

Paypal:
Go to www.PayPal.me/FYLPro
(Please add a memo for membership renewal)

 

Take Action: #ModernaVax2PH Campaign to Speed Up Delivery of Doses Tool Kit

 

 

 

 

 

There are close to 5 million Filipino Americans with close ties to their relatives in the Philippines; and also 300,000 American citizens residing in the country. Hospitals are full and there is a dire need for therapeutics, ventilators, preventive education, PPEs, disinfection protocols, and vaccines.

The following toolkit serves as a reference for the #ModernaVax2PH Campaign being led by the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO). Of the 20 million Moderna vaccine doses that have been ordered and paid for by the Philippines, FYLPRO is asking for at least 3 million to be expedited from the proposed timeline of June-July to May. We appeal for humanitarian assistance for the longest COVID-19 emergency and enhanced lockdown that is now occurring in the Philippines. 

For more on this campaign, read FYLPRO Calls on U.S. Government to Expedite Release of Initial Batch of COVID-19 Vaccines Purchased by the Philippines

To Participate:

There are many ways to support this #ModernaVax2PH campaign. Write letters to President Biden, US Agency for International Development Acting Administrator Gloria Steele, US State Department Secretary Antony Blinken and to both of your U.S. representatives and U.S. senators – asking them to urge President Biden to approve the immediate release of at least 3 million US Moderna vaccines, that have already been purchased, for the Filipino People. You can also sign-on to the FYLPRO letter by filling out this formPlease repost and tag your friends who need to learn more about the #ModernaVax2PH campaign to your social feeds.

Access our toolkit #ModernaVax2PH Campaign Toolkit

http://bit.ly/ModernaVax2PH

Download social images:

 

 

FYLPRO Calls on U.S. Government to Expedite Release of Initial Batch of COVID-19 Vaccines Purchased by the Philippines

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Leezel Tanglao

leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org

 

April 22, 2021

 

FYLPRO Calls on U.S. Government to Expedite Release of Initial Batch of COVID-19 Vaccines Purchased by the Philippines

As an organization committed to a thriving future for the Filipino people built upon the strength of our Filipino identity, global community, and connections with the Philippines, the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) appeals to the U.S. government for humanitarian assistance in equipping public health officials in the Philippines with an essential tool for controlling the devastation wrought by the novel coronavirus, namely the expedited release of 3 million COVID-19 vaccine doses already purchased by the government of the Philippines.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the Philippines especially hard, and as of this moment, hospitals there are at capacity and there is a dire need for therapeutics, ventilators, preventive education, PPE, disinfection protocols, and of course, vaccines. Like many countries, the Philippines has arranged for its people to secure access to various COVID-19 vaccines being manufactured by companies across the globe, including an order of 20 million doses from Moderna, Inc. that has already been paid for in full by the Philippines. While the initial expectation was for these vaccines to be delivered in July, the current coronavirus emergency highlights the importance of accelerating access to the doses as soon as possible. A reasonable proposal that has emerged calls for the immediate release of a small fraction of the Moderna purchase, namely 3 million doses. However, it has come to our attention that despite the sales transaction having been completed, the National Defense Production Act currently prevents U.S. companies from exporting any product until domestic requirements have been met, which according to White House projections would be around mid-May to June.

This public health situation further affects the wellbeing of many of the almost 5 million Filipino Americans in the United States with deep familial and cultural ties to the Philippines, not to mention the approximately 300,000 U.S. citizens residing in the latter. In light of these extraordinary circumstances, FYLPRO urges President Biden to use his executive authority to expedite the release of this initial batch of fully paid vaccines to save a significant number of lives in the Philippines upfront. So many personal tragedies can be averted if we act sooner rather than later. The numbers are staggering: as of April 16, the number of active COVID-19 cases in the Philippines hit an all-time record of 193,476, and in terms of both overall reported cases (926,052) and deaths (15,810) ranks, the country ranks second in all of Southeast Asia.

As we look ahead to the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the U.S. and the Philippines this July (not to mention a shared history that stretches back even further) and having just commemorated the 79th anniversary of the Battle of Bataan earlier this month, we need not further elaborate on the strength of our common bonds spanning the vast Pacific. Nevertheless, we cannot help but highlight this relationship given the contemporaneous experiences of fellow U.S. allies. For example, during the last month Mexico received 2.7 unused AstraZeneca vaccine doses from the U.S., while Canada was shipped 1.5 million doses of the same on loan. By contrast, our Filipino American community, which includes the 4% of total U.S. nurses who have simultaneously made up 31.5% of COVID-19 related nurse deaths, looks on as their relatives in the Philippines, many of whom are economically supported by remittances from the Filipino diaspora, longingly wait for live-saving vaccines that are already spoken for by their government’s leaders.

“I am cautiously optimistic that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with COVID-19 in the United States. In contrast, the Philippines is expected to be one of the last to recover from the pandemic in Southeast Asia; suffering one of the worst outbreaks in the region and its economy experiencing its worst drop since the end of World War II. I urge the Biden-Harris administration to consider the long-standing relationship of the two countries as allies and fast-track the delivery of Moderna vaccines ordered by the Philippines,” says Louella Cabalona, FYLPRO President. 

FYLPRO applauds the administration’s swift, decisive, and evidence-based pandemic response efforts since President Biden took office. It is our sincere and concerned entreaty that the White House, in concert with relevant officials such as Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Acting Administrator Gloria Steele, apply its lawful authority in making the eminently reasonable decision to dispatch the 3 million Moderna doses being requested.

FYLPRO is also launching an online campaign to encourage its 84 alumni across the U.S. and the entire Filipino American community to call on both the majority and minority leaders on Capitol Hill for a non-partisan appeal to the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

Cabalona adds, “I’m hoping what we endeavor to do moves the needle in expediting the release of the vaccines to the Philippines. Getting shots sooner will save thousands of lives”. 

About the 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 

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Filipino Young Leaders Program Denounces Anti-Asian Hate and Calls for Action

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Leezel Tanglao

leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org

March 25, 2021

Filipino Young Leaders Program Denounces Anti-Asian Hate and Calls for Action 

As dedicated advocates for the Filipinx/a/o community, the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) strongly condemns the climate of anti-Asian violence and harassment that has been escalating across the United States over the past year. From casual instances of public bullying to the abhorrent shootings that took place on March 16 in Atlanta, GA which left eight people dead, including six Asian American women, FYLPRO stands in solidarity with all communities of color facing the threats of white supremacy and racism. Sadly, the statistics speak for themselves. Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stop AAPI Hate and the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at California State University, San Bernardino have separately reported the following: 

  • Nearly 3,800 anti-Asian hate incidents were recorded nationwide between March 19, 2020 and February 28, 2021
  • While overall rates of hate crimes in the country decreased by 7% in 2020, law enforcement in the 16 largest U.S. cities saw instances of anti-Asian hate crimes surge by 149%
  • Women have reported anti-Asian hate incidents at a rate 2.3 times that of men

Regrettably, the twin scourges of racism and misogyny permeate the emerging accounts of the Atlanta attacks. To the family, friends, and co-workers of Soon Chung Park, Hyun Jung Grant, Suncha Kim, Yong Yue, Delaina Ashley Yaun, Paul Andre Michels, Xiaojie Tan, and Daoyou Feng, FYLPRO offers its deepest condolences. The fact that these slayings took place during, of all times, the height of Women’s History Month, is doubly cruel in its irony.

The Atlanta murders, and other acts of violence against Asian Americans that came before that, only contribute to the sad reality that in 2021, our community does not feel safe in America. Whether in large, cosmopolitan cities or quiet small towns, Asian Americans have diminishing reasons to trust that they will be protected from bodily harm as they go about their everyday lives just like their neighbors. Many of these incidents brutalize the most vulnerable among us, notably the elderly. Just last month, 61-year old Noel Quintana was slashed across the face by a fellow passenger on the New York City subway and later lamented, “I asked for help, but nobody helped. Nobody moved.” Younger FilAms can take little solace, either. The untimely loss in December 2020 of Angelo Quinto, a 30-year old Navy veteran who died at the hands of police during a mental health call at his own family’s home in Antioch, CA, has rocked the Filipinx/a/o community with heart-wrenching intensity, particularly since the nationwide campaign for accountability started gaining wider traction mere weeks prior.

Indeed, it is through civic engagement and action that we can overcome despair in the face of crisis. FYLPRO alumni like 2019 delegate Kevin Zagala are working on providing support to the Asian community. Zagala is working with the Compassion in Oakland project, which is a resource for promoting safety and community by providing chaperones for the elderly.

On March 26, FYLPRO is participating in the #StopAsianHate Day of Action coordinated by APIAVote.  Additionally, we will be holding a live online conversation, HERE/HEAR Now: Confronting Anti-Asian Hate at 9 pm EDT, in partnership with the Philippine Embassy in the United States and GMA Pinoy TV. This will be live streamed on FYLPRO’s Facebook page: www.facebook.com/FYLPRO. Hosted by Howie Severino, this conversation will be anchored by the following Filipino American community leaders: Chris Lapinig, EJR David, Anna Marie Cruz, Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales, Tony DelaRosa, Leezel Tanglao, and Louella Cabalona.

“The Asian American community is facing a double pandemic of COVID-19 and anti-Asian racism. In the face of discrimination that is costing us lives, it is imperative that our leaders, along with everyone else, be vigilant and vocal in denouncing anti-Asian violence,” says Louella Cabalona, FYLPRO President. “FYLPRO, our alumni and partners, coming together to confront these issues, demonstrate action and stand in solidarity with the community, is just one collective step to #StopAsianHate and honor the victims and their families.” 

And this is just the beginning. Below is an abbreviated list of resources and calls to action in the fight against anti-Asian hate:

Anti-Racism/Bystander Intervention Training

Coronavirus/COVID-19 Resources to Stand Against Racism (Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC)

Mental Health Resources

Asian Mental Health Collective

Information on AAPI Community (National Alliance on Mental Health)

Asian American/Pacific Islander Communities and Mental Health (Mental Health America)

Donating to Local ATL Community

Verified Atlanta-Area Spa Shootings Fundraisers

National Campaigns

Act to Change (Anti-Bullying)

APIA Vote (Civic Engagement)

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About the 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, visit. fylpro.org

 

HERE/HEAR NOW: Confronting anti-Asian Hate

HERE/HEAR NOW: Confronting anti-Asian Hate

Reports of Asian elders being attacked across the United States have been on the rise since the pandemic started a year ago. Anti-Asian hate in America reached a flash point after the killing of 6 Asian women in Georgia on March 16. Filipino Americans, along with the larger Asian American community, are confronting the impacts of this violence and racism head-on by holding truth to power and not staying silent anymore on these injustices. Join the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. and GMA Pinoy TV in conversation on how Filipinos are supporting each other and combating racism.

 

MARCH 26, FRIDAY 9PM EST on FYLPRO FB LIVE

Click “Going” on our Facebook event to receive reminders.

If you want resources on how to #StopAsianHate and get updates on FYLPRO’s events and programs, kindly fill out this form.

 

 

HOST AND GUEST PROFILES

Howie Severino (Host)
“Howie” Severino has been a journalist for 33 years, and has produced over 200 TV documentaries, at least a dozen of which have won domestic and international awards. He anchored the morning news at GMA News TV for eight years. From 2009 to 2014, he was editor-in-chief of GMA News Online and headed GMA News’ social media operations.

In other stages of his career, he was a newspaper reporter, book co-author, magazine editor, and a co-founder of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, of which he is still chair of the Board of Trustees. He is currently a Vice President of GMA Network, responsible for training and development of its journalists, as well as policies related to journalists’ safety.

He was born in Manila but spent a large part of his childhood and young adulthood in the United States, and graduated from Tufts University in Massachusetts with a degree in History, magna cum laude. He was a college journalist for all four years.

He received his Masters degree in Environmental Policy from Sussex University in the UK. Howie returned to the Philippines in his twenties and became a political activist and teacher before entering journalism full time. He was a political prisoner during the Marcos regime.

He had to relearn to speak Filipino, and eventually became proficient enough to be a writer and broadcast journalist in Filipino. Learning to write in Baybayin has been an integral part of his lifelong journey to explore his identity.

He is a Covid survivor, after spending 11 days in isolation in a Covid referral hospital in the early days of the pandemic. His documentary on his experience, “Ako si Patient 2828,” recently won Best Documentary in the Philippines’ Gawad Tanglaw awards. He has spoken out often on various aspects of the pandemic, advocating for more research on new solutions, greater attention to mental health, and the possibilities for “post-traumatic growth.”

 

Chris Lapinig – Deputy Attorney General at the California Department of Justice, Los Angeles, CA (Panelist)
EMAIL: christopher.lapinig@gmail.com
Christopher Lapinig is an attorney based in Los Angeles, California. He previously served as a Skadden Fellow at Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Los Angeles, where he worked with Filipino victims and survivors of human trafficking. Born and raised in Queens, New York, Chris previously served as a law clerk to the Honorable Denny Chin of the Second Circuit. He was also the first Filipino American clerk to the Honorable Lorna G. Schofield of the Southern District of New York, the first federal Article III judge of Filipino descent in United States history. Chris was also a Fulbright Research Scholar in the Philippines, where he studied the call center industry. Chris graduated summa cum laude from Yale College and obtained his J.D. from Yale Law School.

 

E.J.R. David – Professor of Psychology, Alaska (Panelist)
EMAIL: ejrdavid@gmail.com
E.J.R. David was born in the Philippines by Kapampangan and Tagalog parents, and grew up in Pasay, Las Pinas, Makati, and Utkiagvik, Alaska. He lives in Anchorage, Alaska or DgheyayKaq – the traditional homelands of the Dena’ina Athabascan People – with his wife Gee’eedoydaalno (Koyukon Athabascan) and their four children – Malakas Betlee’ hoolaanh, Kalayaan Neełnohʉłno, Kaluguran Hoozoonh ts’e kk’ohoo’oyh, and Tala Nodoyedee’onh – and countless relatives and friends.

Dr. David obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Alaska Anchorage (2002), and Master of Arts (2004) and Doctoral (2007) Degrees in Clinical-Community Psychology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is a tenured Professor of Psychology at the University of Alaska Anchorage, with his primary duties being with the PhD Program in Clinical-Community Psychology that has a Rural, Cultural, and Indigenous Emphasis.

Dr. David has traveled to various states as an invited workshop facilitator, speaker, and presenter on Ethnic Minority, Asian American, and Filipino American psychology since 2002. He has published theoretical and empirical works on Internalized Oppression or Colonial Mentality, including Brown Skin, White Minds: Filipino -/ American Postcolonial Psychology (Information Age Publishing) and Internalized Oppression: The Psychology of Marginalized Groups (Springer Publishing), which is the first book to highlight the universality of internalized oppression, but at the same time acknowledges its unique manifestations and implications for various groups such as African Americans, Latinx Americans, Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, American Indians, Alaska Natives, women, the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender community, and people with disabilities. Dr. David’s most recent books are The Psychology of Oppression (Springer Publishing) and We Have Not Stopped Trembling Yet (SUNY Press). Dr. David is also a contributor to Psychology Today and The Huffington Post, periodically writing about the psychology of race, ethnicity, and culture.

Dr. David was the 2007 recipient of the American Psychological Association (APA) Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues (Division 45) Distinguished Student Research Award “for his significant contribution in psychological research related to ethnic minority populations.” In 2012, Dr. David was honored by the APA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) with the Early Career Award in Research for Distinguished Contributions to the Field of Racial and Ethnic Minority Psychology, citing his “outstanding scientific contributions and the application of this knowledge toward the improved mental and physical well-being of people of color.” In 2013, he was also chosen to receive the Asian American Psychological Association Early Career Award for Distinguished Contributions to Research. In 2014, he was honored by the Alaska Psychological Association with the “Cultural Humanitarian Award for Exemplary Service and Dedication to Diversity, and in 2015 he was inducted as a Fellow by the Asian American Psychological Association for “Unusual and Outstanding Contributions to Asian American Psychology.” In 2020, he was awarded by the Alaska State Legislature with an honorary citation recognizing “his scholarly body of work and contributions to life in Alaska.” Also in 2020, Dr. David was honored by the First Alaskans Institute with the Friends of First Alaskans Ted Stevens Award because he “has greatly impacted and strengthened the work of racial equity and social justice in Alaska” and for “consistently using his expansive global and local platforms to call for immigrant and Indigenous solidarity.”

 

Tony Delarosa – Racial Equity Strategist & Motivational Speaker, Miami, FL (Panelist)
EMAIL: tony.delarosa@fylpro.org; tonydelarosa513@gmail.com
Tony DelaRosa is an aspiring Anti-Bias & Anti-Racist Educator, Motivational Speaker, DEI Consultant, Poet, and overall Cultural Broker. In 2013, he co-founded Pulse Poetry, a school elective course and after school program which uses spoken word pedagogy and public speaking to empower youth voice in Indianapolis, Boston, Miami, and across the globe. He has a Masters in Teaching at Marian University and a Masters in Education with a focus on Arts Non-Profit Management from Harvard University. In 2015, because of his work with Pulse Poetry, he was invited by the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico to speak on the power and impact of Arts Education and International Exchange. He served as a Board Director of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) a 501c3 sponsored by the Ayala Foundation and Philippine Embassy to strengthen US to Philippine relations in the field of education. His work has been featured in NPR, Harvard Ed Magazine, the Smithsonian, Columbia University’s Hechinger Report, Hyphen Magazine: Asian American Unabridged and elsewhere. He’s currently working on an education series called “#ISANGBAGSAKasVERB” which focuses on cross-racial & cross-ethnic coalition building to help communities practice solidarity in action and has co-founded NYC’s first Asian American teacher support, development, and retention initiative called AATEND under NYC Men Teach, the NYC DOE, and Office of the Mayor.

 

Louella Cabalona – FYLPRO President, Chicago, IL (Panelist)
EMAIL: louella.cabalona@fylpro.org; louellarose@gmail.com
Louella Rose Cabalona is the Founder, Creative Director, Producer and Lead Singer of Filipino folk fusion band, SamaSama Project channeling her creative energies as a TV, commercial and musical theater actor with Repertory Philippines and Tanghalang Pilipino in Manila as well as Theaterworks in Singapore. She is a Senior Manager for Data and Analytics Solutions at BCBS of Illinois. An active community leader, Louella is the President of FYLPRO, the Filipino Young Leaders Program. She also serves on the board of Directors for Asian Popup Cinema, the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Chicago (PACCGC), and the Midwest Pilipino American Coalition (MPAC). She is passionate about sharing Filipino culture in the modern world and actively supports all outstanding Filipinos around the globe through her writing in Via Times News Magazine and her various advocacies.

 

Leezel Tanglao – FYLPRO Vice President, Carson, CA (Panelist)
EMAIL: leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org
Leezel is a data-driven bridge journalist at the intersection of editorial, product, audience development, business development, marketing, and sales. She is a 2019 Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) delegate and is FYLPRO’s 2021 Vice President. She is the chair of the FYLPRO COVID19 Taskforce. She is the Project Director of Tayo, a virtual help desk for Filipinos during COVID19.

 

 

 

 

Anna Marie Cruz – Founder, Entrepinayship, Los Angeles, CA (Panelist)
EMAIL: annamarie.b.cruz@gmail.com
Anna Marie is also the founder of Entrepinayship, originally a FYLPRO legacy project, which advances entrepreneurship as a vehicle for self-determination and aligned with the vision for every Filipina to realize her full potential. Anna Marie Cruz is a community economic development leader and since 2012, has been assisting minority small business owners access the resources they need to succeed. She has held roles in advising, lending, and programming at recognized organizations committed to leveling the playing field for women, entrepreneurs of color, and those from underresourced communities. She has a BA in Sociology from Cal State Long Beach and an MBA from the University of Michigan.

 

 

Allyson Tintiangco-Cubales (Panelist)
EMAIL: pepdirector@gmail.com
Dr. Tintiangco-Cubales was born and raised on land stewared by Ohlone people with parents who were immigrants from Batangas and Tarlac in the Philippines. Dr. Tintiangco-Cubales is an award-winning professor in the College of Ethnic Studies at San Francisco State University. Since 2000, she’s been teaching in the Asian American Studies Department with a focus on Filipina/x/o (American) Studies. She is also an affiliated faculty member in the Educational Leadership Doctoral Program. She has mentored hundreds of critical master’s and doctoral students who are now teaching and working in schools, colleges, and community organizations across the nation. She is also the co-founder and director of Community Responsive Education (CRE), a firm that supports youth wellness through research and the development of responsive, equitable, and justice-driven educators. She is currently providing direct support to schools, districts, counties, and organizations in San Francisco, Daly City, Oakland, Santa Clara, New York, and Baltimore. Her most recent endeavor with CRE is the development of a community responsive wellness index that will be used in schools across the nation. In 2001, she founded Pin@y Educational Partnerships (PEP), a “barangay” that focuses on providing schools with Ethnic Studies courses and curriculum, developing radical educators, and creating resources for Filipina/x/o communities and similarly marginalized people. She has worked with several school districts throughout the nation, including the San Francisco Unified School District, to co-develop Ethnic Studies, Social Justice, and Filipino Language curriculum. She is the author of four books of curriculum and numerous articles focused on the applications of critical pedagogy, Ethnic Studies curriculum, Motherscholarship, and Pinayism. Allyson coined Pinayism in 1995 and has stayed committed to developing Pinay sisterhood and she currently sits on the board of Pinayista. She also prides herself in being a “cheerleader” who supports many people to find their sacred purpose so that they can contribute to community actualization. Allyson is also currently in the Immersion DIWA program learning to use decolonial medicine to support her process toward self-love. Allyson is a loving partner to Val Tintiangco-Cubales, a phenomenal teacher and leader and the mother of Mahalaya, a prolific dancer and artist.

 

Filipino Young Leaders Program Announces 2021 Board of Directors

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Leezel Tanglao

leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org

March 15, 2021

Filipino Young Leaders Program Announces 2021 Board of Directors

The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization based in the USA with its organizational partners, the  Philippine Embassy in the United States and the Ayala Foundation, Inc., is pleased to announce its 2021–2022 Board of Directors.

The announcement comes as the organization’s elected Board of Directors and Ex-Officio Director, Joanna Duarte of Ayala Foundation, Inc strategically appointed five (5) new Directors to fulfill its commitment to build capacity and introduce programming that aims to serve their alumni and the Filipino community at large. The new leadership assume their roles immediately, taking the helm of the nonprofit FYLPRO to fulfill its mission to identify young Filipino-American leaders and reconnect them with their cultural heritage and history; provide professional development to empower them to positively impact their communities; and give them the tools and networks to nurture and grow Philippines-US relations.

“We congratulate the new board directors of FYLPRO as we look forward to working with the FYLPRO nonprofit in boosting the 75-year-old Philippines-U.S. diplomatic relations, and serving the Filipino communities in the United States in this time of great changes,” said Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez.

Executive Committee:

  • Louella Cabalona,’12, President (Chicago, IL)
  • Leezel Tanglao, ’19, Vice President (Carson, CA)
  • Jean Gavina, Secretary (Chicago, IL)
  • Fred Docdocil, ‘19, Treasurer (Carson, CA)

Board of Directors:

  • Alvin Adriano (Fort Washington, MD)
  • Sergio J. Alcubilla III, Esq., ‘19, (Honolulu, HI)
  • Mithi Aquino-Thomas (Tampa, FL)
  • Annalisa Burgos, (Honolulu, HI)
  • Jen Coliflores, Esq., ’15, (Boston, MA)
  • Mike Dahilig, ‘14 (Kauai, HI)
  • JP Ferrer,’14, (Chicago, IL)
  • Lauren Lalicon, ‘18 (New Jersey)
  • Bryan Ramos (Atlanta, GA)
  • Lakhi Siap, ’15, (Chicago, IL)

Ex Officio

  • Darell Artates, Ex Officio (Washington, DC)
  • Joanna Duarte, Ex Officio (Manila, PH)

“I am so thrilled to be working with Jean, Alvin, Mithi, Annalisa and Bryan, who are superstar community leaders themselves, along with our phenomenal group of Directors that are committed to exceeding the strategic goals we’ve set up for FYLPRO last year. Our Secretary, Jean Gavina is also an excellent addition to our Executive leadership with our Vice President Leezel Tanglao and Treasurer, Fred Docdocil.”, said President Louella Cabalona.

This is not the first time the organization is opening its doors to leaders outside of their alumni, the pool of ten to fifteen delegates selected annually to be part of their core immersion program to the Philippines since 2012 but Cabalona believes this will be integral in moving the organization forward. “The diverse set of talent and expertise this leadership brings this year offer valuable perspectives and resources in pursuing our renewed mission in the service of the global Filipino community.”

“It has been my profound honor to serve FYLPRO during the unprecedented past year,” said outgoing President Joshua Ang Price. “Despite having to cancel our 2020 event schedule, including the Alumni Summit and the annual Immersion Trip, FYLPRO was able to pivot and re-focus its efforts to support community projects to help our kababayans in the U.S. and the Philippines affected by the coronavirus.” From our creation of the COVID-19 Task Force to assist frontliners, virtual Tsismisan Talks series, US Census and voter registration efforts, and being awarded a $25,000 grant from the Booz Allen Foundation to launch the Tayo Help Desk platform, I am incredibly proud of what FYLPRO has accomplished despite the challenges created by the pandemic. I know the new leadership team under 2021 President Louella Cabalona will take the organization to even greater heights.”

About the 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

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FYLPRO Alumni Townhall

FYLPRO Alumni Town Hall

 

Join FYLPRO’s ECOM and board of directors at our alumni town hall on April 1, 2021 at 9pm ET.

We will be discussing the state of FYLPRO, upcoming programming and initiatives, amending bylaws to clarify membership and board of directors and our membership drive.

You may view the presentation here.

 

 

Video Tribute to Darell:

 

Video message from FYLPRO’s Board of Directors to #StopAsianHate #StopAAPIHate:

 

More details to come!

Filipino Young Leaders Program Helps Deliver Over 400 Meals to Filipino Community’s Seniors, Frontliners and the Unemployed Through Its Caretaker Project

For Immediate Release

Media Contact:

Leezel Tanglao

leezel.tanglao@fylpro.org

January 29, 2021

Filipino Young Leaders Program Helps Deliver Over 400 Meals to Filipino Community’s Seniors, Frontliners and the Unemployed Through Its Caretaker Project

LOS ANGELES – The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO)’s Caretaker Project helped deliver more than 400 meals to the Filipino community’s most vulnerable during the COVID19 pandemic in the past two months.

Filipino senior citizens, frontline workers and the unemployed in the Los Angeles area received meals in partnership and collaboration with Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), Mabuhay Credit Union (MCU), the Philippine Independence Day Foundation (PIDF), and the Filipino Community of Carson (FCC).

Through the collaboration with SIPA, four Filipino restaurants – Tatang in North Hollywood, Native Fields in Walnut, HiFi Kitchen and BSweet in Los Angeles delivered 200 meals at the end of December 2020 to Alexandria House and Everlasting Adult Day Care Center – which serves seniors and homeless community members.

“In this time of uncertainty, we cannot forget about our community. To help our small businesses along with boosting the residents morale, we wanted to get hot meals donated to the people who need it most during the holidays. That’s when we got the call from FYLPRO about their generous Caretaker Project,” said Dave Andrew, Business Coordinator at SIPA.

The donation program with Mabuhay Credit Union in January 2021, which was spearheaded by FYLPRO Treasurer Fred Docdocil, delivered 235 pre-packaged lunches from Manila Sunrise, Silog, and Jollibee to the medical frontliners at Harbor UCLA Medical Center in collaboration with PIDF and the FCC.

According to Docdocil, “it was truly a privilege to have the opportunity to be able to get the community together and amplify our attempts to honor the fearless frontliners at Harbor UCLA, who are doing so much during a global pandemic, while also supporting Filipino restaurants.” 

Through a Booz Allen Foundation Innovation Grant, FYLPRO’s Caretaker Project launched in October 2020 with Tayo – a virtual help desk to connect Filipinos with vital, culturally relevant services such as wellness resources and legal assistance; debunk misinformation and warn against fraud and scams; and improve collection of data to better serve the community. 

In addition, the Caretaker Project supports direct care to the Filipino community’s most vulnerable social groups — seniors, frontline workers, and the unemployed – through this meal initiatives in collaboration with local organizations.

“While hopeful we’re at the tail end of this pandemic with COVID vaccines rolling out, we must continue supporting our healthcare heroes on the frontlines who are bearing a financial, emotional, and health burden during this ongoing crisis,” said FYLPRO President Louella Cabalona. “I applaud the efforts of our community partners, our volunteers and our alumni in providing aid and services to members of our community, through the Caretaker Project and other initiatives, during this extraordinarily difficult time. May their generosity inspire many others in the future.”

About The Caretaker Project

The Caretaker Project was developed by FYLPRO’s COVID-19 Task Force, which is chaired by FYLPRO Vice President, project director, and spokesperson Leezel Tanglao. Project leadership also includes FYLPRO alum Tiffany Batac, who serves as project manager, as well as product manager Dexter Ligot-Gordon, project operations coordinator Pia Besmonte and product designer Jiggy Villanueva, all of whom lend their talents from Kalibrr, Southeast Asia’s highest rated job search application. FYLPRO alums Krystle Canare serves as the project’s Fellowship Director, Donny Rojo serves as Product Advisor, TJ Simba-Medel serves as Creative Consultant and Risk Mitigator, Mark Calaguas serves as Product Counsel, Dr. Melissa Palma serves as Medical Advisor and volunteer Jobel Vecino serves as Special Projects coordinator.

FYLPRO alums Joshua Ang Price, Fred Docdocil, Brian Tajo, Ireneo Reus and Kit Furukawa round out the Caretaker Project team.

More information on FYLPRO and the Caretaker Project is available at fylpro.org.

About the FYLPRO COVID-19 Task Force

In response to the ongoing crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, FYLPRO formed the COVID-19 Task Force in April 2020 to tackle the specific needs of Filipinos in the diaspora and back home. As part of the formation of this task force, the COVID-19 Relief Fund was created to support these efforts. 

The FYLPRO COVID-19 Task Force is looking to identify other opportunities for collaboration both in the United States and the Philippines. If you are aware of potential partner organizations or prospective beneficiaries for FYLPRO’s COVID-19 regional relief program, please complete our information request form. Donations to the FYLPRO COVID-19 Relief Fund are also being accepted at fylpro.org/support. For additional questions, please email covidresponse@fylpro.org.

About the 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.

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FYLPRO Fellows to host Together sa Tayo community event

For Immediate Release 

January 16, 2021

Media Contact: 

Krystle Canare

krystle.canare@fylpro.org

Filipino Young Leaders Program Fellows to Host Together sa Tayo community event 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is holding a virtual, interactive community event, Together sa Tayo, as a way to celebrate the new year and come together, virtually, during the pandemic. Together sa Tayo is a culminating event spearheaded by FYLPRO’s outgoing fellows, eight talented Filipinx students and young professionals from across the nation. 

The January 16 event aims to celebrate FYLPRO’s Caretaker Project Tayo Help desk, the power and impact of the community in combatting COVID-19, and what lies ahead for the Caretaker Project. The evening will feature open mic performances, interactive games with prizes, and highlights from the Tayo Help Desk since its launch this past Fall. 

Together sa Tayo

Saturday, January 16th, 2021

9:00pm Eastern Standard Time 

8:00pm Central Standard Time

6:00pm Pacific Standard Time

4:00pm Hawaii Standard Time

10:00am Manila Time

Register herehttp://bit.ly/TogethersaTayo

Open mic sign-up: tinyurl.com/tayoopenmic

Questions: Krystle.Canare@fylpro.org 

 

The FYLPRO Fellows

  Name: Cristina De La Cruz

Year/Major: 3rd year, Stanford University

LinkedIn

 

                                                  Name: Kristen Del Pilar

Year/Major: 3rd year, University of California, Los Angeles

LinkedIn

  Name: Sarah Mae Dizon

Year/School: 3rd Year, George Mason University

Journo | LinkedIn |Twitter | Instagram

  Name: Nichole V. Dungo 

Year/School: Spring 2020 Graduate, University of California, Irvine 

LinkedIn

  Name: Reanna Mae Felix

Year/Major: 1st Year, Dominican University of California

Linkedin

  Name: Kathleen Frejoles

Year/School:  4th Year, University of Maryland, College Park

 

  Name: Maileen Mamaradlo

Year/School:  4th Year, San Jose State University

LinkedIn

  Name: Justine Suegay (she/her),

Year/School:  Spring 2020 Graduate, George Mason University

LinkedIn

  Name: Shiela Mae Wong Valerio

Year/School: 3rd year, University of California, Santa Barbara

LinkedIn | Instagram | Pre-Med Blog

 

About 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 

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