"I thought we were going to die on that slab of concrete. The concrete we were on would not be dry by the morning. We would all be swimming for our lives in the dark for miles until we hit dry road. I had done reports about how first responders couldn't come to people's rescue because they couldn't get to where they were. Many rescues had to wait until the morning. I called 911.
Although Harvey has left Houston, the devastating aftermath remains. Love and support have been pouring in from all over, but we still have a long road to recovery. Our Houston community partners, Asian Pacific American Advocates (OCA) and other organizations, have come together to establish the Harvey AAPI Community Relief Fund.
On August 1, the new Executive Board of Pilipino American Unity for Progress, Inc.’s (UniPro) New York chapter began their one-year term. Appointed by the Board of Directors of the organization, Christine Sicwaten will lead the chapter as President, along with Anthony Castro as Vice President and Kristina London as Secretary.
Rarely do we make spaces of meaningful discussion and reflection with our parents and our children, and with the birth of newer technologies and struggles accelerating, this becomes harder to achieve. UniPro dedicated a space for dialogue between generations and bridging the gap to build a stronger, more empowered Filipino America.
UniPro Summit 2017: “Persist” was inspired by the heightened awareness of the cultural, political, and social justice issues that have arisen in our communities. While there is no easy answer on how to address or solve the issues that our Pilipino American communities face, UniPro is making a commitment to centering these conversations and stories of social change through UniPro Summit 2017.
A discussion among UniPro staff members about The Atlantic's recent piece, "My Family's Slave," the cover story for the June 2017 issue.
UniPro and SIFA are excited to bring together Filipino student leaders from Texas and Oklahoma for a one-day professional conference to share parts of their journey and learn about identity, empowerment, and legacy by finding the commonalities in their past, and leading them to understanding where they belong in the future.
On Wednesday, February 15, 2017, organizations serving the Asian American community held a press conference in response to the recent wave of immigration enforcement raids and executive orders by the new president. Gathered at the New York Immigration Coalition, community leaders spoke out on resulting atmosphere of fear and uncertainty in their communities.
In a major victory for the residents and businesses of Woodside, Community Board 2’s Land Use Committee voted unanimously on the evening of January 18 to reject the application of developers to expand and build a six-story 2,000-person capacity megachurch and parking lot in Woodside's "Little Manila" neighborhood.
A reflection of all that has been accomplished in UniPro's New York chapter in 2016, written by Stephanie Chrispin, President of UniPro NY. 2016 has been eventful, challenging, and fruitful, and we thank so many who have supported us, and look forward to continuing our work in 2017! Progress starts here.
What a long road it’s been to get where we’re at right now. While we had our official launch event in April, the initial talks of having a Midwest UniPro chapter happened over a year prior. It took many months of recruiting, community polling, and event planning to ensure that there was even a spot for us among the other great organizations in the region, and that we’d have the capacity to meet the goals we envisioned.
UniPro has made significant progress across the country in our communities in 2016. Despite the numerous events, twists, and turns that have taken place throughout the year, UniPro's work never stopped, and only continued towards realizing one unified and engaged Pilipino America. Our Board Chairperson, Iris Zalun, reflects on all the work that has been done throughout our chapters across the nation.
I do not even know where to start. Coming from the Midwest, I have had the privilege to attend 3 conferences: Unseen Unheard, Filipino Americans Coming Together, and Midwest Filipino American Summit. These three conferences as well as the people who coordinated them have not only become some of my biggest role models but my best friends. It was these experiences that have contributed to my growth both as a leader within my community and as a first generation Filipino American.
Did recent college grad Amanda think that attending UniPro Summit would be integral to setting up a staged reading in New York four years later? 2016 Amanda can confidently say: no, she sure didn’t. As a friend once told me, “It’s not always one big dramatic decision you make and your life changes – it’s all the micro-choices you make day-to-day.” To that I also add, it’s a grateful spirit and our bayanihan, open to possibility and eager to help, that sets our lives and art in motion.
