This commentary first came out as an e-mail that was forwarded by Melissa Nolledo-Christoffels, from NaFFAA Region 7, to the Fil-Am Network yahoo group sometime in 2005. Greg B. Macabenta is NaFFAA’s former National Vice Chair (August 2002 - October 2006). We are reprinting Greg’s comments as a reminder and a reality check about NaFFAA’s evolution as an organization.
Good reading for NaFFAA’s prospective members and a healthy review for the seasoned members. There’s plenty of room for like-minded, collaborative Filipino Americans in NaFFAA Region 8. After all, Northern California is perceived to be NaFFAA’s “Ground Zero.” The place where there is no such thing as “We can’t do it!” A region where many of NaFFAA’s leaders have been coached and trained to make the Filipino Consciousness Movement a reality. Where “thinking outside the box” is not the mindset because there is no box to limit us from making our dreams and hopes come true in the American landscape of empowerment.
ON THE VALUE OF NaFFAA
A Commentary by Greg Macabenta, National Vice Chair of NaFFAA
For the NaFFAA Regions
WHO AND WHAT WE ARE:
“The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is a private, non-profit, non-partisan tax-exempt organization established in 1997 to promote the welfare and well-being of all Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States.”
WHAT WE HAVE SET OUT TO DO:
“NaFFAA’s primary objectives include: Promoting active participation of Filipino Americans in civic and national affairs and in all other aspects of mainstream America.”
Greg: The fact that we are now being invited to Capitol and White House discussions on national issues and are being listened to by various mainstream sectors is an indication that we have begun to achieve this objective. Still a long way to go, but we have begun to go there.
“Promoting awareness of Filipino American contributions to social, economic, cultural and political life in the United States.”
Greg: The first level of awareness that was required, from the outset, was an awareness of ourselves as a community. Before NaFFAA, we hardly knew each other. Today, we have become good friends and co-workers, proud to realize that there are many achievers among us who are contributing to the socio-political, cultural and economic life of this country. However, while we have become more aware of our role in our respective communities, we need to make the mainstream more aware of this as well. In this respect, some of us are faring better than others. But overall, many things have happened. Still a long way to go, but we have begun to go there.
“Securing social justice, equal opportunity and fair treatment of Filipino Americans through advocacy and legislative and policy initiatives at all levels of government.”
Greg: Surely, what we did for the Texas 20, with the leadership of Gus Mercado, and the efforts we have exerted on behalf of the veterans and what we in California did in the CalPERS case are indications that we have tried to achieve this objective. Still many things to be done (like winning the Vets equity struggle), but we have not been standing still.
(more…)
FAIR GO FOR FILIPINO EMPOWERMENT!
We have a new judge!
This perspective was developed as a result of intense discussions among Ben Menor, Terry Acebo Davis, Bren Bataclan, Cheryl Platon, and Lorna Dietz on July-August 2002 while the group was preparing for NaFFAA’s 5th Empowerment Conference at the DoubleTree Hotel, San Jose, California on August 28 to August 30, 2002.
