|
Ugnayan Meeting
Jan 25, 2010
6pm-8pm
Facilitator: FilSTAR, Jeff Rice
& Chera Amlag
Agenda:
Attendees:
Jeff Rice, Chera
Amlag, Bill Simpson, Aurora Turla, Efren Pascua, Gloria Adams, Minnie Labonete
Erickson, Kristine Kanno, Art Ceriza, Maria Batayola, Esther Simpson, Bert
Caoili, Ciony Caoili, Eddie Abellera, Katrina Pestano, Francisco Irigon, Alma
Kern
1. Domestic Violence -
APIWFSC is looking for a new executive director. 2. Save the Date - March 4, 2010
Vigil .
3.Finance Report by Art
Ceniza - Times are still tough. Companies such as Walmart, Erickson announced
lay offs. When the economy is down, there are lower profits, thus smaller
organizations. New Mayor McGinn just started a “task force” to investigate lay
offs for managerial positions in the city. McGinn is also hosting a citizen
budget workshop this Sunday. Stock market is holding steady. Seattle housing
market is decent relative to the rest of the county. The first time homebuyers
tax credit is available until June 2010. This tax credit has helped keep
housing sales up. Retail sales were up 3.5 points this past December. Best time to invest. However, employment is
not improving much. Unemployment continues to rise. Be cautiously optimistic.
4.
Education by Minnie
Labonete Erickson, FAEW - FAEW has been busy since the beginning of the school
year. Met with State Superintendent Randy Dorn this past October and discussed
concerns/issues regarding Filipino youth. There is a big gap between Filipino
and other SE Asian youth. HS drop out rates continue to be high. Last week,
FAEW met with Seattle city council member Betty Patu and discussed same issues
regarding Fil youth. FAEW will be meeting this week on Thur, Jan 28th at 5pm
with Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johnson. Please join
FAEW in school board meetings as well to discuss new school zone plans. FAEW is currently busy with Pagdiriwang
- Excellence in Education, Literacy and Musical contest, Gloria Award, and
Scholarship through Barber’s family donation. Lastly, FAEW will be holding
their annual fundraising event on March 12th at China Buffet - $25 per person,
half goes to FAEW.
5. Health and Heathcare by
Esther Simpson - A new republican senator from Boston was recently elected. His
addition to the senate may water down the health care bill or die all together.
The swine flu is dwindling in numbers. However, there are still a lot of
vaccines through DOH. Be sure to get your swine flu shot. Children and
teenagers are more at-risk.
6. Kultura, a monthly event is held at the FCC every third Friday. Previous
themes have been “Frayed” - horror film, Arts and Crafts, and Emerging Writers.
The last event on Emerging Artists had 30 audience members and talented young
writers from Youth Speaks, Richard
Hugo House, and Youngstown Performing Arts Center. Please get the word out about
the next Kultura on Friday, Feb 19th with Pinay Sa Seattle and FCS. The theme
is on domestic violence.
7.
Immigration - Nothing
is happening until the Health Care reform is done. OneAmerica has been active
to put on workshops regarding immigration.
8.Veterans A lot of veterans have already received their one time lump sum
payment, while some have passed. The deadline to apply for benefits is Feb
10th. Veterans are encouraged to submit a partial application even if they
don’t have all the paperwork so it can be submitted before the deadline.
Hopefully, now the re-unification bill can be worked on. It’s already been
introduced into the House. There’s talk about a campaign to allow wives of vets
who have passed away to also receive benefits. However, knowing the economy
don’t know if this will happen. Esther is working with Gloria Adams and Sluggo
Rigor on writing about vets in Pamana III.
9.
FACES coordinated with other organizations of color to
submit a paper? on the importance of race and social justice issues within the
City. The mayor wants to cut 200 management positions. Keep an eye out and
engaged in the issues because there are Filipino empoyees classified as
managers even though they help create policies.
10. Feb
8th - API Reception for McGinn. Email Frank Irigon or Maria Batayola if you
want to attend.
11. The
Pamana III project is underway. The book will be 9 1/2 by 13 1/2 wide
landscape. The time period will be from 2000-2009. It will be a coffee book
with pictures and inclusive to different topics and writers from the greater
Seattle at large. Families, organizations, individuals are encouraged to
purchase a page. Each page is $300. Half page and quarter page “ads” are also
available. New Editor in Chief Bert Caoili
12 .Katrina Pestano was introduced as the new FilSTAR
youth program Coordinator. She interviewed last week and her first day is
today. She will have consistent hours at
the FCC and will be coordinating a new grant from the City of Seattle
Neighborhood Matching Fund called “Southend Pipeline to Success” mentorship
program along with the Saturday Academic Program. Katrina shared her background
and values she brings tot he FCS. The mentorship program will be a layered
mentorship program including college students and young professional mentoring
high school students, and high school students mentoring middle school
students. The high school students will receive up to $1,000 for their
services, thus providing work opportunities for our youth. The kick off event
for this program will be on Feb 18th at the FCC from 6pm-8pm.
FAEW expressed their willingness
and commitment to support and collaborate with FilSTAR and described the
importance of partnering up with teachers when offering youth programs. Gloria
Adams also shared her experience with a similar tutoring/mentoring program 10
years ago that was successful. She mentioned that offering a stipend to youth
helped retain them in the program. FAEW invited Katrina to meet with them and
attend the meeting with Seattle Superintendent Maria Goodloe-Johson this Thurs,
Jan 28th. Katrina will attend.
FilSTAR also expressed their
interest in partnering with different community individuals and organizations
and explained how partnerships is necessary in the success of the program.
Ugnayan members present showed great support and offered different contact who
may be helpful in our programming: Butch Castro (UW Prof of Nursing), FLOW,
Fil-American Engineers c/o Baby Turla, Boeing Company (Dwight D. Manaca), Art
(financial literacy), Efren (Hands on Banking), Filipinos of Microsoft, LEAP,
etc.
FilSTAR will be emailing further
information regarding programs.
Announcements:
-
IDIC: New President
Eddie Abellera is re-structuring IDIC in all policies. They went to Olympia to
speak on House Bill 1816 because IDIC is looking into vacated schools as a
possible site. IDIC is working on strategic planning for the next 5 years,
creating alliances, code of ethics. IDIC also wants to have satellite offices
in the North end and is currently looking for funding.
-
Maria Batayola asked
how the community can support. Talks of sits ins in vacated schools with
elderly was had. Gloria Adams mentioned how she is happy that we are in the
company of people with some sort of activism. Maria B. will send APIC agenda
for Feb 4th. There will be a Filipino contingent traveling by bus to Olympia.
IDIC will already be there. IDIC is an issue to discuss with legislatures
during APIC. THe bus is leaving at 8am on time.
-
Frank Irigion is
scheduled to travel to Washington DC next month for NAPAFASA. Let him know
about issues you want him to present.
-
How to survive economic
crisis - Feb 6th 10am-12pm @ FCC- Let’s Get Smart Series.
-
Feb 11th - Meet with
Director of Washington State Office
USDA Rural Dev’t @ El Centro de la Raza. Filipino farmers are having a
hard time accessing capital to continue growing our food.
Next months Ugnayan
Meeting is on Mon, Feb 22nd. Topic is on Census - 6-8pm. See you all there!
|