Filipinos in Boston Kickoff Event

Last month, we hosted a kickoff event for the newly formed Filipinos in Boston organization. It's a way to connect the vibrant Filipino community here back to its home nation. Going forward, we're hoping to schedule regular events to share our culture and also put together a concentrated philanthropic effort to help those in need in the Philippines. I’m happy to report the meeting was a success and we're all looking forward to what happens next! I wanted to share this summary with you, so you can keep up with what we're doing.

After a catered cocktail hour, the night's emcee, local NBC news anchor Frances Rivera, officially opened the meeting with a touching, personal account of embracing her heritage. She grew up in the predominantly white suburbs of Dallas, Texas, resenting her "differences." It wasn't until she spent five years studying at the University of the Philippines that she was able to understand and celebrate her own, unique culture.

Frances' sentiments inspired me to share some informal remarks about my own upbringing. I tried to emphasize the importance of making connections within the Boston-area Filipino community in order to give back to the Philippines, and also to help teach the younger generations of Filipino-Americans about their heritage, encouraging them to understand and embrace their culture. 

Victoria Garchitorena, president of Ayala Foundation USA, introduced the non-profit's history and impact, spotlighting its Gearing Up Internet Literacy and Access for Students (GILAS) program, which brings the internet and computers into classrooms throughout the Philippines. At the end of the evening, the group decided to create a Boston chapter of Ayala Foundation USA, joining nine other AF-USA chapters around the country. The group will create more events and activities to celebrate Filipino heritage and support Ayala's philanthropic efforts in the Philippines.

And the final speaker of the evening was Dr. Victoria Herrera, who is a professor of medicine at Boston University and part of the Child Protection Unit (CPU). She showed a touching video that highlighted CPU's work to stop child abuse and aid abused children in 20 provinces throughout the Philippines—a very worthy cause.

This meeting was just the first step in an exciting direction for Boston's Filipino community. I can't wait to see what's in store from this dynamic group!