SF

Carrying the legacy of Filipino indigenous knowledge

Thursday, 29 October 2009 00:56 Malou Liwanag-Aguilar | AJPress San Francisco

(5 votes, average: 4.80 out of 5)

Carrying the legacy of Filipino indigenous knowledge

The Center for Babaylan Studies hosts the 1st International Babaylan Conference in 2010

MANY of us here in the United States may not have heard the term, babaylan, and even if we did, we wouldn’t know what it means. The Center for Babaylan Studies (CFBS) was organized in order to work with others, dedicated to the path of the Babaylan. Headed by its Project Director Leny Strobel, who is an Associate Professor in American Multicultural Studies at Sonoma State University, the center was created after more than five years of research and discovery to continue the exploration and illumination of Babaylan indigenous wisdom and spirit toward the empowerment and healing of individuals and communities. Strobel also sees the center as a container for future collaborative projects, research and discussions that could bring the Babaylan tradition out of the rubble of the colonial lahar it is buried in. But what, and who is exactly a Babaylan?

Unity Tour concert provides great music, laughs and heartwarming moments

Thursday, 29 October 2009 00:48 Joseph Peralta | AJPress San Francisco

Leave it to Kuh Ledesma and company to satisfy the appetites of concertgoers in Northern California.

The Unity Tour made its stop in the Southbay last Tuesday, October 2, and despite being scheduled on a weekday, an estimated crowd of 3,000 gathered at the Jubilee Center in San Jose to catch the Pop Diva and her co-stars in a highly entertaining show that had people riveted, in stitches and saying "Amen!".

United in celebrating Philippine culture

Wednesday, 21 October 2009 23:07 Malou Liwanag-Aguilar | AJPress

(1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5)

United in celebrating Philippine culture

Skyline College’s Kababayan Program hails the Filipino spirit with the performances of Barangay Dance Company and Kababayan Dance Troupe.

ONE of the ways to be one in learning a culture is through dance and music. The melodies and movements bring a person to a heightened learning experience, making it easier to connect with his roots.

Such is the Kababayan Program at Skyline College goal—0to be able to reach out to not only their students, but to the community. A transfer and community support program at Skyline College, Kababayan focuses on the Filipino and Filipino-American student experience, which includes cultural experiences and community service. The program also aims to create a feeling of campus affiliation for students and motivate students to learn about their culture.

Books and a Whole Lot of Heart

Wednesday, 07 October 2009 22:22 Malou Liwanag-Aguilar | AJPress

(1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5)

Books for the Barrios reaches out to Filipino school children across the seas.

IT took a while before I finally got the chance to sit down with Nancy Harrington, President and Executive Director of Books for the Barrios. Exchanging e-mails for almost a month, Nancy insisted that I go to their warehouse and see their operations, instead of doing the interview over the phone. And when I did, I realized how important it was to be there.

For 24 years, Nancy and her husband, Dan Harrington ran Books for Barrios from an old warehouse in Concord. Founded in 1981 by US Navy families who were stationed in the Philippines, the program at present has distributed millions of books throughout the Philippines, built school libraries, trained teachers and established 46 "Model of Excellence" schools.

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Young Filipino Professionals Associationssociation (YFPA)Making connections

Thursday, 01 October 2009 01:02 Malou Liwanag-Aguilar | AJPress

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(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

EXPERTS agree that networking is worth your time and effort. Socially, this is proven with the surge and success of numerous social networking sites in cyberspace such as Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn. However, networking goes beyond to just meeting friends and building personal relationships. It also offers another avenue to reach professionals, possibly for business and employment, as well as make people more active in their community.
The Young Filipino Professionals Association (YFPA) is one such organization that embraces the idea and importance of networking. Launched in 2002 as a collaborative forum for Filipino-American professionals, YFPA was started by three classmates from the University of San Francisco – Neil Baquiran, Greg Montemayor and Roselle Rapadas. Recognizing the need for a Fil-Am professional group in the San Francisco Bay Area that could create and support professional networking, educational and community service activities, YFPA was a forum to connect and collaborate.
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