Dealing with rebellious children amidst a drug epidemic in the 1980s, Corazon “Cora” Basa Cortes Tomalinas knew she had to do something or lose her children for good.
She lived in a seedy part of San Jose where drugs and gangs were prevalent. Her daughter fell victim to the surroundings, and began using drugs.
Rather than falling victim or letting someone else take care of the problem, Tomalinas decided to do it herself. Tomalinas took the first step to community involvement.
“Community service is one of the most important factors when it comes to bettering society,” she wrote in a blog for the White House.
“Through my own experiences and observations, I have come to support and believe in the power of community service.”
Honored by Pres. Obama
For her work with the community that has spanned 30 years, Tomalinas is being honored by President Barack Obama as one of a dozen leaders named “Champions of Change.” The Champions of Change initiative launched last year and is aimed to highlight the personal stories of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders across the country, who have made an impact in their community through their dreams, experiences, and dedication to a cause.
The Champions of Change represent the millions of Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders who are making a difference in their community, many of whom continue to make a difference, without being formally recognized.
That nascent beginning, joining People Acting in Community Together (PACT) in the 1980s was the first step in her crusade to prevent violence and drug use in the community.
Tomalinas, a Fil-Am originally from Agoo, La Union province, is a registered nurse, who has been described as the “heartbeat” and lead community activist behind the Mayors Gang Prevention Task Force (MGPTF) in San Jose.
She is also a commissioner for First 5 Santa Clara County, an organization dedicated to serving, nurturing and protecting children.
Tomalinas said she became active in the community because she came across a harsh reality early on when asking for help.
“…Although I may know how to knock on doors for help, no doors existed for us,” she wrote. “It was disheartening but I was not going to let anything create a barrier towards saving our children and through faith and love, I set out to create doors that at one time never existed.”
She said during that time violence and drug use was all too prevalent in the community and many of the victims were children — even her own.
Through PACT, the organization bonded together and developed leaders to hold elected officials and authorities accountable for the well being of the communities they serve. The organization formed partnerships with the mayor, church, residents, police and sheriff departments and other local authorities; and founded programs that “treats offenders with justice.”
“Justice brings forth opportunities for change and transformation through services that encourage a change of heart for the youth offenders,” she wrote.
White House officials commended Tomalinas for her work with the community during the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention held last April.
“Through this tremendously difficult experience, [Tomalinas] found her life’s calling,” said Valerie Jarrett, senior adviser to President Barack Obama, according to Nimfa U. Rueda’s article in Inquirer.net.
“Guided by her faith, she has spent three decades helping to protect young people. Cora understands that while the work starts small, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, we have the ability, and the responsibility, to change our country,” Jarrett added.
Jon Carson, director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, called her and the other “Champion of Change” honorees as “true champions for their communities and our country.”
Awards and recognition
Tomalinas is no stranger to awards and recognition, although the White House Champion of Change may top the billing. According to her bio, Tomalinas has received numerous community awards, including California Women of the Year Award (2000), George Shirakawa Award for Outstanding Service to the Community (1999), the Franklin-McKinley School District Community Service Award (1987-2000), the Martin Luther King Good Neighbor Award (1996), and the Outstanding Women of Silicon Valley Award (1996).
Looking ahead
The future is bright but the work is not done yet.
Violence and drug use are still all too prevalent in communities across the nation and it’s up to us, as a community, to prevent them from happening, she said.
“Today, we embark on an exciting journey once again, to embrace our faith in community,” she wrote. “We will address our challenges of youth violence and the impact on our families and community by working together as a smart team.”
“Adults in our community will need to be more visible as role models of love and justice. As a community, we must be accountable for keeping the US as the greatest country in the world for our children,” Tomalinas added.
(With a report from Nimfa U. Rueda – US West Coast Correspondent/Inquirer.net)
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Weekend April 7-10, 2012 Sec A pg.10)
