Feel Good Friday - National Federation of Filipino American Associations
Kristian Ruggieri
Technical Training Leader | Program Manager | Facilitator | Improviser
October is Filipino American History Month, a perfect time to learn about the work being done by the National Federation of Filipino American Associations.
Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) is “the largest national Filipino American organization, aimed to promote active participation in civic and national affairs.”
The first Filipinos in the Americas arrived in Morro Bay, California in 1587. Today there are over 4.2 million?Filipinos across the United States and NaFFAA wants to serve as their voice. The mission of NaFFAA is to “promote the welfare and well-being of Filipinos and Filipino Americans throughout the United States by amplifying their voices, advocating on behalf of their interests, and providing resources to facilitate their empowerment.”
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This work is organized around four pillars. National Advocacy centers on immigration reform, recognition for Filipino veterans, an anti-hate crimes task force, and promoting small business and financial education. Leadership Development engages and empowers the next generation of Filipino American leaders at various leadership summits and conferences. Civic Engagement encourages participation in politics through voting or running for office. The final pillar, Advancing Filipino Culture, celebrates - you guessed it - Filipino culture, arts and entertainment.
While leadership forums and gala nights bring people together on an annual basis, there are more activities being done at a local level. NaFFAA has thirteen-member regions that cover the continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, Guam and the Pacific Islands. You can check this map to see who the region presidents are and find out how to get involved in your local chapter.
If you’d like to see NaFFAA achieve their vision of Filipino American communities that are culturally, economically, and politically empowered and engaged, you can support them with a donation. To stay in the loop with current events and help amplify their message, follow the National Federation of Filipino American Associations on Facebook and Instagram.