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| Washington DC - Rallying for increased advocacy and tangible impact on policymaking, Filipina community leaders from across the US gathered in the nation's capital last week for the Filipina Women's Network's (FWN) 5th Annual Filipina Summit, a three-day event that aimed to accelerate the organization's vision for Filipinas to take on leadership roles. The Oct. 25-27 conference, which bannered the theme "Filipina Voices: Changing the Face of Power in America," was a fitting culmination to an eight-month nationwide search for the 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the US and coincides with the celebration of Filipino Heritage Month. The awardees were picked from a list of over 200 nominees, from Arizona to Washington DC, in six categories: founders and pioneers, policymakers and visionaries, innovators and thought leaders, builders and emerging leaders, behind the scenes leaders, and "Nicole." The Nicole category was inspired by a young Filipina, identified only by this name, who was raped by a US Marine deployed to the Philippines in the 2005 joint war exercises. Three other US soldiers accused in the highly publicized case were acquitted for lack of evidence. Filipina visibility The summit's opening session at the Rayburn House building set the tone of the gathering, where speakers challenged the delegates to step forward and become advocates. Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance co-founder and executive director Gloria Caoile said Filipina women need to be present at policymaking tables to help bring the Filipino community's agenda, among them equity for surviving World War II veterans and affordable housing and medical care, to the forefront. "Our agenda parallels America. We want our communities to be safe, our young adults to be free from drugs, crime and violence. We want good educational institutions so that our kids can compete in the global economy. We want our families to be stable, free from domestic abuse, gainfully employed, healthy and contented," Caoile said. "When you trigger something, you start a motion that then goes on to bigger and better things. Don't stop believing in yourself. Don't stop believing that you can make great contributions. And for heaven's sake, don't let anybody intimidate you. Don't let anybody make you shy away from standing on a podium and saying what you want to say," she told delegates. Caoile said Filipinas in the US should exercise their right to vote at every opportunity so that they are not shortchanging themselves, their families and communities. "Access equals influence, influence equals power. If our communities vote, we count," Caoile said. Caoile, co-founder of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA), was also formerly a member of the White House Commission of Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs. Short of becoming lobbyists, Caoile urged Filipina women to be leaders and organizers to influence legislation, such as those pushing for fair immigration policies and equal rights, so that benefits can flow down to the Filipino community. By being connected, Caoile said, Filipinos in the US can become more effective and strategic. The summit included a tour of the US Capitol to meet members of Congress and a visit to the White House. Marily Monderjar, FWN president, said the time is right for Filipina women to translate awareness into action. She said the conference's emphasis on public policy was inspired by four FWN members who ran for office last year and won. Beyond voting, Mondejar said the FWN is pushing for Filipina women to get actively involved in writing policies and crafting of legislation. "We are moving into a level wherein we know that if we get involved on matters that affect our lives like legislation, then we need to go there. I think we are ready to do that as a community," she said. "We need to keep this awareness alive." In the session "Run Filipina Run," three Filipina Americans spoke on how they joined the political arena and the difficulties they hurdled to get elected into office. Lumpia campaign For Ruth Uy Asmundson, mother of six and Mayor Pro Tempore of the City of Davis in California, the road to politics began with countless Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and school board meetings where she networked with a lot of people. Asmundson's flair for cooking and hosting parties where the famous "lumpia" was a staple also added to her popularity, which served as her stepping stone to break into politics. Asmundson was first elected into the city council in 2002 and won a second term in 2006. "I never had problems raising funds because people came to me," Asmundson said. While married to a man who was a seasoned politician himself, former Davis mayor Vigfus Asmundson, she said she makes her own decisions. Third-termer Hawaii State Representative (District 42) Rida Cabanilla walked summit delegates down the campaign process, stressing on the importance of financial preparedness, time management, a well defined strategy and name recognition. "Just imagine yourself that you've entered a war and you have to do everything to win," Cabanilla said. "You have to think like a winner and act like a winner." Cabanilla said it is important for Filipinas who are eyeing a career in politics to be visible, start developing alliances and equip themselves with the right information, such as an updated voters list, to touch base with constituents. For Cabanilla, a registered nurse, meeting with fellow nurses and letting them know of her political ambitions was the first step. "Running for office is a humbling experience. You have to convince voters to vote for you in two minutes. You're not challenging anybody except yourself. You race against yourself," she added. On the other hand, Kris Valderrama, District 26 delegate to Prince George's County, Maryland, grew up in an environment of politics. Valderrama's father, David Valderrama, was former Maryland delegate who introduced her to the rollercoaster ride of campaigning for public office at a young age. "Pursuing public office is not for your own interest but for the community. Make sure you're up for the challenge," she said. Valderrama said it is important for the Filipino community to "stick together" when a "kababayan" (compatriot) is seeking election rather than compete against each other. "There are only a few of us to begin with," she said, adding that in order to build a stronger community that can wield influence on policymaking, Filipinos must work together and get more involved. The FWN also held separate discussions on political and legislative advocacy, entrepreneurship, academia and activism, crafting the Filipina image in America and the role of the Filipino youth. FWN's Mondejar said the organization saw the need to develop a new generation of Filipina leaders and the only way to achieve that is to identify Filipinas who have made a mark in their communities, from politics to business, to serve as mentors. Mondejar said FWN pored over some 3,000 documents sent in by mail by nominators all over the US. "We should have launched a list of one million most influential Filipina women," Mondejar said during the gala night to honor the awardees at the Grand Hyatt Washington hotel in DC. Among those on hand to toast the awardees were Ambassador Willy Gaa and wife Erlinda, NaFFAA board of trustees chair Loida Nicolas Lewis and Rep. Mika Honda, a strong advocate of the Filipino Veterans Equity Act still pending in Congress. Instead of walking to the stage for the presentation of awards, the awardees held hands and formed a circle inside the ballroom to a standing ovation by some 200 guests. |
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