Filipino American Council of Ventura County

Our Tagalog translated COVID PSA posters and fliers are being distributed to local FilAm businesses! Thank you to Ayn DeVera of Inner Soulstice Wellness in Ventura and Hoy Lara for heading this campaign and teaming up with the FilAm Council to disseminate this great information! #venturacountyrecovers #covid19 #filam805

The Filipino Community of Ventura County, Inc. (FCVCI) held there Induction of Officers on Sunday, February 14, 2021 - Virtually. Ms. Jenniffer Gundayao, Retired Captain Navy Human Resource Community and former Salutes participant - Class of 1986 was the Inducting Officer. Congratulations to the newly inducted officers of FCVCI - ... President: Sonia Armedilla Vice President: Charleen Morla-Garcia Secretary: Julie Valencerina Treasurer: Alma Okui Auditor: Irene Austria Parliamentarian: Grace David Tuazon Sargent-At-Arms: Glende Hebert and Frank Manusca PRO: Jermarie Dizon and Noah Tyler Ratley Chaplain: Brian Rivera Historian: Ruth Bautista Costello BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman of the Board: Buddy Valencerina Angie Basila Cora Ortiguerra Evelyn Agena Besina Ed Austria Ed Edgardo Dimalanta Violeta Dimalanta Bea Gan Julia Carrillo Macasieb Ruth Bautista Costello Brian Rivera

A special thank you to FACVC Officers Melanie Rosal Caliboso, Sheryl Rosal Pacion, Marli Mactal Sacolles, Melodie Mactal, Sonia Armedilla, and Charleen Morla Garcia for showing their love for others through their generous act of giving.

One of the many words that would describe the Filipino culture is superstitious. No matter the occasion, Filipinos have certain traditions that, they believe, would bring them good luck and prosperity. Below are some of the more popular New Year’s Eve traditions that Filipinos have maintained to welcome the coming year with more optimism and hope for prosperity and happiness. 1. Media Noche One of the most valued Filipino New Year traditions because this is the time where... family members are complete. 2. Wearing polka dots This Philippines New Year tradition is believed to bring prosperity and wealth because of the polka dots that represent coins. 3. Jumping high at 12 midnight Filipinos do this as they believe it will make them taller. 4. Making loud noises. A lot of it This Filipino New Years tradition is believed to drive away bad luck and evil spirits. 5. Preparing 12 round fruits for good luck These 12 round fruits are believed to bring good luck for the whole year. 6. Eating pancit for long life Pancit is believed to make life longer. 7. Eating sticky rice cakes Sticky foods like rice cakes are believed to strengthen and improve the family’s bond and relationship. 8. Preparing whole pork The pork’s size represents prosperity. 9. Preparing whole grilled fish The scales of the fish symbolize coins. 10. Opening windows and doors This Filipino New Year tradition is believed to let good luck and prosperity enter the house. 11. 12 around Fruits - These 12 round fruits are believed to bring good luck for the whole year.

Maligayang Pasko! Wishing you all a safe and blessed Christmas.

Thank you for serving our Country and protecting our freedom. "It doesn’t take a hero to order men into battle. It takes a hero to be one of those men who goes into battle.General H. Norman Schwarzkopf

FCVCI had their first ever virtual elections! Congratulations to the newly elected officers! President- Sonia Armedilla Vice President- Charleen Morla-Garcia Secretary- Julie Valencerina... Treasurer- Alma Ag Okui Auditor- Irene Austria Parliamentarian- Grace David Tuazon Sargent at arms- Glende Hebert and Frank Monesca PRO- Jermarie Dizon and Noah Tyler Ratley Chaplain - Brian Rivera Historian - Ruth Bautista Costello Chairman of the Board- Buddy Valencerina Board of Directors- Angie Basila Cora Ortiguerra Evelyn Agena Besina Ed Austria Ed Edgardo Dimalanta Violeta Dimalanta Bea Gan Julia Carrillo Macasieb Ruth Bautista Costello Brian Rivera Congratulations to the newly elected officers!! Mabuhay

We just wrapped up a month long celebration of FIlipino American History Month! From the council to our Kababayans, we hope you all celebrated October with pride! #throwback #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth

We are still celebrating Filipino American History Month and highlighting the history and contributions of Filipino-Americans. Filipinos have been deeply involved in the history of the United Statesfrom Larry Itliong and Philip Vera Cruz, leading one of the most successful strikes demanding labor rights with César Chavez and Dolores Huerta. #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth ... https://m.youtube.com/watch

As we celebrate Filipino American History Month, we honor Larry Itliong, a highly influential leader whose pivotal role in the farm labor movement left a long-lasting legacy. It’s been said that Cesar Chavez inspired the world but that Larry Itliong inspired Cesar Chavez. In an era known for civil rights movements, Itliong fought for better working conditions in a country thousands of miles from his homeland of the Philippines. He came to the U.S. in 1929 when he was 15, ne...ver having slept in a bed or lived in a home with electricity. He was a natural activist and worked as a laborer and a farmhand in several states. Itliong first joined striking lettuce workers in Washington State. Later, he fished in Alaska and organized the cannery workers there. It was also in Alaska that he lost three fingers in an accident in a cannery, earning him the nickname Seven Fingers. Itliong went on to organize Filipino farm workers as they followed the seasonal harvests of grapes, raisins, brussel sprouts and other crops across Central California. In 1965, Itliong lead a grape strike in Delano that set the stage for the boycott that would lead Cesar Chavez and thousands of farmworker families to create the nation’s pioneering agricultural labor union, the United Farm Workers. The historic strike vote led by Itliong and the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee took place on September 8, 1965 and was soon joined by the Chavez-led National Farm Workers Association. Five years later, they formed the powerful United Farm Workers and forever changed the face of agricultural labor in California. Itliong spent his life standing up for his belief that everyone has equal rights and justice, but you have to make that come about. He died on February 8, 1977, leaving a legacy of activism that inspires us all. -Credit SEIU Local 1000

Highlighting Filipino American Activists in honor of Filipino American History Month. Richard Frank Adams (March 9, 1947 December 17, 2012) was a Filipino-American gay rights activist. After his 1975 same-sex marriage was declared invalid for the purposes of granting his husband permanent residency, Adams filed the federal lawsuit Adams v. Howerton. This was the first lawsuit in America to seek recognition of a same-sex marriage by the federal government.

Remembering the late Tony V. Grey The Watch For twenty years... This sailor has stood the watch While some of us were in our bunks at night This sailor stood the watch While some of us were in school learning our trade This shipmate stood the watch Yes.. even before some of us were born into this world This shipmate stood the watch In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen brewing on the horizon of history This shipmate stood the watch Many times he would cast an eye ashore and see his family standing there Needing his guidance and help Needing that hand to hold during those hard times But he still stood the watch He stood the watch for twenty years He stood the watch so that we, our families and Our fellow countrymen could sleep soundly in safety, Each and every night Knowing that a sailor stood the watch Today we are here to say Master Chief Grey, the watch stands relieved Relieved by those You have trained ,Guided, and Led Master Chief Grey you stand relieved.. we have the watch..."

Highlighting Filipino American Activists in honor of Filipino American History Month. Pablo Manlapit (January 17, 1891 April 15, 1969) was a migrant laborer, lawyer, labor organizer, and activist in Hawaii, California, and the Philippines. He became one of the few Filipino lawyers in the 1920s and distinguished himself as spokesman for the Filipino labor movement in Hawaii, spending most of his time organizing and fighting for the rights of plantation laborers. He helped or...ganize the Filipino Labor Union in Hawaii and was a leading figure in the strikes in 1920 and 1924 that involved thousands of plantation workers. In October, 1919, the Japanese Federation of Labor and the Filipino Labor Union joined together to argue against the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association for a better working environment. They wanted to increase their salary from $0.72 to $1.25 and have 8 hour workdays. They wanted breaks for certain working conditions. On Oahu on January 19, 1920, 3,000 members of the Filipino Labor Union walked off their jobs. Manlapit led the strike and he believed that the Japanese and Filipinos workers should be united. The Japanese workers soon joined them. By early February 1920, 8300 plantation laborers were on strike, representing 77% of the work force. Filipino workers went on strike because they weren't paid equally for doing the same work as the Japanese workers. The Filipinos were paid $0.69 and the Japanese were paid $0.99. While they were on strike, plantation workers on other islands continued to work to raise about $600,000 in support of the strike. The 1920 Oahu strike lasted for two months and the strikers had to contend with a variety of methods utilized by the plantation owners: eviction of strikers from their homes, hiring of strikebreakers, and prosecution of leaders for conspiracies. Manlapit was not prosecuted but he was subjected to a smear campaign. He was accused of extorting money in exchange for calling off the strike. The plantation owners, assisted by the government, countered this with a "divide-and-counter" tactic. They charged the Japanese workers with attempting to make Hawaii an Asian province. Later in the year the Japanese changed the name of their union to the Hawaiian Federation of Labor, in an effort to counter racist accusations. They invited all workers of every race to join.

Highlighting Filipino American Activists in honor of Filipino American History Month. Alfred A. Robles was a Filipino American poet and community activist in San Francisco. Robles was instrumental in the political fight against the city to stop the demolition of the International Hotel, a low-income single-room-occupancy residential hotel in San Francisco’s Manilatown. It was home to many Asian Americans, specifically a large Filipino American population. During the late 60s,... real estate corporations proposed plans to demolish the hotel, which would necessitate displacing all of the I-Hotel's elderly tenants. In response, housing activists, students, community members, and tenants united to protest and resist eviction. Al Robles combined heritage with experience. His poetry and community work honored Filipino elders (Manongs) and also inspired and encouraged the young students, activists, writers and artists to connect to their Filipino heritage. Verses about traditional Filipino foods, his experiences in Hawaii, New Mexico, and community personalities in San Francisco resulted in countless poems, and two published works: "Looking for Ifugao Mountain: Paghahanap Sa Bundok Ng Ifugao and Rappin' with Ten Thousand Carabaos in the Dark. In 2008, filmmaker Curtis Choy released a documentary about Al Robles called Manilatown is in the Heart: Time Travel with Al Robles, focusing on Robles' many personalities and community roles. It has been shown at countless film festivals, including the 2009 DisOrient Film Festival, in Eugene, OR, Asian Pacific Heritage Month 2009 in Los Altos Hills and the 2009 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, where it was a Finalist for the Grand Jury Award for Best Documentary.

This year's theme for Filipino American History Month is to highlight some of our Filipino American Activists. Cecilia "Cissy" Suyat Marshall (born July 20, 1928) is an American civil rights activist and historian. Her life is featured in the National Museum of African American History and Culture at the Smithsonian and she was recorded by the Library of Congress regarding her experiences with civil rights in the United States. In the 1940s and 1950s, she served as a stenographer and private secretary for the NAACP in Washington D.C. She was married to Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American U.S. Supreme Court Justice, from 1955 until his death in 1993. Marshall spent her life preserving history and has continued to fight for civil rights after her husband's death.

Happy October!! Today marks the first day of Filipino American History Month - commemorating the arrival of the first Filipinos in Morro Bay, California on October 18, 1587 when "Luzones Indios" came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Señora de Esperanza. In 2009, US Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month in the United States. Stay tuned and be sure to follow our posts as we will be in conjunction with the Filipino American National Historical Soc...iety (FANHS)'s theme for this month, "The History of Filipino American Activism." Mabuhay to all! #FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth #facvc805 #filama805

Happy National Voter Registration Day! Visit RegisterToVote.ca.gov to register online or call (805) 654-2664 to have a form mailed to you. Make sure you're #VoteReady for the upcoming election on November 3, 2020! #VCElections #VotingHasNeverBeenEasier #VoteSafeVenturaCounty

Today we honor and celebrate the 55th Anniversary of the Great Delano Grape Strike,which was the culmination of a series of events waged by numerous Filipino Americans organizing multiple labor unions throughout California from the 1930s-1960s. Mabuhay ang Mangagawang Pilipino! Mabuhay ang Welga! Mabuhay si Larry Itliong at ang Delano Manongs!...

For nearly 10 years now, the Visayan Association of Ventura County Inc. has participated in the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life Of Oxnard in support of the members of their organization and our FilAm community who have been affected by cancer. Congratulations to VAVCI for being Relay for Life TOP 5 Fundraising Teams during this year's "virtual walk". Thank you for making it one of your organization's mission to support such an amazing cause!

Filipino American Council of Ventura County and FCVCI participated in the Walk for Tender Life Maternity Home in Ventura to help our local neighbors. With Charleen Morla-Garcia as are lead person of our team we raised funds that helped the overall donation of $20,000. Thank you to those who donated and especially to Sonia Armedilla, Ruth Costello, Daisy Dedicatora and Lauren Armedilla for walking with us.