Help FMC continue to serve Filipino migrant youth and families in Southern California

Please help me raise $300 for FMC’s 10th year anniversary so we can continue to hear more stories and develop more leadership in the community!

They always ask me,

“How come you have so much love for the community?”

I just smile, but deep inside I know the answer

I have so much love for the community because I learned from the people who have so much love for me

A migrant working-class youth

My name is Angelica. I migrated here in the United States when I was 13 years old. In this page, I will be sharing with you how Filipino Migrant Center (FMC) played a huge part of who I am today!

In 2014, I came here with my dad and my siblings. During those times, we didn’t know the reality of migration, we all expected that we would have a stable life right away. As a youth and student, it was hard to adjust here in the US. At first, I was really shy and scared to speak in English because I was worried about my accent and I would get intimidated with the other students.

But things changed when I started becoming involved in Maharlika Club, a Filipino Club at Carson High School that helps students learn more about the Filipino culture and traditions. Through Maharlika, I heard about the Filipinos Reaching for Education and Empowerment (FREE), which is a program, under the Filipino Migrant Center (FMC), that helps youth improve their leadership skills.

I was chosen as one of the youth participants of the program and was also one of the facilitators who wanted to make a change in the community. I learned about the experiences of undocumented students, applying for college, and about Philippine history and culture. I learned how to interact with more people and became more confident. I even led workshops and helped design a survey to learn more about immigrant students and their struggles. The more I learned, the more I wanted to do something to help other migrant students so they wouldn’t have to go through what I went through.

I became more responsible for inspiring my friends and encouraging them to make a change in our community. With the support that FMC provided, whether it is through mentorship, retreats, programs, workshops, and etc. It helped motivate my fellow youth and I to establish our own organization where we can help migrant youth just like what FMC does.

FMC is one of the reasons why Filipino Youth in Action or FYA exists today and it is also one of the reasons why I have so much love in the community.

I am Angelica. The current Chairperson of FYA - a grassroots Filipino youth organization established in October 2018, a current Board Member of FMC, and

A migrant working-class youth

Who had a hard time adjusting to a new life in the United States

Who questioned why a lot of Filipinos migrate every minute

Thank you for reading my story. There are more stories that need to be shared and that is the reason why we need youth programs like FREE.

We shouldn’t let the stories of the youth be hidden. We should have a space for them to share it!

Please help me raise $300 for FMC’s 10th year anniversary so we can continue to hear more stories and develop more leadership in the community!

HAPPY 10TH YEAR ANNIVERSARY, FILIPINO MIGRANT CENTER!

Thank you for playing a big part of who I am today. :)