The Filipino Youth Fellowship is a leadership development program that aims to build pathways for meaningful leadership for Filipina/x/o youth. The FYF aims to provide Fellows a foundational understanding of the political process in local governance, while building critical and transferable skills in engaging the wider Filipino community.
This program was introduced knowing that Filipinos are not only underrepresented in politics, but face several barriers to accessing opportunities towards career development and civic engagement. Through a combination of leadership and skills training, ongoing mentorship, and networking opportunities, Fellows will leave the program with a stronger understanding of local governance, and the ability to act as bridges for their communities. Fellows will work directly with elected officials in a range of different areas including research, advocacy, policy, communications, and campaign organizing depending on the needs of the office.
Vision
The Filipino Youth Fellowship envisions a future where critical and community-driven Filipino leaders are well-represented in local and higher levels of political decision-making spaces.
Values
The Filipino Youth Fellowship aims to operate from values that are rooted in kapwa, or community.
Bayanihan (being in community, collective action): where Filipinos work collectively towards building strong communities
Makibaka (struggle, empowered) and self-determination: where Filipinos have decision-making power in their lives, in the community in which they live and work, and in the larger society
Manindigan (to stand) and katarungan (justice): where Filipinos work towards a just society through which social, political, and economic rights of all people are respected
Makipagkapwa (to be in community): where Filipinos learn and acknowledge their historical and sociopolitical locations in the bigger society, and work, live and thrive in solidarity with people from different cultures and race.
The values stated above were taken and inspired by the list of values outlined by Filipinx Youth United for Change (FYUC) in 2016. FYUC were not able to sustain their organizing, but Filipino youth in the GTA at the time were able to convene and collaborate on a list of guiding values (panindigan, pakikibagkapwa and diversity, bayanihan, and pakikibaka and self-determination). The four were shared to the FYF Steering Committee in their Community Consultations to guide their conversations about the kapwa values that would later determine the foundational values of the FYF. The descriptions of each value listed was edited to best match the discussions of the FYF Steering Committee.
Direction
How we will work towards our vision, guided by our values.
The Filipino Youth Fellowship aims to build pathways for meaningful leadership for Filipina/x/o youth. As such, we are committed to:
Sustainability: The sustainability of the program and its expansion and growth
Anti-oppression and Inclusivity: Programming that is anti-oppressive and inclusive of all equity-seeking groups within the Filipino community including, but not limited to, migrants and newcomers, mad/disabled youth, youth without a post-secondary background, and LGBTQ+ Filipinos
Transparency and accountability: Continuously build accountability and transparency of our responsibilities and commitment to community values and goals
Community-centered: Commit to a program structure that is grounded in and reflective of the Filipino community’s experiences, needs, and wants
Inter-community solidarity: Learn our historical and sociopolitical locations in the bigger society, and build meaningful and respectful relations with other equity-seeking groups on Turtle Island and beyond.