In 2017, I organized a mission trip to the Philippines for Laya, a grassroots community organization based in Daly City, CA. I led the planning, fundraising, and communication with partner groups in the Philippines. The focus of the trip revolved around education and international solidarity. We partnered with People’s Solidarity & Education Tours (PSET) in Luzon and Salupongan International in Mindanao. We conducted a school supply drive in the Bay Area and donated them to an Aeta community in Pampanga and a MISFI school in South Cotabato.
Fundraising
Video Production & Logistics – I edited the following videos for our crowdfunding campaign. Based off previous experience, I organized the incentive offers for donations, utilizing the skills and services of the other participants. We used the YouCaring platform during this time since it charged less fees than GoFundMe.
Immersion & Mission Trip
Framework
| Objective | Details & Guiding Questions |
|---|---|
| Educational Curriculum | To learn about the how educators structure their curriculum in response to the needs of the community while meeting state requirements. What drives the direction of the curriculum? How do the needs of the students and their communities affect and change the curriculum provided? What has been the most effective approach in connecting with the students and empowering them to support their communities? |
| Students | To learn about the lived experiences and struggles of students in the Philippines while developing a framework and understanding of long-term support. What are the needs of students from marginalized and rural communities? What do they need in terms of supplies and curriculum? What are the major roadblocks to their access to schooling? What are the everyday experiences of these students and what are their educational goals? |
| Teachers | To learn about the stories and commitment of teachers who work in rural and struggling communities. What drives them to teach in these places? What are the roadblocks that they encounter and how do they work through them? What are their pressing needs and what kind of support would effectively empower their work? What have they learned from working in these rural communities and what do they envision as a long-term solution to contemporary problems? |
| International Solidarity | To learn how FilAms can contribute to the progression of education and community empowerment in the Philippines. What can Filipinos abroad—especially students and educators—do to support and maintain long-term progression for these specific schools? What are tangible projects that FilAms can support and attempt to accomplish? We want to learn how to connect our contemporary struggles as working-class people in the US to the realities of the Philippines and use our privileged positions within education to empower those in need. |