Happy 2021, everyone!

2020 proved to be a challenging year for all of humanity. But we showed up and gave it our best. Not only for ourselves but more so for others. We lent a hand. We sent care packages. We lent an ear. And we grieved, consoled and stayed with one another - even from a distance. 

As we open the new year, let’s think of three things: health, love and unity.

While many things happened to shock us, they happened to bring us together.

At NaFFAA, our mission is to bring together millions of Filipino American voices and work to elevate them for our common empowerment. 

When we had our Leadership Summit in January, we planned ahead but didn’t expect the surprises of 2020. We knew we had to engage four million Filipinos to fill out the Census and register to vote. Thankfully, we could do it all online. 

In our planning meeting, we shared a concept of a webinar series that would teach our community digital skills and programs to empower them in their entrepreneurial and economic endeavors at the comfort of their home. We didn’t know we were all going to be at home, but we were ready to be empowered, engaged and educated. Thanks to Comcast for helping us create and implement a five month program that reached hundreds of people and improved lives and livelihoods.

By March, the pandemic came upon us and we were all forced to stay home and stay apart while staying in touch. We checked in with one another and shared the accounts of our frontliner kababayans who readily lent a hand, a heart, a life. Up to this day and every day we are grateful for the sacrifices they’ve made.

In April, we launched the Kabilang Ka Pabilang Ka Census Engagement Campaign. Along with our community partners, we informed our community that it’s important, safe, quick and easy to get counted because #EveryFilipinoCounts.

In May, we celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by convening members of our Federation Forum with our Elected Officials. We shared resources with fellow national community leaders about finding funding and taking care of our mental health.

In June, we not only celebrated Philippine Independence Month, but co-hosted the U.S. Presidential Town Hall with APIA Vote, which received thousands of views as the Presidential Candidates and their representatives answered questions from Asian American voters.

In July, we stood in solidarity with our Black brothers and sisters by creating and organizing the Quest for Social Justice series. We aimed to understand the core issues of the movement and looked into ourselves for reflection, improvement and alliance.

In the summer, we partnered with Civic Leadership USA for an Internship Program with New York Assemblymember Brian Barnwell. Thanks to their robust curriculum, our interns from California, learned and gained a lot. (We look forward to the second batch this spring.)

NaFFAA National also offered complimentary membership until the end of the year. Over 300 community members joined us and we look forward to welcoming more. 

In September, supported the National Civic Leadership Forum of CLUSA where Asian American civic leaders and changemakers gathered and shared insights virtually over the course of ten days.

The Census Engagement campaign that we launched when the pandemic hit (and became our first virtual event) was extended until September 30th and gave us a chance to make sure every one in America was counted. This coincided with the National Voter Registration Day, September 22, where we engaged people to register to vote online in four easy steps.

For Filipino American History Month, we partnered with the  White House Initiative for AAPI to highlight Filipino Americans in the Administration and present programs and efforts  that support our communities. We also hosted our own virtual celebration, “Shaping Our Future,” where U.S. elected officials met leaders and entrepreneurs in our community.

For the U.S. elections, we launched the Boses Mo. Boto Mo. campaign which engaged Filipino Americans to get out to vote, contributing to the highest voter turnout in history.

In December we partnered with organizations like AARP and IOM to learn about the needs of the community so we may help improve services and systems to benefit them.

Of course, our community never forgets to look back and to give back whenever the motherland expresses its need. Through our Tulong Sulong project and #BayanihaNaFFAA, we checked our pockets and pocket books to show we care.

Our Leadership Development Program through the EPYC Ambassadors continue to inspire us with their dreams and hopes for the future, and the steps they take to get there.

Every day is a challenge for each and everyone of us in our own different ways. But there’ll always be a tie that binds us wherever we are and whoever we are. And that has been the lesson of 2020 - that with just the bare essentials - we are all human.

We thank our partners Verizon, Reginald F. Lewis Foundation, AT&T, Comcast NBC Universal, Civic Leadership USA, U.S. Census Bureau, Kollective Hustle, AAJC and AARP for helping us shape and share what we can in 2020 and for continuing to support our community in 2021 and beyond.

But most of all, we thank our community volunteers - our heart and muscle  - you give us the willpower to carry on. 

Happy New Year!


Brendan Flores
NaFFAA National Chair and President