AFIRE- Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights & Empowerment

Under the banner of the Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment (AFIRE), Filipino Americans marched with tens of thousands of pro-immigrant advocates last May 1^st, traditionally known as International Workers' Day. The May 1st rallies have continued to push for fair and just immigration law based on respecting the civil and human rights of all. On that day, Chicago saw the largest rally among similar rallies held in key cities nationwide. According to the police count, 150,000 people came out of the streets. Organizers, on the other hand, believed that about 300,000 people participated in the rally. They based the count on the continuing flow of people in the stretches of Lake, Ashland, Des Plaines, Jackson and Columbus avenues from 10:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Grant Park was already crowded as early as 11:00 a.m. when tens of thousand of marchers were still at Union Park at Lake and Ashland.

"We were at Union Park listening to the speeches of the youth, workers, activists and organizers from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. We got out of the Park at around 1:30 p.m. when we were asked to follow the delegation of the Arab American Action Network (AAAN). It took us another fifteen minutes before all of our allies in the Coalition of Arab, African, Asian, European and Latino Immigrant of Illinois (CAAAELII) got into the flow of the march,” said Boni Enrile, an AFIRE organizer.

Filipino Americans representing the Pintig Cultural Group, the Center for Immigrant Resources and Community Arts (CIRCA), the Committee on Philippine Issues (CPI), the Illinois Veterans Equity Center (IVEC), the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NAFFAA), the California Nurses Association (CNA), and the Filipino Human Rights Coalition (FHRC) marched shoulder to shoulder with the representatives of the Palestinian, Somalian, Kenyan, Ethiopian, Cambodian, Korean, Chinese, and Latino communities.

Yes to legalization. No to raids and deportations.

A year ago, half a million marchers filled the streets of Chicago. The reactions in the streets were in response then to the punitive provisions of HR 4437 (The Border Protection, Anti-terrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005). The people just did not accept the idea of criminalizing workers simply by virtue of their immigrant status.

The number of marchers this year is lower because the harsh anti-immigration legislation was masked by STRIVE ACT of 2007 (Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy) which combined the language of extreme enforcement (HR 4437) and the promise of citizenship in S 2611 (Comprehensive Reform Act of 2006). This STRIVE ACT dispersed the energy of national mobilization to numerous information campaigns and political realignments. This dispersal was complicated by a major increase in raids and deportations over the past year. For example, the anger over the April 24 raid in the Little Village neighborhood resounded loud in Chicago. The message, “Yes to legalization. No to raids and deportations” drowned the other chants in the rally. Moreover, the feeder marches that came from Pilsen and Humboldt Park early in the morning amplified the resistance against raids and deportations. Despite the intimidations and the masking of the anti-immigrant legislation, Chicago still generated the largest mobilization nationwide.

Chicago Mayor Richard Daley even addressed the crowd in Grant Park acknowledging Chicago’s attraction to immigrants from all over the world, making it one of the most diverse cities in the nation. He said, “Immigrants contribute to the vitality of the City by filling key roles in its economy, paying taxes, and contributing to its schools, neighborhoods, churches, and communities."

Sustained participation of AFIRE

While AFIRE mobilized less marchers this year than last year, it gained more allies from other immigrant communities. AFIRE is now a partner organization of the Coalition of Arab, African, Asian, European and Latino Immigrant of Illinois.

AFIRE has sustained its participation in the immigration debate by becoming more intentional in its educational and organizing approaches.

Before the May 1^st mobilization, AFIRE hosted the April 5 "Night of 1,000 Conversations” at Video Machete in Chicago. The conversation was interspersed with different immigrant stories and a monologue. While the “Conversations” addressed laws that unfairly target immigrants, the monologue focused on the story of an immigrant caregiver working hard in taking care of an elderly man and saving money to send to her family back home. This event initiated by Rights Working Group drew more than 5,000 people nationwide. The “Conversations” highlighted the need to safeguard the right of due process for everyone who calls America home.

AFIRE also sent a delegate to the “Building America’s Future Together: Immigration Reform Now,” a national mobilization of Asian Pacific Americans in Washington DC last April 30. Carlos Cortes, an AFIRE delegate, lobbied and rallied together with members of national Asian American advocacy groups. On his part, he emphasized AFIRE’s position of keeping families together like the speeding up of the processing of Filipino reunification backlogs, and insuring that the rights and liberties of all people are respected. He said, “Waiting for more than 20 years to be united with your family is just insane and inhumane.”

In a related educational session a week before the rally, AFIRE identified the seven talking points Filipino Americans must relay to their legislators, such as:

1. Maintain and improve the Family based immigration policies.
2. Eliminate the backlogs in Family Reunification visas.
3. Hasten reunification of Filipino WWII veterans’ families by exempting them from country of origin visa numerical quota and suppressing the economic means test for eligibility.
4. Provide pathway for legalization of overstaying/out-of-status immigrants.
5. Abolish touch-back requirement to become permanent residents. The White House plan is economically restrictive. Under the plan, to become permanent residents immigrants would have to return to their home countries, apply for a visa through a US embassy or consulate, and pay a fine of $10,000. The immigrant would then be legally permitted to reenter the United States through the same permanent immigration channels open to all foreign nationals.
6. Protect the rights and dignity of individuals who have come to the U.S. to work.
7. Guarantee that every U.S. worker has the right and the protection to organize.

Marching towards the full realization of immigrant rights and empowerment

AFIRE organizers marching with tens of thousands of immigrant advocates expressed optimism in expanding its reach inside and outside the Filipino American community. In a span of one year, AFIRE has established working relationship with the Asian American Institute and Centro Sin Fronteras, Centro Romero, Chinese Mutual Aid Association and Ethiopian Community Association of Chicago through CAAAELII.

Throughout the rally, the different ethnic groups have been exchanging chants. The Filipino chant of “Mabu-Mabu-Mabu” has been embraced by the Latino marchers as they responded in chorus, “Hay-Hay-Hay.” On the other hand, the Asian Americans including AFIRE marchers, echoed loud the chant, “Latino, Asiano, luchando a mano-mano” (Latino and Asians in struggle arm to arm).

From the parliament of the street, AFIRE carries the struggle to the table of the legislators. For example, Senator Richard Durbin, through the letter writing of one of AFIRE’s convenors, shared his view of comprehensive immigration reform. He said in part, “I also voted in favor of amendments that sought to ensure that immigrants would be treated in a humanitarian fashion, particularly those immigrants who apply for asylum or who are in other vulnerable populations. Additionally, I voted against amendments that would impose continuing penalties on immigrants after they have paid their dues and obtained legalized status under the bill.

….I recognize that the immigration debate has created strong opinions on all sides, and I appreciate your sharing your opinions with me. I am working in good faith to pursue a balanced package of reforms that will be tough but enforceable, economically sensible, and morally fair.”

Next steps

After recognizing the level of commitment of the Filipino Americans who joined the march, AFIRE plans to call for a series of “fireside” conversations and family meetings to further examine the meaning of the immigration rights movement to the growing community.

"AFIRE has rekindled the energy of the community in promoting comprehensive, fair, just, and humane immigration legislation," said Susan Short and Janis Licuanan, co-chairs of the Know our Community committee.

On the other hand, Mon Alcantara and Boni Enrile of the Know our Rights committee said, "We will continue to engage our community to a series of conversations about the issue of immigration. The sentiments of our kababayans will be posted to our website to elicit more conversations. We will expand our research on issues that matter most to our immigrant community, like the family reunification backlogs and the creation of fair and just citizenship pathways for overstaying Filipinos who have been working and paying taxes for many years. Meanwhile, we encourage our kababayans to work with us in shaping our role in this important immigration debate. We will need community builders to expand the base of an empowered community."

For more information, visit AFIRE’s website at www.afirechicago.com or call Boni Enrile at 773-248-1019 or email AFIRE at liyab@afirechicago.com.

On Independence, Over-Dependence and Interdependence

The invitations are coming in. Wyndham Hotel at Lee Mannheim Road is buzzing with weekly gatherings of people in search of fresh muses, prince charming, ticket vendors, and dance fanatics who allocate a chunk of their income paying dinner parties and donning dainty gowns. Groups are scurrying to reserve the traditional forest preserve for that once a year picnic precluded by a miniature parade or a quasi motorcade. One, two, three or all groups will invite the same people. Some will willingly respond. Some will go into hiding. Old faces will emerge like persistent weeds while the new ones will be stifled by their lack of clout. One celebration, same cuisine, overlapping activities, a common history, fragments - too many groups doing the same thing. You guessed it right. There are barely three weeks before Philippine Independence Day Celebration tickets come knocking again through our friends’ faces, the phone, the snail mail or through an e-vite.

Just like last year, the year before and for many more years to come (unless someone is brave enough to introduce a drastic change), our community will drown with whining complaints, fuzzy accusations and desperate blame games in understanding the rationale behind the Filipino’s perennial division. Some say we have taken the spirit of Independence to the bone. Everyone wants to be a chief and no one wants to be a subordinate. Like tiny microbes, we have preferred to organize as a microscopic serfdom instead of aspiring to grow into a sturdy empire. It seems as if the tribal spirit has never left the majority, leaving the extraordinary few to burn out in their own passion or isolated in their own activism.

Was the Philippine Independence something that the Filipino people as a nation really fought for, something that the colonizers and imperialist governments toyed with to save face and succumb to the inevitable change of power, or a historical blunder we are still trying to figure out. Is it the former, the latter, all of the above or none of the above? Raise your hand. What do you say? As for me, I dare not delve into historical data lest I throw mud on my face. I cast these questions for your groups to speculate. Instead of gossiping and bickering, why not indulge in an intellectual discussion for a change. Be sure you leave your "bolos" and your "revolvers" at home. Avoid any alcoholic drop. Control the tempers. Everything will be fine. As they say, "walang sabunutan!"
Sometime back, without having anything better to do, I coined a phrase in cyberspace and threw some cents about interdependence, "competitive interdependence" to be specific. In business, they call it "mergers and acquisitions". In a non-for profit organization, it is a coalition, an alliance or a confederation of some sort. From an ideogenetic standpoint, it is the conglomeration of matured independent states, both as a geographic attribute and as a mode of being. And in a day to day simple vocabulary, it is nothing else but making deals with others for our own survival or prosperity.

Meanwhile, when pesky individuals or groups sell us anything (from vintage calendars of adipose models to raffle tickets ruffled without prices) - all for the sake of a yet unknown but worthy cause, we could not help but think of their over-dependence on the same old fund raising strategy that drains out resources towards vague goals and inefficient means. The other day, for instance, I overheard a Filipino organization official worrying on how to spend the surplus money his organization has. He is not alone. There are a few Filipino American organizations whose members are so generous that they give without knowing what they are giving for. Perhaps they are not aware that souvenir programs good for recycling bins and fashion shows from so called designers (who are actually tailors or dressmakers) are mostly revenue sources for individual perusal and not for philanthropic purposes.

Generosity is a virtue. Unfortunately, there are those who abuse and transform it into folly. Over dependence is an attitude of mechanical dimensions that sucks out the energy from a source until the well runs dry and the sea becomes a desert. It is the training field for parasites, maggots and other human forms of despicable vermin.
After having "fought" for our Independence from the Spaniards, the Americans, the Japanese, the Dutch, the British, and other political and economic colonizers of the Philippines, we probably were not trained enough to consolidate our resources and work as a cohesive nation. On the contrary, our regions were used to battle against each other. Even among the intellectual elite, those who were blessed with better education, the Philippines was offered as a State, or as a Province. Is there anyone at all who completely defended the Filipino’s ability for self governance based on his awareness and pride for his own nation and his own people? Or was the struggle only a reaction against systematic political abuses to the point that Philippine Independence became a mere deliverance from colonial subjugation and not a total transition towards self-sufficiency and cultural sovereignty?

We have so many groups celebrating the Philippine Independence Day but not so much when it comes to election days (for fear of being selected as a Jury member?), and even less when it involves relevant issues such as immigration reform, supporting a Filipino American candidate for public service, or lobbying for the benefit of the Filipino World War II soldiers. Puzzling, isn’t it?

So what do you do next? First, greet your mother a "Happy Mother’s Day!". Next, recall the nugget of wisdom she has told you many times. Then, share the thought and pass the buzz around. (The Philippine Independence Month celebrations in Chicago and Suburbs will be a huge fete. Thousands of people will join the floats and march through the Golden Mile towards Grant Park. Once there, our local bands and singers will work as interdependent talents to bring out only the best sound ever. Broadcast and printed media journalist and writers will need to ask for a special pass from organizers to have a reserved space for the press. Sign up for the forthcoming picnics. Volunteers are needed to coordinate the different native games like sipa, piko, patentero, and tumbang preso to name a few. The food will be set up like our typical barrio fiesta in small booths made of nipa. Come with an empty tummy. Forget about line dancing and the usual "spaghetti" music. We have a myriad possession of folk dances to recall).

Suddenly, I woke up. The scenario looked so beautiful I am sure it was only a dream. Back in the old overused space of Labagh woods. June 10, 2007. We have the different dance groups dancing to a borrowed non-Filipino music in their own slovenly old ways. We have a long line of people waiting to be fed while small groups have their own food as other small groups of people go from one open corner to another. Out of nowhere, there will be a huddle of separate groups with separate banners and separate pictures. Kodak moments, of course.

The day is almost over. If we do not cease from being so overly dependent on the old ways of doing things for the sake of convenience and easy comfort, the expression of our Independence can not mature into the levels of interdependence. As a friend with Marxist tendencies vehemently argued with me, "Pare, the Pinoy is still a tribe. We have Ilonggos, Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Bisayas, Cebuanos, Tarantados and other extra terrestrial aliens, to name a few. But are you that quixotic to think that there really is a Filipino nation?" Go ahead. Call me quixotic. I still believe that there is a Filipino nation. Do you?

What is KOC's role in AFIRE? - Reported by AFIRE's Know Our Community committee

At this point, AFIRE is still "surveying the landscape," in terms ofwhere to establish ourselves as a Filipino immigrant resource center.

Part of KOC's primary purpose is to help clear that space andsubsequently claim it for AFIRE. As a committee we see ourselves fulfilling this task by first gathering the stories of our immigrants, giving us (Chicago Filipino immigrants) our much-needed voice by documenting, writing, publishing and performing these stories.

We envision AFIRE truly connecting with the ChicagoFilipino community by engaging these voices through venues that arelater discussed in this report.Whatever picture emerges from such gathering of stories, KOC will use as basis for recommendation as to AFIRE's service role(s) – be theybe political, social, cultural or more.

So now, on to the hands-on part:PROJECTS IN LINE and TIMELINE:"Every new arrival is a new chapter of our history. Every newbornFilAm is a testimony to the deepening of our roots." This is KOC's `slogan' if you may.

When necessary to shorten it we just say, "KOC: Deepening Our Roots."
1. June, 2007 – Celebration of FilAm immigrant stories. This is a "writing within our community" project. We intend to hold `family days' within the community to solicit the stories that will be performed/published/archived in a culminating activity, the targetdate of which is sometime in June. The idea is to engage the community to celebrate the Philippine Independence Spirit (not necessarily DAY) by celebrating our stories as families of immigrants. Stories gathered from such family days and from the website will be published in a journal specific to this purpose. The publication is intended to be ongoing as long as there are participants and funding.

2. Dec., 2007 -- Panunuluyan. This is to engage our church-going families and community-members in a `performance' conversation. These performances are in the form of panunuluyan in each church, wherein the stories told center around the issues (e.g. homelessness) of our immigrant community. The Operation Mango Report (OMR) will be used as basis of such issues. For further information on such issues, OMR is posted as an ACROBAT file under "file" in this listserve.The involvement of certain churches is crucial to this project. Wewill need contact and collaboration with our kababayans from such churches.

3. January, 2008 – AFIRE Day. In a log cabin or a big, cozy house courtesy of one of our kababayan, AFIRE will hold a celebration of our year-long accomplishments by holding family workshops which will culminate in skits, stand-up comedies, spoken-words performances – and yes, singing – a family's or individual's story sung to a videoke tune! It will truly be a celebration of ourselves as part of the changing landscape. To accommodate those who have stage frights, you can have a `representative' do it for you. That's what families are for!

4. Launch of a website – (www.afirechicago.com) the stories gathered in the `writing with the community' project will posted in the website.

5. Chicago Matters: Beyond Borders involvement – KOC is the liaison/contact for AFIRE in this project.

It is all about choices.

Yes, in building a center, planners should be ready to answer more than 1001 questions before they even declare their intention. In short, passion is not enough to build a center. A robust and comprehensive business plan must be first completed to continue thinking of building a center.

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