FYLPRO selects nine talented FilAms as Summer 2021 Tayo Fellows

by PDM NEWS STAFF

FYLPRO’s COVID-19 Task Force Summer 2021 Tayo Fellows | Source FYLPRO

NEW YORK – Following the launch of a Filipino Youth Leadership Program (FYLPRO) COVID-19 Task Force web help desk platform called Tayo in October 2020, FYLPRO has selected nine talented young leaders from several states in the US to serve as Summer 2021 Tayo Fellows. The Fellows’ role is to support the ongoing operations of the Tayo help desk. It is a remote, unpaid program and will run from June 20 to August 29, 2021.

Through Tayo, FYLPRO’s Covid-19 Task Force can identify credible sources of information such as policy think tanks, government agencies, professional and industrial associations, business associations, and social service providers and build a database of resources that the COVID-19 Task Force can utilize in furtherance of its objectives.

“Our Tayo Fellows play a pivotal role in informing, curating, and executing the adaptive work of FYLPRO’s Task Force,” said Krystal Canare, FYLPRO Tayo Fellowship Director.

Krystal Canare | Source FYLPRO

She said that during the inaugural launch of Tayo Fellowship, the first batch of Tayo Fellows spearheaded the development of over 500+ articles on the Tayohelp.com Website, developed assets and social media campaigns, conducted environmental scans and interviews with local FilAm organizations and community members, staged several virtual educational events, and presented their work at national conferences.

According to FYLPRO’s Website, the Tayo web help desk is “designed for seniors, unemployed individuals, and front line workers with information to make decisions to safeguard their health and well being during the pandemic. FYLPRO COVID-19 Task Force mobilized experts, content creators, and service providers in the areas of medicine and medical research, mental health, government assistance and response, transportation, and social services to provide credible, timely, and community-specific information.”

“This summer, I am honored to work alongside a new cohort of fellows who are already doing meanigful work to support the Filipino community in the US and abroad,” Canare said. “Tayo means “us” in Tagalog and I cannot emphasize enough how important collective wisdom and fellowship are key to moving this work forward.”

FYLRPO’s Summer 2021 Tayo Fellows include:

Maria Christina Abara
Chachie has degrees in Psychology and Philippine Studies with a concentration in Ilokano Studies from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa. She has developed two projects that manifested in her podcast KasamahanCo, previously named, Reclaiming Filipinx Identity. The podcast is about stories of Filipinos in Hawai’i and curating the oral history of people from her age and those older to document many of their experiences. Aside from her podcast, she works on creating content that showcases the Ilokano language and culture.

Nouchka Claire Apostol
A proud Ilocana from Pangasinan, Philippines; a resident of Tongva Land (LA County) for 20 years. She is a full-time student at the University of California, Irvine, double majoring in Sociology and Psychological Sciences. Besides being a full-time student, she is also a community organizer, amateur bass player, and practicing mindfulness. She defines herself as a divine/spiritual healer as she has been practicing tarot and strengthening her ancestral connection for more than a year! She is a strong advocate for mental health awareness and supports decolonization and anti-imperialism.

Ione Sky Causing
Ione Sky Causing is from Guam and lives in Maple Valley. A graduate of Central Washington University who majored in English Language and Literature worked for the University’s Filipino-American Student Association as president. She was also an Eastern Advisor for the Northwest Filipino-American Student Alliance (NWFASA). Her purest passions are writing and editing, but she will continue to advocate for her culture.

Georgie D’Sanson
A senior at Johns Hopkins University studying Cognitive Science, Spanish, and Mathematics with interest in Linguistics. She grew up in New York, the Philippines, and Hawaii and has grown to appreciate how linguistic diversity reflects cultural diversity in surprising ways. She is the Cultural President of JHU’s Filipino Students Association; and enjoys singing and beatboxing for her acapella group Humming Jay.

Carina Gregorio
A junior at California State University, Los Angeles majoring in Healthcare Administration. She is interested in increasing health equity, quality assurance, patient risk management, and project management. Her personal philosophy is to give back to the community and keep the door open for others.

Jonathan Laxamana
A sophomore at Stanford University planning to major in Human Biology with additional academic interests in public policy, Asian American Studies, and neuroscience. He is currently a research assistant at the Giardino Lab, studying the biological mechanisms behind stress and sleep. As a freshman, Jonathan was highly involved with Stanford’s Filipino community as an intern for the Kayummangi dance troupe and Pilipino Student Union (PASU). He also explored his interests in community organizing by participating in an Alternative Spring Break program centered around the struggles of Filipino migrant workers.

Sofia Lindo
A sophomore at Cypress College pursuing a degree in Nursing (BS), born and raised in Pampanga, Philippines. She volunteers at COVID-19 clinics and has mentored elementary students, showing her broad appreciation for all subjects being taught in school. She is interested in finding ways to give more access to healthcare to all people living in rural areas in the Philippines. She intends to apply to medical school to advance her knowledge in cardiology.

Nico Palanca
A junior at Virginia Tech studying International Relations. He is a Resident Advisor in Virginia Tech, the Internal Vice President for The Filipino-American Society Association, and a Student Advisory board member for The Innovate Living-Learning Community. Often, Nico is in charge of projects such as culture shows, symposiums, outreaches, and several other activities. He had recently moved to America from the Philippines to pursue higher education.

Brian Mangilog
A clinical project coordinator for the Rare Genomes Project, a research study based at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, provides genetic testing to families with rare diseases. He graduated in 2018 from Harvard University with a B.A. in Neurobiology and a secondary concentration in Global Health and Health Policy. He currently serves as a Board Member for PAMANA, Inc., helping plan New England’s Philippine Independence Day celebrations and the Fil-Am High School Leadership Program. He was the former New England Ambassador and is now a Coach for Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration (EPYC). He is also Co-Director for the Philippine Medical Association of New England’s Wellness Program, a monthly program serving the homeless community in downtown Boston. — With Ricky Rillera/PDM

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