| On behalf of Tayo, delegates to the AAAS received the award. | Photo via Tayo Website
HONOLULU, Hawai‘i — Tayo, the information‑access and community‑engagement initiative of the Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO), has been awarded the 2026 Community Organization Award by the Filipinx American Studies Section (FASS) of the Association for Asian American Studies (AAAS). The honor was presented during the AAAS annual conference on April 4 in Honolulu.
Award Recognizes National Impact
According to the FASS Awards Committee, Tayo was selected for its “trustworthy, accessible, and linguistically responsive information that reflected the lived experiences of Filipino Americans since the COVID‑19 pandemic.”
In its formal commendation, the committee wrote: “Your oral history projects, public policy initiatives, community‑focused technological tools like ChatTayo, and organized events like the ‘Seeding AFIRE’ series demonstrate how you actualize the power of narrative to illuminate critical issues of health, immigration, labor, gender, and belonging.”
Highlighting Community‑Driven Scholarship
The committee further praised Tayo for engaging the Filipino diaspora “not only as an audience, but as collaborators and co‑authors in the story of our collective resilience,” noting that its work offers a model for bridging academic research with everyday community needs.
FASS emphasized that Tayo’s commitment to “critical information literacy and community education” remains essential at a time when disinformation and public‑health crises disproportionately affect diasporic communities.
A Growing Record of National Recognition
It marks Tayo’s third national award in less than two years. In November 2025, it received the APHA Asian and Pacific Islander Caucus 2025 Community Leader Award for its public‑health advocacy and culturally responsive outreach.
Earlier in August 2025, the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA) honored Tayo with the 2025 AAPI Community Impact Award for amplifying AAPI voices and producing solutions‑focused information resources.
Strengthening Filipino American Leadership
Founded during the pandemic, Tayo has evolved into a national data and resource hub supporting Filipino/a/x communities through research, partnerships, and culturally relevant insights. FYLPRO describes the initiative as part of its mission to develop leaders and build equitable futures for the Filipino diaspora.
With the 2026 award, FASS affirmed Tayo’s role as a vital contributor to Filipinx American studies and community empowerment—recognition that underscores the growing visibility of Filipino American scholarship within AAAS.
