Before BakitWhy.com’s one year anniversary, the web’s leading Pilipino-American online community was already making its mark covering major red carpet events. From an APL Foundation gala (featuring the Black Eyed Peas’ Apl.de.ap) to Manny Pacquiao fight parties, just to name a couple; BakitWhy.com was on the scene to capture it all.
To give thanks to the greater Pil-Am community, BakitWhy.com decided to host a red carpet event all their own. This time, it was in honor of all their supporters and the key people who helped to elevate BakitWhy.com to where it was in just one short year.
On Aug. 1, 2009, at least 200 guests attended the BakitUp++ One Year Anniversary Party at Jimmy’s Lounge in Hollywood, CA.
Organized by then events coordinator Laureen Abustan, BakitUp++ featured performances by singers Ashley Robles and Ryan Espe, and cuisine by world-renowned Chef Larry of “Chef Larry’s Cuisine,” among others. But about a year prior to that milestone, Abustan was just at that unassuming First Meeting set in Founder Jeremiah Abraham’s bedroom.
Reflecting back on that day, Abustan said recently that she had volunteered to become the Events Coordinator, but had no idea what that role would entail down the line. “In actuality, I was a civil engineer,” she said, chuckling at those humble beginnings.
Others at that meeting willingly volunteered for roles, too.
On August 2009, Abustan and the entire BakitWhy team came together to show that BakitWhy.com was in it for the long haul - for their supporters, friends, family, and the greater Pilipino American community.
“It was not just celebrating our first anniversary with the Pilipino-American community, but it was also giving thanks to those in the Pilipino-American community for our first year,” Abustan said.
From that evening on, BakitWhy built and garnered even more respect from the movers and shakers of the Pilipino community.
BakitWhy proved in its first year that it was the online portal capturing the pulse of Pilipino American life, and also a very proud supporter of an exciting, passionate, forward-thinking community.
Related Links:
- Milestone Series, Part 1: BakitWhy.com's First Steps
- Milestone Series, Part 2: A Team Gathers
- Milestone Series, Part 3: Boots on the Ground
- Milestone Series, Part 4: Dancing Right Into The Mainstream Eye
- Milestone Series, Part 5: The 2.0 Transformation
- Milestone Series, Part 6: Hello Team!
- Milestone Series, Part 8: 3 Regional Conferences, 2 Weeks, 1 Common Identity
- Milestone Series, Part 9: BakitWhy 3.0, A New Hope
