On February 20, 2010, the Southern California Pilipino American Student Alliance (SCPASA) held their 3rd annual Summit at the USC Davidson Conference Center. SCPASA is an alliance of 20 different Pilipino-American student organizations from colleges and universities across Southern California, which continues to grow and expand its reach every year.
This year, the Summit pulled in over 400 attendees; not only from the participating Southern California organizations, but also from Northern California and Nevada as well. With a mission of “building support and unity with one another in cultural, academic, social & political aspects, providing opportunity for the development of leadership skills, and mobilizing for & enacting positive change within the community”, these college students united and rose together at the Summit to learn, share, and build community together.
An annual, one-day conference, the Summit is organized by SCPASA board and their respective leadership. It really is a collective accomplishment. This year, the theme of Summit is "Balikbayan: Putting Life Together in Care Packages for the Future". It brought workshops geared towards providing attendees with the tools they need to prepare themselves for life beyond college while still remaining connected with the community. Workshops included speakers and "FUNcilitators" who shared insight and information on careers in different sectors, on current relevant struggles within the community ranging from the budget crisis on education to immigrant rights, and on Pilipino Studies in college. Creative workshops were also hosted, including a writing workshop, Baybayin/Alibata workshop, and an arts workshop. Summit 2010 had a diverse repertoire of workshops that all attendees could choose from, and in the end, all the attendees were able to bring something away with them from the Summit.
The energy at this conference was palpable as attendees connected with each other, shared stories and ideas, and were inspired by one another or by the various speakers. This is extremely vital to note because growth within the Pilipino-American community is especially evident within the college realm.
This coming weekend, two similar conferences; MAFA in the Midwest and FIND on the East Coast, will be held by a collective of their regional organizations. SCPASA and BakitWhy.com wish them the best of luck on their conferences, and we hope to continue building together as a community!
Still energized from attending SCPASA Summit 2010? What were you able to take home with you from the experience? Didn't attend? What are your thoughts on events like this happening within the Pilipino-American community across the country?
Please share your thoughts in the forum!
