Applications for the Youth Contingency Spring 2025 cohort have ended. Follow @buongloob on Instagram for future opportunities to work with us!

Youth Participatory Action Research Student Teach-In

Join us for our annual "Youth Participatory Action Research Student Teach-In" facilitated by the Youth Contingency Interns of Spring 2025 on Tuesday, February 25th, 2025, from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM at Phillip and Sala Burton High School in San Francisco.

For the past month, the Youth Contingency Interns have engaged in a community research project called YPAR (Youth Participatory Action Research) to identify the challenges Filipina/o/x identified high schoolers experience regarding mental health, stress, and wellness. In this student-led teach-in, Youth Contingency Interns will also propose solutions on how Adult Ally's like school administrators, behavioral health professionals, parents, teachers, and fellow students can work together to respond to these issues as a community.

This event is invite only. RSVP ends on Monday, 2/24/25. 

"Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference: Youth Contingency" Internship

Established in 2022, the Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference (FSWC) is an annual mental health education event for Filipino and Filipina/o/x American high school students in the San Francisco Bay Area. The event is planned, led and organized by youth leaders of the Youth Contingency Internship where they engage in community-based research to assess the wellness needs of their peers to plan the conference. The Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference aims to provide a platform for discussions on Filipinx cultural values, identity, and mental health stigma, emphasizing the student experience. 

To apply for the internship, students must be current or former participants of the Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship, with the option to enroll in both programs simultaneously.

Commitments & Eligibility for Spring 2025

INTERNSHIP CYCLE
January 14th, 2025 to May 16th, 2025 (18 weeks)

ELIGIBILITY

• Buong Loob Alumni or an intern for Spring 2025
• Currently a student in SFUSD
• Taken an Ethnic Studies course or interest in mental health advocacy work in the Filipina/o/x community.  *Contact Ms. Tiffany San Jose ([email protected]) for details.
• Must attend online mandatory Buong Loob Intern Orientation on December 12th from 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

INCENTIVES

• Earn $20.25 per hour. Hired as an SFUSD Intern.
• 11th & 12th graders earn CSU/UC transferable college credits upon completion of internship
• Certification in teen Mental Health First Aid (Takes place outside of regular program hours. Led by an instructor; in-person).
• Connect with college/graduate students and professionals in the mental health field
• Gain experience presenting at academic conferences and community events
• Great addition to LinkedIn profile or college resume

MEETING LOCATION & TIME
Philip & Sala Burton High School (400 Mansell Street, San Francisco, CA 94134). Internship meetings are in-person, every Tuesday from 5:00 PM-6:30 PM. There are no options to participate virtually. Interns will also be required to attend community events scheduled outside of the Tuesday sessions off campus. Program leaders will share calendar dates in a timely manner.

STIPEND INFORMATION
The program cycle is 18 weeks from January 2025 - May 2025. Hourly pay is $20.25. Interns are employed through SFUSD and paid quarterly.  Interns must complete onboarding requirements with SFUSD and attend a mandatory orientation.

*Applications have ended for Spring 2025*
Download our 1-page outreach flier here.

Youth Contingency 2022 Interns, Christian S. & Jesa R. co-hosting the 1st annual "Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference." Photographed by Michelle Lapitan (2022).

3rd Annual Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference logo designed by Buong Loob Intern, Celine Pasion (Buong Loob Intern 2024) in collaboration with Bayani Art.

Highlight Video
​​3rd Annual Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference 2024 
April 27, 2024 at San Francisco State University's College of Ethnic Studies

Highlight video created by Kuya Alvin Dizon (2024).

Testimonials

"After attending the first-ever Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference, as well as being part of the group that contributed to the planning, I learned there really are adults genuinely willing to know how to reach out to their children and help them [with] their mental health. Attending this conference reassured me that Filipinos are really still about "unity". It reminded me that we, Filipinos. are still willing to help each other out and be there for each other as a community when needed. To say that the conference and its planning was successful is an understatement!" -Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference:Youth Contingency Intern

“The youths’ talambuhay (stories of their life) helped me remember that even through trauma and suffering is [passed] down to us we are still deserving of love. Our trauma does not define us and we are in charge of our own narratives. I saw the healing of generational trauma right before my eyes. Y'all are everything that embodies Ethnic Studies and more. Through your presentation, I learned that many Filipinos are bounded by the word ‘family’ and the idea of it, so much that they sacrifice their own well-being for them. I learned that it is possible to build your own idea of family and you get to choose who is your family and who you allow into your community.”  -Adult Ally Attendee-Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference, 2022)

"By playing an active role in the conference, I learned how to face the things that were taking a toll on my mental and spiritual health rather than avoiding them. I think a lot of the topics we touched on were some things that really needed to be addressed in the Filipinx community. When I was presenting, I felt like I was relearning the topics I was going over. I got a deeper dive into Filipinx culture and history. I felt that through our connection and culture, we are capable of building something bigger than ourselves. Speaking about it to others who can relate to me made me feel like I let go of a heavy weight that was weighing me down and kind of preventing me from growing. By hearing some feedback from the adults who attended my presentation I learned about the importance of community. It was very comforting when I was hearing everybody’s stories and support. It felt as though I knew them my whole life. I feel like I’ve never felt that amount of support from anybody. It was powerful." - Buong Loob Intern & Youth Facilitator-Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference, 2022

Meet our Team

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Program Development

[email protected]

 Harvey Lozada, ACSW, PPSC (he/him/his)

Harvey Lozada is a fourth-generation FRISCOPINO.  He is an educator, community worker, healer, filmmaker, photographer, and visual storyteller.  Harvey’s healing journey began with community activism and engaging young people in the juvenile justice system. For over 18 years, he has dedicated his life to disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline through youth leadership development and culturally responsive counseling services for children and families throughout San Francisco. Harvey currently serves as a Transition Specialist at the San Francisco County Office of Education and Woodside Learning Center in San Francisco Unified School District.  He is a core member at the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco and co-founder of the "Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship" and "Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference: Youth Contingency Internship" programs.

[email protected]

Verma Soria Zapanta, M.Ed (she/her)

Verma Soria Zapanta is a mental health educator, holistic wellness practitioner, and proud San Francisco native. Prior to delving into mental health and holistic wellness work, Verma was a high school Ethnic Studies History teacher in SFUSD, LAUSD, and taught/mentored graduate students in teacher education programs at UCLA and St. Mary’s College. She has over 15 years of experience in curriculum design, instructional coaching, and implementing school-wide educational frameworks that combine college-focused academics, rigorous technical education, work/project-based learning, and personalized student support. Verma is one of the Program Coordinators at the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco (FMHI-SF), a Mental Health First Aid Instructor, and serves as the Assistant Director of Pin@y Educational Partnerships. She is the co-founder of the "Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship" and "Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference: Youth Contingency Internship" programs.

Young Adult Ally (Y.A.A.) Interns-Spring 2025

Meet our Young Adult Ally (Y.A.A.) Interns of Spring 2024. Y.A.A. Interns are Buong Loob Alumni​ and proud SFUSD high school graduates, who are interested in pursuing careers in the fields of mental health, holistic wellness, and/or education. Y.A.A. Interns support the Buong Loob community with classroom facilitation, peer mentorship, and more!

Rejine Rhianna Barles (she/her)
Buong Loob Alumni-Spring 2023; Youth Contingency Intern-Spring 2024

I'm a first-generation daughter of Filipino immigrants. A Filipinx-American born and raised in Ramytush Ohlone territory (San Francisco, CA). I am a current student at City College, majoring in psychology in hopes to be a speech-language pathologist one day. I graduated Buong Loob in 2023, joined the Youth Contingency in 2024, and now come back as an Adult Ally in 2025. As a mental health advocate, I continue to return to this program to educate and destigmatize mental health within the Filipinx community.

What does mental health meant to you?
Mental health is interpreting and embracing all feelings, positive and negative. It’s important to normalize discussions around wellness and mental health within our Filipinx-American community to encourage the youth to seek assistance, finding solace and guidance through one another if they could not find it within their own families. By educating and supporting future generations to come, we can break the cycle of generational trauma and end the stigma surrounding mental health.

Annika Franco (she/her)
Buong Loob Alumni-Spring 2023; Young Adult Ally Intern-Spring 2024

Annika Franco is a daughter of Filipino immigrants, from the province of Pampanga, Philippines, and was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Annika graduated from Lowell High School in 2023, and is currently attending City College of San Francisco as a full-time student, with plans to transfer into a 4-year University. She is studying to pursue a career in community development, specifically in the field of mental health. Annika believes in the importance of mental health advocacy in the Filipino/a/x community and is passionate about reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.

What does mental health meant to you?
Mental health means learning to understand our own individual limits and boundaries. It affects every part of who we are—our mental, physical and social well-being. It's important for us to normalize discussions around wellness and mental health in order for us to heal and rely on each other as a community. These discussions will help foster a safe space for the Filipinx/Filipinx American community to break the cycle of trauma and move toward healing. We can support each other on this journey while also encouraging self-compassion and collective care.

Ilana Salayog, (she/her)
Buong Loob Alumni-Spring 2023; Young Adult Ally Intern-Spring 2024

Ilana Salayog is a dedicated first-generation full-time college student currently enrolled at City College of San Francisco. She is pursuing a degree in Public Health and plans to transfer in Fall 2025. Born in Dagupan City, Pangasinan, Philippines, she moved to San Francisco at the age of 7. Ilana is a graduate from Buong Loob in 2023 and returned as an Young Adult Ally Intern in the Spring of 2024 and 2025. Ilana is determined to further her education and contribute to raising awareness about mental health issues within the Filipina/o/x American community.

What does mental health meant to you?
Mental health is the state of our well-being when navigating stress and confronting challenges. Normalizing discussions around wellness and mental health in our community is crucial because it is stigmatized. We often underestimate the importance of mental health and how it plays a role in our daily lives. Raising awareness can result in a supportive, comfortable, and safe environment for individuals to share similar experiences passed from down through generations before. Recognizing and addressing mental health can make an impactful change within the Filipinx/Filipinx American community.

Community Partners

(t) 415-355-4578  (e) [email protected]

Tiffany E. San Jose, MSW

Education Specialist, Work-Based Learning
College & Career Readiness
San Francisco Unified School District

https://www.sfusd.edu/departments/college-and-career-readiness

Kababayan SFUSD

Kababayan SFUSD is an organization of Filipinx/a/o educators in San Francisco.  Our organization aims to:

• Support the academic success and social-emotional well-being of Filipinx students
• Improve the educational standards of the school system through the professional advancement of Kababayan members through leadership development, professional development, professional support, and networking.
• Facilitate a firm connection to the Filipinx culture and the Philippines by fostering cultural events and programs, supporting local efforts to preserve the culture, and sponsoring initiatives connecting its members with other Filipinx educators in the region, state, country, and in the Philippines.
• Unite Filipinx teachers and education workers within San Francisco Bay Area and the San Francisco Unified School District and align with other educators, education groups, alliances, and federations who share similar interests in advancing the interest of Filipinx students and other marginalized youth

https://sites.google.com/sfusd.edu/kababayan-sfusd/home

SFUSD Office of College and Career Readiness 

Within SFUSD’s Division of Curriculum and Instruction, the Office of College and Career Readiness (CCR) provides direct services to students and supports teachers and counselors to increase the likelihood of students’ postsecondary success in college and career.

https://www.sfusd.edu/departments/college-and-career-readiness

Ways to Show Your Support
Monetary or In-Kind Donations

​Lay a donation via Paypal, Flipcause, or Venmo and add the note "BUONG LOOB." For in-kind donations (i.e.: school supplies, snacks, etc.), please contact Verma Zapanta ([email protected]).  Buong Loob Internship Programs are sponsored by the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco, a program of the Filipino American Development Foundation (501c3). Donations are tax-deductible. Maraming Salamat!