Workshop Facilitators

Meet our amazing workshop facilitators for the 1st annual Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference 2022.

agasan.org
Instagram: @agasan_project

AGASAN
Rachel Lastimosa (she/they/siya) & Patricia Ong (she/her)

AGASAN, in Ilokano means to heal or give medicine, is a project using arts as an integrative pathway to wellness consisting of culturally responsive workshops. AGASAN is a return to the medicine of our ancestors, utilizing sound, movement and visual arts to connect us to ourselves, each other and our environment.

​What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? Mental health is central to our wellbeing. As a people, the long term impact of colonization is imbedded deep in generations past and healing ourselves is the way towards healing future ancestors.​

aapi.sfsu.edu
Instagram: @aapisfsu 

Asian American & Pacific Islander Student Services​ 
Raju Desai (he/him), Alex Arriola (he/him), Juice Canales (they/theirs), Jaiden-Rianne Paja (they/theirs), Cindy Nguyen (she/her), & Catrina Alonzo (she/her)

In Asian American and Pacific Islander Student Services, we center student identities, narratives, and experiences that may have been invisible and or sidelined in the traditional work of student services. Our priority is to advocate and create opportunities for access and visibility in partnership with the College of Ethnic Studies, Student Affairs and Enrollment Management, Division of Equity and Community Inclusion and our campus community. This partnership addresses the silos of higher education through culturally relevant collaboration in order to provide wrap-around services for our students, support for our faculty members, peer mentorship, and a community of care.
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​What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? It means everything. We got a lot of toxicity and a lot of cray cray out in the community due to trauma, oppression, violence, and of course colonialism. That shit needs to stop. There is too much a stigma around mental health for many elders in our communities so it is up your folks to lead the way and help facilitate that individual, familial, community, and intergenerational healing process.

adrienne@afterschoolingbetter.com
Instagram: @afterschoolingbetter

Afterschooling Better
Adrienne Hidalgo Esguerra (she/her) and Patrocinio Esguerra (he/him)

Childhood is precious. Parenting is sacred. Healed parents raise liberated kids. Liberated kids love themselves.
Offering online education programs for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) parents centering liberation, reparenting and community. We provide self paced online courses and learning community for justice minded parents and school communities to deepen their parenting practice through the lens of decolonization.

​What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? "Filipina/o/x American students should prioritize their mental health because the idea of mental health and mental illness is so negatively stigmatized, especially in Filipina/o/x families and culture. It’s really a common thing that impacts everyone. Naming mental health or illness shouldn’t devalue a person’s worth. We need to educate people that although people may struggle with their mental health, they are still people destined for great things." -Patrocinio; 11th grade, Burton High School 

fmhi.org/buongloob

Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship 2022
Youth Interns

[buô: wholeness; loob: inner self]

The Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship is a youth, mental health education program that engages Filipina/o/x American identified 10th/11th/12th graders to learn about mental wellness in the context of their ethnic and socio-cultural experiences.  Students attend a series of mental health education workshops, participate in several community action projects, and explore college & career options alongside mental health and wellness practitioners in the field.  Buong Loob is co-sponsored by San Francisco Unified School District's Office of College & Career Readiness and the Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco. 

The ​Buong Loob Filipinx Student Wellbeing Conference is a youth-led, mental wellness conference organized by former and current participants of the Buong Loob: Filipinx Student Wellness Internship. We aim to create courageous learning spaces for Filipina/o/x and Filipina/o/x American identified 9th-12th graders in SFUSD to discuss topics related to mental health and their collective healing while centering the student experience.  

www.fmhi-sf.org

Filpino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco
​Alexis David (she/her/siya), Geraldine Punzalan Lapitan (she/her), Rani Lacsa Marcos (they/siya), & Robin Castel Navarro (she/her/siya)

The Filipino Mental Health Initiative of San Francisco (FMHI-SF) is committed to increasing access to culturally appropriate wellness and behavioral health services for Filipinx/Filipinx Americans in the San Francisco-Bay Area community in partnership with valued stake holders such as mental health providers, practitioners, artists, organizers, youth leaders and their families.  The facilitators of this workshop are Filipinx School Social Workers with San Francisco Unified School District that have been working to address the mental health and wellness needs of Filipinx students.

What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing?  Mental health means the a person’s condition with regard to their psychological, safety and emotional well-being. To nurture and care for our Whole SELF. To actively care for our mental, emotional, physical, spiritual and generational wellbeing. We should prioritize Filipinx/a/o students and youth mental health and wellbeing because in doing so, is honoring and valuing their path to wellness while creating a culture of care for generations now and forward.

www.fmhi-smc.org Instagram: @fmhi.smc
Facebook: @FMHI.SanMateoCounty 

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Filpino Mental Health Initiative of San Mateo County
Stephanie Balon (she/her), MA, AMFT; Christi Morales-Kumasawa (she/her), MA, AMFT; Alaina Moguel (she/her), MPH 

FMHI-SMC is a health equity initiative under San Mateo County's Behavior Health & Recovery Services Department, which aims to decrease stigma of mental health, increase access to culturally attuned mental health services & support, and conduct culturally responsive outreach and education to the Filipina/o/x American community. FMHI-SMC accessed seed money ($2.6 Million) through Mental Health Services Act Innovation Funding for the construction of a cultural arts and wellness center/café, named Kapwa Cafe, for the Filipina/o/x community in Northern San Mateo County, which employs a social enterprise model. Kapwa Cafe (expected to break ground in 2023) will serve as a culturally affirming, creative, healing space to provide mental health and wellness support & resources, which includes but is not limited to, youth programming and intergenerational enrichment.

What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing?  Mental Health is one critical functioning of who we are as a human being, psychologically and emotionally, that affects overall wellness. The students should prioritize their mental health and well-being since it strongly impacts the ways they are able to live a wholehearted, fulfilling and authentic life with meaningful and deep connection to themselves and to others.

​​www.healkeona.com; www.shopkeona.com
Instagram: @keonas.defense

FuniestasMFT & Keona's Defense Shop
Lauren T. Funiestas (she/her)

Lauren is a Licensed Psychotherapist, Holistic Life Coach who specializes in working with women of color healing from sexual assault, childhood abuse and intergenerational trauma. She is also the owner of Keona's Defense Shop selling women's defense accessories and providing community workshops on situational awareness, de-escalation and crisis prevention.

​What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? It is important for students to prioritize their mental health and wellbeing because every year thousands of people become ill or die as a result of untreated stress, trauma and substance use. A healthy mental health outlook means expressing one's emotions, setting boundaries with our loved ones and spending time engaging in activities that bring us joy.

legacyfilipinomartialarts@gmail.com

 Legacy Filipino Martial Arts

Legacy Filipino Martial Arts strives to give all who wish to learn the ability and knowledge to feel confident about being able to defend themselves. We believe in working smart not hard and our method of martial arts reflects just that. One of our philosophies is that anyone should be able to defend themselves adequately. Here at Legacy Filipino Martial Arts you will learn how to defend against armed attackers as well as unarmed attackers. One of our specialities is the ability to use everyday items as a tool for self defense.

What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? ​Without good mental health and well being nothing else matters

Facebook
​Mabuhay Health Center

Mabuhay Health Center

The Mabuhay Health Center strives to address the diverse needs of Filipino patients in the SoMa district with medical, dental, pharmacy services, health education, and referrals to community resources. The MHC Behavioral Health Committee works to de-stigmatize mental health in the Filipino community with presentations and workshops to support productive conversations about mental health. We have connected with the Filipino Mental Health Initiative to support their efforts to address mental health in Filipino youth. We have also partnered with local organizations like SoMa Mental Health Services to refer our patients to any mental health service providers they need.

What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? Mental health is as important as our physical health. How we are feeling and how our surroundings make us feel contribute to our overall wellness, and allows us to reach our full potential. Filipinx American students should prioritize their mental health and wellbeing as we are more vulnerable to mental health issues due to our history, and our identity being people of color.

Instagram:
@magpiealchemy @ayatproject

"Magpie Alchemy & the Ayat Project"
Jame Cardenas (she/they), Flex-Maxim Dalit (they/them), & Liberty Rapada (she/they)

We are: Equal Parts Science + LoveMagpie Alchemy is a labor of love. We have a passion for science, art and creating new things. We express this by crafting products that are good for you, inside and out. Our journey began when our beautiful daughter Maggie, who we lovingly call Magpie, was born.  We wanted to take charge of our family's health and chose to limit exposure to the chemicals and artificial ingredients found in the products we use every day. We studied how our ancestors were using the healing power of plants that come naturally from Mother Earth to take care of their bodies. With a lot of research, creativity and love in our hearts we made our first hand-crafted soaps. Once the word got out about our products, more people wanted to try it, and within a few weeks, Magpie Alchemy Soaps was born. Since then, we’ve been blessed - using a variety of tools from our plant friends to expand our product line-up, and help others be more healthy, thus evolving into Magpie Alchemy.

Our logo represents US. The triangle not only represents the Earth, Sky and Humanity, but also, Mother, Father, and Child… Us! The feather is a symbol of transcendence and spiritual evolution. Together there’s nothing better to represent our Family and our Company. We hope you all enjoy our products and can feel all the love we put into them.
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What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? Mental health to us means embracing whole health and tending to mind, body and spirit. These should not be seperate. It is part of our life's work to destigmatize mental health, especially in the Filipinx/a/o community, by teaching nervous system regulation and embodiment practices, through plant magic, art and community care. We should embrace the full spectrum of our emotions and experiences, and acknowledge the trauma, challenges, love and joy in our community.

For mental health, and on a biological level, we need each other to survive and thrive. This is what "healing happens in community" truly means. This is the definition of Kapwa.

mpwrdcollective.org Instagram: @Mpwrdcollective

"MPWRD Artists Collective"
Agpalo(Ting) Alongi Makinta (all pronouns acceptable)

A Dance Practitioner, Healer, and Artist, Ting uses their art as a form of visual and oral story telling like ancestors before them have done, and instills a holistic and spiritual approach to all forms of dance. With a long history of involvement in the ancestral arts, as well as fine arts, Ting's goal is to create a safe space for all artists and ancestral practitioners. Ting is also the current the current Artistic Director of MPWRD Artists Collective and Youth Program Manager at Shawl-Anderson Dance Center in which their primary roll is supporting youth but most importantly creating safe, equitable, inclusive spaces.

Ancestral Lineage: Ilokano, Cebuano/Visayan, Mindanaoan, Nigerian, Congolese/Cameroonian, Southern Chinese, Portuguese

​What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing? It's important for Filipinx students to prioritize mental health and wellbeing in a world that does not prioritize them. In broader communities that often do not provide support it's important that youth prioritize mental health over monetization of time.

www.pepsf.org

​Instagram: @pepsanfrancisco

Pin@y Educational Partnerships

The Pin@y (Pinay/Pinoy) Educational Partnerships (PEP) is a service-learning/learning-service program that forms a “triangular partnership” between the university, public schools, and the community to cultivate a barangay (community) to produce critical educators and curriculum at all levels of education and in the community. PEP’s partnership triangle includes: Bay Area colleges/universities, San Francisco public schools, and the Filipino American Development Foundation (FADF). Uniquely, our community implements a transformative decolonizing curriculum and pedagogy, incorporating all grade levels including primary, middle, secondary, post-secondary, and graduate students. As volunteer teachers of the program, graduate and undergraduate students, from San Francisco State University (SFSU) and surrounding universities who are pursuing careers in education or community service, receive a unique opportunity to teach critical Filipina/x/o American studies. They gain skills in the practice of critical pedagogy, culturally relevant & responsive pedagogy, curriculum development, lesson planning, and teaching.

What does mental health mean to you? Why should Filipino and Filipina/o/x American students prioritize their mental health and wellbeing?  Mental health is related to knowledge and practices of self. In understanding self, we draw upon on understanding the history of our peoples from precolonial times and practices that have provided generational wellness.

Registration

Update 4/22/22: Registration has ended for this event. Maraming Salamat!

Youth Workshop Descriptions

Adult Ally Workshop Descriptions

Ways to Show Your Support

Volunteer at Our Event

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We are seeking Adult Allies who can volunteer a minimum of 2-hours to help staff our conference on 4/23.
*Update: 4/22/22: Sign-ups has ended. Maraming Salamat*

Monetary or In-Kind Donations

Monetary and in-kind donations (i.e.: donating school supplies, snacks, etc.) go a long way for our students! Lay a donation via Paypal, Flipcause, or Venmo and add the note "BUONG LOOB." Thank you for your generosity.