APPROVEDASTOFORMANDLEGALITY
________________________CITYATTORNEY’SOFFICE
OAKLANDCITYCOUNCILRESOLUTIONNO._______________C.M.S.
INTRODUCEDBYCOUNCILPRESIDENTNIKKIFORTUNATOBAS
RESOLUTIONCELEBRATING FILIPINOAMERICANHISTORYMONTHANDHONORINGFILIPINOADVOCATESFORJUSTICE(FAJ)ONTHEIR50THANNIVERSARY WHEREAS,FilipinoAmericanHistoryMonth(FAHM)isOctober1 to31,2023andisa specialcelebrationthathonorsthehistoryandheritageof FilipinoAmericansandshowsappreciationfortheircontributionstoAmericansocietysincetheyfirstlandedintheU.S.;and WHEREAS,WHEREAS,withFilipinoAmericansbeingoneof thebiggestAsianAmericangroups,it is importantto recognizetheirpursuits,triumphs,andlegacies,listentostoriesof theirlivedexperiences,andgettoknowtheculturethattheybroughtwiththemtoAmerica,whichformspartofthediverselandscapeoftheU.S.;and WHEREAS,FilipinoAmericanshavecalledOaklandandthegreaterBayAreahomesinceatleasttheturnofthe20thcenturywiththefirstwaveofFilipinomigrationbeginningandcontinuinguntilthestartofWorldWarII.Duringthistimespan,sponsoredstudents,veteransofthePhilippine-AmericanWarandtheirfamilies,andyoungmenrecruitedinthePhilippinestoserveintheU.S.militaryorworkinCaliforniaandHawaii'sexpandingagriculturalindustrieswouldallarriveintheUnitedStates;and WHEREAS,Filipinopresenceinthelaborforcetransitionedwiththeregion'seconomicandsocialevolutionfrommainlyfarmandservicelaborerstoindustrialworkerstoprofessional,administrative,andserviceworkers.TodaytheEastBayisavibrantcenteroftheFilipinocommunity'sdeeplyrootedandrichcultural,political,andeconomiclife;and WHEREAS,, FilipinoAmericansmakeupasignificantportionofOakland’sAsianAmericanandPacificIslandarpopulationasthethirdlargestAAPIgroupinthecity, andFilipinoAmericansalsocompriseanotableportionofemployeesoftheCityofOakland;and 2646873v7- updated03/2/2021
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WHEREAS,, since1973,FilipinoAdvocatesforJustice(FAJ)'svisionhasbeenforaFilipinocommunityempoweredtoadvancesocialandeconomicjusticeaswellasdemocraticandhumanrightsforall;and WHEREAS,, FAJ'smissionistobuildastrongandempoweredFilipinocommunitybyorganizingconstituents,developingleaders,providingservices,andadvocatingforpoliciesthatpromotesocialandeconomicjusticeandequity;and WHEREAS,FAJ’sworkisrootedintheFilipinovaluesof:Bayanihan, comingtogetherto helpthosein need;Kapwa, communityinterconnectedness;andMakibaka, to fightforcollectivepower;and WHEREAS,FAJservesthe200,000+FilipinosintheEastBaythroughofficesinOakland’sChinatownandUnionCity. TheyareadirectbeneficiaryoftheCivilRightsandThirdWorldpeople'smovementsofthe1960'sandearly70's,andbelievethatallimmigrants,workers,andpeopleofcolordeservedignity, alivingwage,decentworkplaceconditionsandprotections,freehealthcareandaffordablehousing,mentalhealthwellnessandalifefreeofdiscrimination;and WHEREAS,FAJareadvocatesforimmigrant,worker, andcivilrights;committedtohelpingthemostvulnerablenavigatelife'schallengesandhurdles,particularlyat-riskmiddleandhighschool-ageyouth,low-wageworkers,newlyarrivedimmigrantsandtheundocumented;and WHEREAS,FAJworkswith100+youthayearthroughin-schoolyouthdevelopmentprogramsandanafterschoolleadershipdevelopmentprogram.Thein-schoolprogramprovidespreventioneducationandpeersupportandhelpsyoungpeopledevelophealthyrelationshipsanddecisionmakingskills.Theyear-roundafterschoolprogramisaimedatyouth-ledleadershipdevelopment,politicaleducation,andcivicengagement;and WHEREAS,FAJ operatesa caregiverempowermentprojectto supportlow-wageworkersin thisexploitativeindustry. TheyhelpedfoundtheCaliforniaDomesticWorkersCoalitionthatwona CADomesticWorkerBillof RightsandtheHealthandSafetyforAllWorkersAct.We organizecaregiversthroughKnowYourRightseducation,a wellnesssupportgroupcalledKapwaKo,andprovidewagetheftsupport.FAJhashelpedcaregiversrecoverover1milliondollarsinlostwages;and WHEREAS,FAJprovidesfreeassistanceincompletingthenaturalizationapplicationandreferralsofcomplicatednaturalizationcasestononprofitimmigrationattorneys;and WHEREAS,overthelastdecade,FAJhasbuiltavoterempowermentprogramtoengagethe800,000FilipinoseligibletoregistertovoteinCalifornia.Theyregister, educate,and 2 DRAFT
mobilizevoterslocallyandstatewideinpartnershipwithcoalitionslikeAAPI'sforCivicEmpowerment.In2022,theystartedFAJActionFund,our501c4sisterorganization;and WHEREAS,FAJ’scommunityorganizingprioritiesaretofightforrenterprotections,domesticworkerprotections,andtoadvocateforimmigrantrights,includinglegalizationoftheundocumented;now, therefore,beit RESOLVED:ThattheCityofOaklandcelebratesFilipinoAmericanHeritageMonthtorecognizetheachievementsandcontributionsofOakland’sFilipinoAmericancommunityandCityofOaklandemployees;and FURTHERRESOLVED:ThattheCityofOaklandhonorsFilipinoAdvocatesforJusticeontheir50 th
anniversary.
INCOUNCIL, OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA,
PASSEDBYTHEFOLLOWINGVOTE:
AYES- FIFE, GALLO, JENKINS, KALB, KAPLAN, RAMACHANDRAN, REID, ANDPRESIDENTFORTUNATOBASNOES–ABSENT–ABSTENTION– ATTEST: ASHAREEDCityClerkandClerkof theCouncil of theCityof Oakland, California Dateof Attestation: _______________________________
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