Message from FBANC President Jennifer Sta.Ana
May 31, 2022
Dear FBANC community,
I hope you all had a restful and restorative weekend, commemorating those who have died serving this nation and those who have perished in recent days. I also hope that you found the time to celebrate life, cherishing all whom you love dearly.
The threat on women’s rights and the loss of human life weigh heavily. I write to you wishing that you find the utmost support and care from the FBANC community. Many among us have looked to FBANC not just for professional support, but to collectively understand and respond to the moments we feel alone, disempowered, and othered. “Know History, Know Self” was not just a hollow theme for this past year, but a battle cry to think critically about what has brought us to this moment (the good and the bad of it all) and how we repair and build moving forward.
I profusely thank the FBANC 41 Board for carrying that vision through with marked intentionality:
This past year, FBANC helped plan San Francisco’s Filipino American History Month Celebration, hosted by Mayor London N. Breed and the Filipino American Arts Exposition (FAAE). The event featured a conversation between pillars of the FBANC community—William R. Tamayo and Rob Bonta—who shared how their personal histories in community building steered their paths to esteemed positions in public service. The full conversation is now available HERE.
FBANC also rebuilt our community in the aftermath of the pandemic through events that brought us back together, such as our annual picnic, the return of the FBANC golf tournament, and our special Homecoming holiday celebration that honored FBANC’s 40th anniversary; thanked over 100 legal clinic volunteers who helped the community during the pandemic; commemorated the forty-year careers of Advisory Board members Ted Borromeo and William R. Tamayo; and celebrated the national recognition of FBANC by NAPABA and the ABA.
FBANC further implored that the community not forget the challenges (or remnants thereof) facing our homeland and by those plagued by similar colonial conflicts waged by war. See FBANC Statement on Graft, Dictatorships, and Government Brutality; FBANC Statement on Environmental Justice; FBANC Statement in Solidarity With Ukraine.
FBANC strengthened and sustained its signature programming, such as Night with Fil-Am Attorneys, Night with Fil-Am Judges, Komunidad, and our legal clinic.
In the final days of FBANC 41, it is my pleasure to premiere two key FBANC accomplishments—one called upon by our membership over the years and another deeply informed by our organization’s history to build upon FBANC’s future.
The FBANC Directory: Through the leadership of FBANC Membership Directors Bonifacio Sison and Isabelle Tan, the public can now search for FBANC attorneys specializing in distinct practice areas. If you are a paid member and would like to be added to the directory, please email membership@fbanc.org for more information. Click below to view the Directory.
FBANC’s Five-Year Strategic Plan (2022-2027): On May 9, 2022, FBANC approved its Five-Year Strategic Plan. The Plan underscores the fundamental mission of the organization and defines its evolving scope, capabilities, and potential. The Plan is built upon five pillars: (1) Professional Development; (2) Education; (3) Service to the Community; (4) Advocacy; and (5) Organizational Excellence. The Plan will serve as the blueprint for FBANC and its role in the community over the coming years. Executive Board Members Jennifer Sta.Ana, Raymond Rollan, Nelson Pineda Lam, Leoangelo Cristobal, and Advisory Board Members Marc Pilotin and Mari Bandoma Callado worked together over the FBANC 41 term to instill lessons of leadership into this guiding document. Click below to read the Strategic Plan.
The FBANC 41 Board has one last call to action. California Rural Legal Assistance Foundation, FBANC, Little Manila Rising, Empowering Marginalized Asian Communities, and the Bulosan Center are hosting a legal clinic in Stockton, CA, where the Filipinx community has held deep roots since the 1930s, but where a dearth of legal resources remains. We are seeking aspiring law students, law students, attorneys, and community members to help. Volunteer at fbanc.org/legal-clinics.
At a time when divisiveness grows rampant, I invite you all to stand in solidarity and community at FBANC’s 42nd Gala: FBANC for All (fbanc.org/fbanc-42-gala). Under the leadership of incoming President Raymond Rollan, I have no doubt that we will move forward with purpose and compassion. Please remember to claim your spot at the gala by today’s end.
With the deepest appreciation for allowing me to lead FBANC 41,
Jennifer L. Sta.Ana
FBANC President
jenniferstaana@fbanc.org
fbanc.org/fbanc-41