Highlights from FBANC 40
Celebrating FBANC 40
In June 2020, FBANC hosted a virtual installation ceremony in lieu of our annual in-person gala. This would have been FBANC’s 40th gala, our biggest fundraiser of the year, but the pandemic required FBANC to think outside the box on celebrating this momentous occasion.
The FBANC Board transformed its annual fundraiser gala, which FBANC planned to host 300+ guests, into a virtual installation ceremony. FBANC kept most of the features of the annual gala, including inducting the FBANC Board’s new officers, remarks from the incoming and outgoing FBANC presidents, awarding the awards we generally present during our annual galas, including Jose Rizal award and the Trailblazer award, and awarding (through the FBANC Foundation) more than $40,000 in scholarships and stipends to law students.
Recognizing FBANC’s Legacy
This year’s theme is Pamana or Legacy, as translated in Tagalog, in recognition of FBANC’s four-decade-long commitment to diversifying the legal profession and to serving the SF Bay Area Filipino/a/x and Filipino/a/x American community. To celebrate FBANC’s legacy, we held panels from June 2020 to April 2021 featuring leaders throughout the four decades of FBANC’s history.
Awards and Recognition
Despite the challenges that the global pandemic brought on, FBANC continued to serve our community and remained committed to diversifying the legal profession and providing a voice for, and advocating on behalf of, Filipino/a/x and Filipino/a/x-American interests in various forums.
In the summer of 2020, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) bestowed its prestigious Affiliate of the Year Award to FBANC based on our deep commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as our zealous service to the community. In October 2020, San Francisco Mayor’s Filipino American History Month Celebration also recognized FBANC’s four-decade-long commitment to the community.
Commitment to the Community
COVID-19 Response
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, FBANC recognized the widespread need in our community for support and legal assistance. FBANC contributed to relief efforts and outreach to the community through these initiatives
Following the launch of our two-month long Virtual Unemployment Form Assistance Clinic with Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Asian Law Caucus in Apirl 2020, FBANC trained two local organizations to provide a similar service and relaunched this clinic in the Fall of 2020.
Provided (through the FBANC Foundation) over $10,000 in COVID-19 relief stipends to law students who have been affected financially by the pandemic (June 2020).
Provided a wills assistance virtual clinic and legal resources to emergency responders through a partnership with Legal Access Alameda and hosting a free webinar on basic estate planning for health care professionals (June 2020).
Hosted a Know Your Rights Webinar on Navigating Tenants' Rights During COVID-19, in collaboration with Asian Law Alliance and API Legal Outreach (September 2020)
In response to the potential barriers the COVID-19 pandemic brings to our community members, the state of California is offering several ways to vote in the 2020 General Election. The purpose of this resource guide is to provide information on how to participate in the 2020 General Election (October 2020) and conducted a digital campaign to encourage folks to register and vote.
Standing up for RacialJustice and Equality
FBANC stands against the systematic racism and oppression experienced in this country. As a community that identifies as Filipino/a/x, our work combating injustice intersects with the work and struggles of our allies in the Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities.
Speaking Out Against Systemic Racism and Oppression
FBANC released several statements standing up for racial justice and equality:
Coalition Building
We also collaborated with several organizations to build a coalition to fight racial injustice and inequity and in recognition of our intersectional identies:
Fireside Chat on Race, Sexuality, and Policing (September 2020);
Building a Coalition for Racial Justice and Civil Rights During a Time of Crisis (September 2020);
From Prop 209 to Prop 16: Historical, Legal and Activist Perspectives on Affirmative Action (September 2020);
Civil Rights in Crisis: A Critical Discussion of Racial Justice, Voting Rights, Women’s Rights and LGBTQ Rights in Advance of the 2020 Election (October 2020);
Fred Korematsu Day Of Civil Liberties and the Constitution (January 2021)
Anti-AAPI Hate Action Guide, Resources and Programming
Over the last year, there has been an increase in reports of hate incidents, microaggressions in public, discrimination by business establishments, workplace discrimination and harassment, and threats of and actual acts of violence towards Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. FBANC compiled an action guide and resources to provide our community with ways to stand up against Anti-AAPI Hate.
We also collaborated with other bar associations to put on programming addressing anti-AAPI hate:
APAs v. Hate Conference hosted by CAL-APABA (Spring 2021)
Know Your Rights Webinar (Resources on Criminal Justice and Victims’ Rights, Student Advocacy, and Housing Rights here: English I Tagalog) (April 2021)
Anti-API Violence and Heightened Xenophobia and Racism (April 2021)
Advocacy and Endorsements
FBANC is committed to providing a voice for, and advocating on behalf of, Filipino/a/x and Filipino/a/x-American community.
FBANC advocated and endorsed initiatives, legislation and individuals impacting the Filipino/a/x-American community:
FBANC joins NFALA in denouncing the violent actions and assault on the United States Capitol today
FBANC Members: Public Comment Needed to Keep Filipino WWII Veteran Parole (FWVP) Program
FBANC urges community to save Filipino WWII vets parole program
Balitang America on the historic nomination of Assemblymember Rob Bonta
By collaborating with local organizations, we worked on raising awareness of issues affecting our community in the Philippines:
FBANC Statement Against the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020
Beyond the Storm: A Webinar on the Impact of Typhoon Rolly and Ulysses, Climate Crisis and Human Rights (December 2020);
FBANC Matching Donations to NAFCON’s Typhoon Relief Efforts (December 2020).
Dedication to Diversity in Law
Professional Development, Networking, and Member Engagement
This year, FBANC’s legal, educational, leadership, and professional development virtual programming focused on improving the well-being of our members at work and also personally:
Women’s Committee’s 5th Annual Tea Party (September 2020)
Social Committee’s Fil-Am History Month Trivia (October 2020)
In-House Committee’s Luncheon (October 2020)
Cocktail Reception celebration FBANC’s recognition as Affiliate of the Year by the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (November 2020)
Social Committee’s Virtual Holiday Party (December 2020)
Women’s Committee: Goal Setting Workshop (January 2021);
Annual Judiciary Panel: The Firsts (February 2021);
In-House Committee Luncheon: Celebrating Ted Borromeo’s Retirement (March 2021)
Social Committee Networking Event: Game Night (March 2021)
Women’s Committee Mothers-in-Law Panel May 2021);
Membership Spotlights (April and May 2021)
Virtual Pinay Powerhouse Conference
Building the Pipeline: Mentoring and Supporting the Next Generation of Leaders
Following the success of our inaugural Komunidad Conference in February 2020, FBANC along with the Bay Area PALS Coalition hosted two virtual Komunidad conferences to connect Filipinx American aspiring law students, law students, attorneys, judges, and community leaders. It will also serve as an opportunity for the participants to reflect upon the role they play within the broader APA community and identify ways to strengthen relations with other ethnic subgroups while maintaining a strong sense of self-identity. In December 2020, we also held one-on-one mock interviews and resume review workshops.
Asian-Am lawyers have been, as a whole, underrepresented in the profession. The same is true for the Fil-Am legal community, and thus the need for mentorship relationships is acute. Early each fall, the FBANC Mentorship Committee pairs law students and new attorneys with FBANC mentors and hosts our annual Mentorhsip Pairing Event.
Scholarship Program through the FBANC Foundation
The FBANC Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Thanks to the generous donations of community members, the Foundation has awarded scholarships to numerous Fil-Am law students every year for many years. The scholarship program is a way to help Fil-Am students, and as an investment in the future of our community.
In the 2020 application cycle, FBANC provided more than $40,000 in scholarships and stipends to the Fil-Am law student community, including the inaugural Honorable Eleanor Oducayen Nisperos Women’s Committee Scholarship and the inaugural The FBANC/BALIF Pamilya Scholarship.This year, we also raised over $40,000 to fund our 2021 FBANC Foundation scholarships and stipends