L-R: Virgit Vanek, Naty Anolin, Flor Obana, Shiela DeForest, Arminda Aguilar, Honorary Consul Donna LaVigne, Brendan Flores, Jennifer Samuel, Gloria Villaver-Williams, Giselle Rushford, Marlene Perez, Pepito Castellanes, Aurelia Grinstead
By: Shiela DeForest Photography by Monico Candelaria monicophoto.com
Colorado Celebrates Filipino American History Month
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In observance of Filipino-American History Month, the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) V Rocky Mountain Region held the Moda Filipiniana Gala 2021 on October 9. After over a year of virtual events, the organization staged a safe, in-person event to raise funds for the newly established NaFFAA V Disaster Preparedness Fund. Filipino leaders and organizations were recognized for their community service: Erlinda Muega, Lifetime Achievement Award; Miss Earth USA Water 2021 Alyssa Magalong, Outstanding Youth Leader Award; Filipino American Community of Colorado and Filipino American Society of Southern Colorado were given the Community Service Award for an Organization. Filipino nurses have been part of the fight during this pandemic, and some have paid the ultimate sacrifice and because of this service, the Philippine Nurses Associa-
tion of Colorado were given the first ever Special Humanitarian Award. The NaFFAA V 2021-2023 officers were also sworn in: Jennifer Samuel, Regional Chair; Aurelia Grinstead, Regional Vice Chair; Georgette Johnson, Secretary and Naty Anolin, Auditor. NaFFAA V have always celebrated Filipino culture at the annual gala and this year’s event showcased Modern Filipiniana designs of Miami-based Filipina international designer Kirsten Regalado, and her creations were brought to life by models from the local Filipino American community and showcased diversity. NaFFAA V hoped this evening gave the Filipino community in Colorado an opportunity to gather again after a challenging year and celebrate Filipino-American History Month. Filipino Americans are the second largest Asian American group in the nation and this celebration
commemorates the first recorded presence of Filipinos in the continental United States, which occurred on October 18, 1587, when “Luzones Indios” came ashore from the Spanish galleon Nuestra Senora de Esperanza and landed at Morro Bay, California. Since then, the Filipino diaspora has grown to four million strong, being the second largest Asian ethnic group in the US, and the fourth largest in Colorado, at approximately 30,000 people, after Chinese, Indian and Korean. In 2009, U.S. Congress recognized October as Filipino American History Month. NaFFAA V hopes that this month will be celebrated more widely in Colorado and this year, Governor Jared Polis signed a proclamation declaring the observance of Filipino American History Month in the state. Membership to NaFFAA is free until December 31, 2021, for more information, visit naffaaregion5.org.
2021 NaFFAA V Awardees: L-R: Ron Nono and Dr. Alex Africa, FASSC; Erlinda Muega; Chona Palmon, FACC and Miss Earth USA Water 2021 Alyssa Magalong
L-R: NaFFAA National Chair Brendan Flores, NaFFAA V Regional Chair 2019-2021 Gloria WIlliams, NaFFAA V Regional Chair 2021-2023 Jennifer Samuel
L-R: Chevy Lowe, Lori Pace, Lynette Brooks, Priya Burkett, Alyssa Whitehead Bust, Danielle Shoots, Michelle Lucero, Perla Gheiler, and Simone Ross
November 2021 | On Scene
