Restoring mental health: Napa’s Filipino community addresses the pandemic

Restoring mental health

Napa County’s Filipino community addresses the pandemic

JESSICA ZIMMER

Napa’s Filipino community is coming together during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage listening, sharing, and techniques for empowerment. The goal is to combat numerous stressors, including anti-Asian hate, the toll on healthcare professionals, the inability to travel to the Philippines, and the isolation of virtual learning.

“The past year has been remarkably trying, not just for the Filipino American community, but communities everywhere. The lockdown, COVID, economic concerns, the presidential election, and the social justice movement created a cauldron of reactions that manifested itself in 2020,” said American City Council Member David Oro.

Oro said telling the history of the Filipino community is a way to acknowledge the expectations and contributions that Napa County residents have faced, “even as the cauldron is still bubbling.”

“Approximately one third of the population of American Canyon is of Asian descent, with many residents being Filipino and Filipino American. You can’t find a street in American Canyon without a Filipino nurse living there. These members of our community were and are the frontline workers. They have continued to care for the sick admirably while they, their families, and the community are caring for them,” said Oro.

March 2021 data from National Nurses United, the largest union of registered nurses (RNs) in the U.S., show that approximately 26 percent of RNS who have died from COVID-19 and related complications are Filipino. Filipinos make up 4 percent of the RNs in the U.S.

Lourdes Moldre, clinical director of oncology services for UC Davis Health and a member of

Courtesy of Clarence Mamaril

Members of the Filipino community, including American Canyon City Council Member David Oro (back, second from left), Luchi Marte Carey (far left), Dame Jose (center), Faith Ballesteros (second from right) and Clarence Mamaril (far right), gather before an anti-Asian hate rally in American Canyon in May 2021.

Courtesy of Lourdes Moldre

Lourdes Moldre, clinical director of oncology services for UC Davis Health and a member of the Philippine Nurses Association of America, holds up an anti-Asian hate sign.

the Philippine Nurses Association of America, said although Filipino healthcare workers have sustained losses, they have joined forces with social workers to create flyers and social media materials. The purpose of the effort is to encourage members of the Filipino community to get vaccinated.

“The best way to prevent more stress and loss within the community is vaccination. There are a lot of myths floating around about COVID in the Philippines and the U.S., such as that you only need to get one shot of a mRNA vaccine, outside of a one-time J&J vaccination. Targeted materials in Tagalog and English, especially for elderly people and individuals suffering from hypertension and diabetes, help a great deal,” said Moldre.

Moldre said members of the Filipino community who are not healthcare workers are also forging ties by digitally and physically reaching out to one another.

“We’re engaging in monthly awareness events like group meetings, pulling out all the positivity that’s still going on. Being open, authentic, and unafraid to talk to peers is important. Those connections help us decompress. They create a system that is sustainable for people of all ages,” said Moldre.

Getting students on board

Encouraging Filipino students who go to school together to talk is helping younger members of the community find their voice.

Clarence Mamaril, a Filipino community liaison for the Napa Valley Education Foundation, said in 2020, approximately 15 Filipino-American students were active in Filipino Life and Generations Group (FLAGG).

“FLAGG is composed of students in American Canyon Middle School and American Canyon High School (ACHS). Over Zoom, we discussed topics ranging from Filipino culture to how we were dealing with anxiety and depression,” said Mamaril.

Mamaril said students learned from one another, ACHS social worker and FLAGG co-coordinator Roxana Plancarte, and adult volunteers from the Filipino community who are also members of FLAGG, including Council Member Oro. The group often discussed how to access mental health resources and coping strategies. Another frequent activity was coming up with affirmations and gratitudes, positive statements to acknowledge progress and give thanks.

“Next year, we’ll start the program anew. All of the information we’re learning about students’ concerns, what helps them, what they like to talk about, and their personal experiences, helps us understand how to support Filipino students in the group and throughout Napa Valley,” said Mamaril.

Mamaril, Moldre, Oro, Luchi Marte Carey, and other members of the Filipino community also worked to organize an anti-Asian hate rally in mid May 2021. The event brought together students, parents, and community leaders to take a stand against anti-Asian crimes and discrimination.

At Napa Valley College, administrators and faculty are collaborating to help young adults take the next step to support their peers.

Sherry Tennyson, career consultant at Napa Valley College, and Professor Nicollette Morales, adjunct faculty of humanities, have developed a Filipino learning community. Connecting members of the community through classes and discussion groups will ensure these college students have support and feedback from their peers.

Cary Shott story

Agnes Ramos, owner of the Napa Valley Tea Company, pours out a sample of an herbal blend.

Courtesy of Lourdes Moldre

Lourdes Moldre, clinical director of oncology services for UC Davis Health and a member of the Philippine Nurses Association of America (second from left in back row, in black) at an anti-Asian hate rally in American Canyon in May 2021.

“In 2021, the Filipinx learning community will be about 160 students. Just as last year, we will make every effort to help students identify direct aid, find mental health counselors, and start support groups and discussions within the larger group,” said Tennyson.

Morales said one of the objectives of the learning community is to create community within the college setting for Filipinx students.

“We also talk about diversity within Filipinx culture, such as the different languages that Filipinx people speak beyond Tagalog. Ilonggo, Ilocano and Visayan are a few of the many languages spoken in the Philippines. We ask our students what’s going with their families as well. We know they have multiple roles in our community. The things we cover together get shared with siblings, parents, and coworkers,” said Morales.

Morales said one of the new concepts she is utilizing for this holistic approach is “barangays,” small groups. The word comes from “balangay,” a Malay word that means “sailboat.” It refers to a house on land and a boat on water where families and friends live together.

“We plan to divide the class into these different barangays for class discussions. We’ll build rapport within them and the class as a whole. That will help students understand that history starts with them and their story. They’ll get to write about where they are going and where the Filipinx community is headed,” said Morales.

Tennyson said strengthening the support network helps repair damage caused by the pandemic.

“In March 2020, so many of our students were left on their own. Their classes went virtual. They didn’t see their peers during shelter-in-place. A number of students and their parents lost jobs. Students had to pause internships and career plans. What we are doing now helps the younger generation find the confidence to form new paths. It also teaches them to be there for themselves, their friends, and their families,” said Tennyson.

Reaching Filipinos Upvalley

The majority of Napa Valley’s Filipino population is concentrated in the southern part of the county. Yet there are pockets of Filipino residents in St. Helena, Angwin, and Calistoga, said Karen Verzosa, a Calistoga resident and member of the Filipino community.

“The Filipino community in Calistoga is smaller. Usually we keep to ourselves. Yet this is a good time to connect. Then people know there’s someone who’s going through the same things and they can get support,” said Verzosa.

Verzosa said there is also a group of Filipino vineyard workers at a certain Upvalley winery. Outreach is needed to help them feel connected to other Filipinos in the southern end of the Valley.

Agnes Ramos, owner of Napa Valley Tea Company and a member of the Filipino community, has made contact with a number of the farmer and vineyard worker groups.

Ramos said in years prior to the pandemic, she and other members of the Filipino community brought turkeys to the groups for Christmas and Thanksgiving. In return, the groups shared Asian vegetables such as Chinese Long Beans that they grew on small plots.

Ramos, who is a physical therapist, gave back by checking people’s blood pressure and sharing information about healthy diets for people with diabetes.

“They are living in close quarters and often don’t seek medical care. This is why we come to offer help. We know where they are and how to reach out to them,” said Ramos.

Ramos also reaches out to members of the Calistoga Filipino community from her tea stall. Ramos operates the stall every Saturday at the Calistoga Farmers Market.

“We check in with one another, saying hello and making sure we are OK. We talk about all the small things that have changed since the pandemic started. The Calistoga Farmers Market has kept going, giving us that human connection through the pandemic,” said Ramos.

Ramos said these uplifting moments helped carry her through difficult times, such as incidents of anti-Asian racism in Calistoga.

“I had people come up to tell me, “It’s because of you that we have the virus.” I let them know that I am Filipino. Then they said, “Well, you’re all the same.” I walked away and told the manager. It’s frustrating when this happens. But we’re resilient. We move on from people who would treat us this way,” said Ramos.

Ramos added that there are individuals in and beyond the Filipino community who demonstrate thoughtfulness and kindness.

“COVID has motivated a lot of people to open up their minds. They’ve educated themselves about the circumstances of the pandemic. I have seen people become more gracious to people in the service industry and in the medical field,” said Ramos.

Ramos said these are the changes that will help Napa Valley’s Filipino community become stronger during the period of recovery.

“The idea is for us (the Filipino community) and people outside of it to know we are dealing with so much hardship. We can recognize what we lost and that we need to stabilize now. For good and for bad, these lessons are not new to us. For generations, our families have survived. Our parents taught us to prioritize what you really need versus what you want,” said Ramos.