Kabataang Montreal!

Filipino Youth in Montreal Put Pinoyville on the Map!‏

2009-11-23T21:02:00.000-08:00

Press Release - November 23, 2009
Kabataang Montreal

Montreal, Quebec – With less than a month away, preparations are well underway to launch the first “Roots, Rhymes, and Resistance" in Montreal. Using the theme of “Pinoyville” (a colloquial term used by members of the Filipino community), this show is meant to be an empowering medium for the Filipino-Canadian youth to create a community identity and to celebrate their forms of resistance through different forms of expression of spoken word, music and art. This historic event will be held at L'Auberge on 3480 Queen Mary Rd. in Pinoyville (Cote-des-Neiges), on Saturday, December 12, 2009. Performers include local Filipino talents like Sinag Bayan Quebec Cultural Arts Collective and more!

Roots, Rhymes and Resistance (RRR) was first introduced through sister organization Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino Sa Canada/The Canadian Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance BC (UKPC-BC) in 1999. “Roots Rhymes and Resistance has become one of the only annual programs that not only gives an outlet for youth to voice their concerns and issues, but is action towards our community’s settlement and integration in Canada”, says Charlene Sayo creator of RRR. While RRR raises awareness among the community it has become a tool for empowerment by providing new experiences, skills building and opportunities for Filipino youth to further explore their potential as contributing and participating members in our community and Canadian society.

“I’m very excited to see RRR develop in Montreal” said Neil Castro, secretary general for Kabataang Montreal, “It is a chance for KM to work with the youth, as they express themselves, and resist against barriers to integration”. Forming in 2000 as a Filipino youth organization based in Cote-des-Neiges, KM has organized Filipino youth to address the pressing issues facing the community. Issues such as settlement & integration, systemic racism & economic marginalization, family separation, high drop out rates, barriers to education & employment, gender oppression are among the issues that KM tries to address and educate to the Filipino community in Montreal. For instance, the very first production of Sinag Bayan (under the KBC) was the theatre production of “Pinoyville”, a play showcased in Toronto and Montreal. The play highlighted the reasons why Filipinos migrate abroad, and the subsequent difficulties they face in integrating within the Montreal diaspora. Drawing on this theme, “Roots Rhymes & Resistance: Pinoyville” connects the arts with education and awareness. This medium is instrumental in connecting our personal narratives to the community, and is an alternative to developing a deeper/political understanding of the marginalization and social barriers we face.
The objective of Roots, Rhymes, Resistance: Pinoyville is to raise the awareness of the community’s issues through arts and culture while mobilizing the entire community and connecting to their personal experiences. Such initiatives give space for youth members to rise up and take ownership of their conditions and lived experiences – since they are ultimately the ones who will advocate for the betterment of our community. This is an ongoing initiative to strengthen our national work, to give our community a stronger voice. Next year, UKPC-BC, UKPC-Ontario and KM will be collaborating to bring artists and youth from all over the country to showcase their talents, and to speak out on the relevant issues pertaining to the Filipino population on a national level.

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For tickets or more information please contact Jillian (514) 941-9267 or Tracy (514) 995-3544.

-- Kabataang MontrealMember Organization of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth AllianceE-mail: kabataangmontreal@gmail.comTel: (514) 678-3901

Kabataang Montreal and Filipino community to root out the causes of conflict and violence

2009-09-28T09:30:00.000-07:00

September 27, 2009

MONTREAL, QUEBEC - On Wednesday, September 23, 2009, Kabataang Montreal (Filipino youth in Montreal), a local Filipino youth group based in Côte-des-Neiges, held a successful press conference to expose the recent series of street violence between Filipino and alleged members of South Asian youth taking place within the streets of the borough.

"We need to identify the root causes of this conflict. The recent series of street violence is not a new thing for the Filipino community in Côte-des-Neiges,” said Neil Castro, Secretary General of KM, during the press conference. “Going after the individuals involved will not end the problem of street violence in our neighborhood. Rather, we need to examine why these events reoccur. Ultimately, this means looking at the barriers we face on a systemic level”. In addition, Castro recounted statements given by Filipino youth who were involved with this latest spate of fighting. He also stated that the municipal level of government is not doing enough to address this issue.

“As young people, we are very concerned about this violence; we cannot be stigmatized as troublemakers,” said Jillian Sudayan, a member of KM. “Our youth hold a very important role in our community's development and future. The South Asian community also faces similar issues as an immigrant community. We believe it is time for us to take leadership together, as youth, to ensure our communities' genuine settlement and integration in Quebec and Canadian society."

As the largest incoming immigrant group in Côte-des-Neiges, Kabataang Montreal sees the urgency to bring these issues to the community forefront. “This is the time for us to take action! The Filipino community must come together and look at how we can resolve the root causes of these problems”, said KM member Tracy Alarcon, after hearing the details of the youth incident at the press conference.

The press conference is only one step in Kabataang Montreal’s action plan to put an end to the violence affecting the community of Côte-des-Neiges. During the next few weeks, they will carry out several anti-racism activities to mobilize the community, including a community forum where youth members can share their experiences and concerns. To support or find out more information on these events, please contact Neil Castro at (514) 690-6345.

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Kabataang Montreal
Member Organization of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance

E-mail: kabataangmontreal@gmail.com
Tel: (514) 678-3901

Filipino Youth Urgently Call to Stop Street Violence in Côte-des-Neiges‏

2009-09-22T09:13:00.000-07:00

Media Release
22 September 2009
Kabataang Montreal

Over the past three weeks, incidents of street violence involving Filipino adolescents, and alleged members of the South Asian community have increased in the Côte-des-Neiges area. According to reports received by Kabataang Montreal (Filipino youth of Montreal), several Filipino youth have been involved in fights and were hospitalized as a result. In response to the rise in violence, Kabataang Montreal will be holding a press conference on Wednesday, September 23, 2009 at 4900 Fulton at 10h00 to call for an end to this pressing and urgent matter.

“We are deeply concerned with how frequent and severe these cases have become", says Neil Castro, Secretary-General of KM, "We will not allow this situation to escalate to the point where more people get hurt. We need to talk about this issue immediately”. The Filipino youth hope to join forces with leaders of the South Asian community to address the issues of systemic racism facing the youth of both communities.

With the growing influx of immigrant communities, Côte-des-Neiges has become a densely populated area in Montreal where many citizens experience economic marginalization. For instance, Filipinos represent the largest ethnic group in the area, but despite their very visible presence in the community, they continually face barriers to their successful settlement and integration. Filipinos in Côte-des-Neiges represent one of the most educated and skilled groups in Canada, yet they face low wages and poor working conditions. Their children experience difficulties in accessing education in Montreal, and as a result, have one of the highest dropout rates (among Filipino males) in high school in the country. These experiences are exacerbated by systemic racism and a severe lack of understanding among institutions and government officials about the realities that face Filipinos and other youth of colour.

Despite its growing population of the Filipino community, the city has provided few resources or infrastructure particularly for its youth sector. As a result, youth members are sharing overcrowded parks, where tensions are bound to build. "There's a clear link between marginalized youth members living in a ghettoized, populated area and youth violence. This speaks to a lack of support for the youth" says Roderick Carreon, chairperson of SIKLAB-Quebec and founder of Kabataang Montreal.

While the recent events in Côte-des-Neiges raise serious concerns, it is important to note that these altercations have consistently affected marginalized youth across Canada. Cases like those of Jeffrey Reodica, Deeward Ponte and Mao Jomar Lanot are just some examples of violence that led to the death of these Filipino youth. Given these events, the following question arises: Why does the Filipino community, or members of the immigrant community at large, continue to struggle through these issues of violence? To blame individual youth members is an oversimplified answer, and one that does not address the wide scale barriers and issues affecting marginalized youth. If these cases are generating so many similarities and are manifesting themselves across the country, there is an urgent need examine the factors that divides the community, and pits one group against another.

For more information, please see the press conference details below.Press conference information:

Date: September 23rd, 2009
Time: 10h00
Where: 4900 Fulton
Contact: Neil Castro at 514-690-6345

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Kabataang MontrealMember Organization of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance

E-mail: kabataangmontreal@gmail.com
Tel: (514) 690-6345
Tel: (514) 678-3901

Campaign Concert for Change Unites Supporters for a Night of Local Youth Talent‏

2009-08-09T06:03:00.000-07:00

For immediate release
9 August 2009

(Montreal, Quebec) On August 8th 2009, the night before the Filipino Association of Montreal and Suburbs (FAMAS) elections, many gathered at the Chalet Kent in support of Filipino youth issues by endorsing candidate Neil Castro. As a Board Member of the Kapit Bisig Centre, Castro has been a long-time youth organizer with Kabataang Montreal, a Filipino youth organization.

"Since 2004, I have been advocating for Filipino youth rights. Now, I want to bring these concerns to the forefront of the Filipino community by running with Lingkod Bayan's presidential candidate Mel Domingo," Castro stated during last night's campaign concert. These local young artists were in support of raising the engagement level of Filipino youth within the Montreal community.

The lineup really highlighted the diversity of talent among Filipino youth: there were singers like Jennifer Flores and Cherylyn Toca; a Filipina cellist , Christina Gavino; hip hop artists like JP a.k.a. Seeko, Jaycee Pimentel, DJ Panda Zal. There was a spoken word/song performed by Jillian Sudayan and Julie Nieto, both members of Kabataang Montreal. Sinag Bayan Cultural Collective performed a drum instrumental and a song led by Jillian.

Even Indonesian rock group Orchid Blooms came out in strong support of the youth movement. Finally, Neil Castro closed out the show with a motivating rendition of After Image's ‘Next in Line’.

“It was an inspirational event,” said Krystle Doromal, who was one of the MC’s of the event. “So many gathered to show their support. Most of the performers have known Neil [Castro] for years as an active member of KM and they all recognize strong need for us youth to step forward and take charge of our own futures in the community. I think that it’s great that we’re able to be a part of this and I hope that this movement for change continues.”

FAMAS, the oldest community centre in Montreal, elections are held bi-annually to elect its President and Board of Directors. The results of the election will be announced tomorrow.

Kabataang Montreal
Member Organization of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance

E-mail: kabataangmontreal@gmail.com
Tel: (514) 678-3901

Kabataang Montreal's FAMAS Election Platform 2009

2009-08-03T21:57:00.000-07:00

KABATAANG MONTREAL has been organizing for change in our community since 2000, with Neil Castro as the current Secretary-General. He has been a member of KM since 2004.

YOUTH!
We will continue to raise awareness of the rich history, work and contribution of the Filipino youth in our community.

SOLIDARITY!
We will continue to work with other, often overlooked, sectors of the Filipino community, namely students, women, workers and temporary workers, professionals and seniors.

CHANGE!
We will continue to address the pressing issues affecting our youth such as the high drop out rates amongst our youth, racism and discrimination and economic marginalization.

UNITY!
We will continue to work to unite the entire Filipino community of Montreal & suburbs towards our settlement and integration and full entitlement in Canadian society.

VOTING Neil Castro for FAMAS director, IS supporting the work of an organization which has been educating, organizing and mobilizing the Filipino community for almost a decade.

Neil Castro is a member of Team Lingkod Bayan with Mel Domingo as presidential candidate.

KAPITBISIG - MAGKAISA para sa Kabataang Montreal!
WE NEED CHANGE! YES WE CAN! VOTE NEIL CASTRO!

FAMAS Elections

2009-07-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

"High school drop out an issue concerning the entire Filipino community," says FAMAS candidate Neil Castro.

For immediate release, July 27, 2009

Montreal - When Neil Castro first met Kabataang Montreal in 2004, he was unaware of the everyday realities facing Filipino youth. "I met a group of young Filipinos who had dropped out of school, had joined gangs and had experienced teenage pregnancy and drug problems." However, he was quickly inspired and impressed to hear of the resilience and impact the youth were having as they became more aware of the root of their problems. "These youth were turning their lives around, talking about their problems and figuring out solutions to empowering the Filipino community. It wasn't long before I decided that I wanted to be involved in this kind of organizing, in a major way."

And he certainly has. As Secretary-General of Kabataang Montreal, Castro leads a team of 12 core members and hundreds of youth who identify with the group. Using workshops to understand their Philippine history, Kabataang Montreal actively explores their migration to Canada and analyzes issues such as racism, family separation and high school drop out.

Now running for a director position at the Filipino Association of Montreal and Suburbs (FAMAS), Neil hopes to bring the work of KM to a wider Filipino audience. Along with Mel Domingo, and his team of Lingkod Bayan, Castro hopes to unite the Filipino community through a mutual understanding of our settlement and integration in Canada."

Some people think that there is a divide in our community between those who were born in the Philippines and those who were born here in Canada. But that isn't the case," says Castro. "If we study our history of migration and understand our situation here in Canada, we can see that we're all in the same boat. We need to look more closely at the immigration policies imposed on us by the Canadian government that influenced where we are in society today."

These immigration policies include the programs in the 1970's that brought Filipinos to Canada as nurses, teachers and accountants, and the Live-In Caregiver program that today brings thousands of Filipinos to Canada to work as domestic workers. Research conducted by Kabataang Montreal suggest that difficulties with family separation and reunification, along with language barriers and racism in schools, are significant challenges that influence high school drop outs among Filipino youth."

Filipinos have one of the highest drop out rates among youth of colour and this is true across Canada. In Montreal, Filipino boys between the ages of 15 and 25 have one of the highest rates of not being in school," says Castro, "Many of the youth I meet who have dropped out of school already had high school and university diplomas in the Philippines. These are youth who could be working as engineers, accountants, and nurses are in factories, earning minimum wage. This is an issue for our community because it dictates the economic future of our community. And that affects all of us, not just the ones who are newly arrived."

Members of Kabataang Montreal come from a diverse, youth-oriented background: ranging from students in high school, CEGEP and university to young professionals in various fields (education, social work, music, etc.). In May of 2009, Neil formed part of the secretariat organizing "Ugat: Sharing Our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding Our Root" a Filipino youth intercollegiate and community conference that brought together dozens of participants for 2.5 days of workshops, panel presentations and artistic performances. The conference was an important part of recording the history of Filipinos in Montreal, looking at where we are in our settlement and integration in Canada, and bringing out the voices of the most marginalized members of the Filpino community.

Running for FAMAS director, Castro will continue to bring out the voices of the most marginalized members of the Filipino community. One of his objectives is to educate the community on the everyday experiences that Filipino youth face. By lending voice to their experiences, he hopes to create a better understanding of why high school drop outs is a predominant concern within the community. "I think there's a perceived divide between our youth, and the rest of the Filipino community. I think it's time that we look beyond this so-called divide so that we understand the issues that face our entire community. It's time for the Filipino youth to take the future of their community into their own hands. We are the future of our community and the future starts today."

Elections take place on August 9, 2009, 8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. at Van Horne Park. FAMAS membership fee is $5 for students and seniors, $7 for singles and $10 for a couple. Membership must be paid prior to voting. Bring photo i.d. as proof of Quebec residency.

For more information on the elections or Neil Castro's campaign, email kabataangmontreal@gmail.com.

Join the Facebook group "VOTE NEIL CASTRO FOR YOUTH DIRECTOR OF FAMAS!"

Pics from outreaching at Philippine (In?)dependence Day

2009-06-17T06:12:00.001-07:00

On Sunday, June 14, members of KM joined the hundreds of other Montreal Filipinos at McKenzie King Park to celebrate Philippine Independence Day. While it remains questionable as to whether the Philippines is truly independent, these youth shared in the Filipino pride with their kababayans living overseas. Armed with brochures for the Kapit Bisig Centre, flyers for the Sigaw ng Bayan Radio Show and a press release announcing Neil Castro's run for Youth Director of FAMAS, these youth outreached to youth, the elderly, overseas workers and all members of the Filipino community on a gorgeous Sunday in June.

LOCAL YOUTH LEADER TO RUN FOR DIRECTOR IN UPCOMING FAMAS ELECTION

2009-06-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

Montreal, Quebec - Local youth leader, Neil Castro, is planning to run as a candidate for Youth Director at the upcoming FAMAS (Filipino Association of Montreal and Suburbs) election on August 9, 2009. Castro is the current secretary-general of Kabataang Montreal (KM) and has been serving as a youth organizer since 2004.

The decision to run for Youth Director is focused on the need to raise awareness on the situation of Filipino youth in Montreal and the implications it has on the Filipino community as a whole.

"The Filipino community in Quebec has been in Montreal for over 40 years, yet our youth hold one of the highest drop-out rates in the province," states Castro. "Drop-out rates, among other issues facing Filipino youth, should be the concern of the entire Filipino community. Although KM has been addressing these issues since 2000, it is time for the wider community to become aware and take action as their youth have done."

Last month, on the weekend of May 22-24, KM along with the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec and SILKAB Quebec and other member organizations of the Kapit Bisig Centre, held a youth conference under the theme, "Ugat: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots". The conference brought together Filipino youth from high schools, CEGEPS, universities and the community to address the different issues brought out through the experiences of different Filipino youth in Quebec. The Ugat conference succeeded in bringing more young Filipinos forward and work together with KM and other member organizations of the KBC to educate, organize and mobilize the Filipino community in Quebec towards genuine settlement and integration into Canadian society.

Kabataang Montreal has been organizing Filipino youth in Quebec since 2000 and is a member of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA) since 2006.

Neil Castro is also a founding board member of the Kapit Bisig Centre and national council member of UKPC/FCYA.

email: kabataangmontreal@gmail.com
web: kabataangmontreal.blogspot.com

Video on National Youth Organizing

2009-06-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

Carlo Sayo, chairperson of the National Formation of the Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance, prepared this short video for the UGAT conference.

Enjoy!

Communiqué of: “UGAT: Sharing Our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding Our Roots”

2009-06-15T20:47:00.000-07:00

Kapit Bisig Centre Communiqué
May 22 - 24, 2009

Communiqué of: “UGAT: Sharing Our Pinoyville Stories,
Understanding Our Roots”

May 22nd – 24th marked Kabataang Montreal’s “Ugat: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots”, a Filipino intercollegiate and community conference where more than 50 delegates and observers attended. The community-based initiative was an opportunity for organizers, students and youth to share their personal stories of living in Canada, and connect with the predominant issues that Filipinos face in Montreal. It was organized by Kapit Bisig Center and its member organizations Kabataang Montreal (“Filipino Youth of Montreal”, KM), SIKLAB-Quebec (“Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of Filipino Migrant Workers”) and the Philippine Women Center of Quebec (PWC-Q). The event had a three-fold objective of (1) sharing the personal experiences of Filipino youth living in Montreal (2) discussing the issues generally facing Filipino youth in Montreal in terms of their settlement and integration into Quebec society (3) learning about policies affecting Filipino youth (such as immigration, language and educational policies implemented at the municipal, provincial and federal levels).

The conference began Friday evening, May 22nd, with an art exhibit and meet-and-greet at the Jewish General Hospital’s Amphitheatre of the Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry (ICFP). Art exhibits included Wing Diocson Yap's art pieces on Philippine Migration and Roderick Carreon's depictions of Philippine migrant labour under the Philippine Government's Labour Export Policy. Neil Castro, Secretary General of KM and conference secretariat, formally introduced the conference by outlining the goals and objectives of the conference. Two documentaries illustrating some of the issues affecting Filipino youth in Montreal were subsequently screened. ‘The Kapit Bisig Center", a short documentary by Krystle Alarcon, followed KM’s successful campaign in lobbying the borough of Cote-des-Neiges to reinstall basketball courts in the school yard of Coronation school, popularly known as “Shaad” and considered by many to be a landmark of the Montreal Filipino community. The next documentary by Marissa Largo and KM entitled ‘Empowerment Through Art’ examined how Filipino youth in Montreal created a mural depicting their lives in the Philippines and Montreal as a way of asserting their identities in Canada. The film showings were followed by a discussion among conference participants.

May 23rd, 2009 was the second day of the conference, and featured a full day of activities and workshops. Julie Nieto and Josie Caro of the conference secretariat greeted the crowd and introduced the day’s activities. A cultural performance by Jean-Marc Daga from Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA)-Ontario was done through a spoken work piece called, ‘My Folks’. This was followed by keynote presentations by Cecilia Diocson, Executive Director of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC), Roderick Carreon, Chairperson of SIKLAB-National and Carlo Sayo, Chairperson of UKPC/FCYA-National. Diocson highlighted three areas that are currently affecting Filipinos in Canada, revolving around the economic, political and cultural realm. She ended her keynote by suggesting that the youth are the future of the community and that we need to get over our so-called “identity crisis” in order for our community to grow. Carreon followed the address by providing a riveting narrative of his experiences integrating and settling in Canada. Accompanied by the guitar and drums of Sinag Bayan Cultural Arts Collective, Carreon recounted the difficulty in adjusting to life in Montreal; particularly in school, where he was forced into an environment that was strange and unfamiliar. Carreon stressed that these challenges are the same ones that Filipino youth face as they reunify with their parents across Canada. Finally, Carlo Sayo presented, via a creative and captivating youtube video, the need for the Filipino community to organize at the national level. Sayo stressed the strides taken to make the Filipino youth count in Canada; among them identifying and addressing the growing challenges to Filipino Canadians. Sayo’s message is for Filipino organizations in Canada to act locally, and to think globally since actions within local organizations contribute to the progression of the UKPC/FCYA-National.

The first panel, “Organizing Youth in Montreal”, included presentations by community organizers and academics. Neil Castro gave an overview of KM’s recent campaigns, which started in 1999 until today. He shared his “Pinoyville story”, and what it meant to be Filipino in Canada. He ended his presentation by calling on all the delegates to raise a militant fist in tribute to the founding members of KM, most of whom could not attend the conference because of the continuing marginalization they are still experiencing ten years later. Ilyan Ferrer of KM shared his story as a second-generation Filipino and his struggle to reconnect with roots. He then made an appeal for university students to reconnect with the community by posing a challenge to conference participants: "Now that you know the issues, what are you going to do?" Julie Nieto, Secretary General of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec shared her stories of being a young woman in the Filipino community. She made an empathic connection of gender oppression and the need for women to empower themselves by breaking the feudal chains that silence Filipino women.

The second panel examined the ‘Settlement and integration of Youth in Montreal”. Josie Caro, Board Member of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec, discussed her master’s thesis on the challenges within the Quebec education system on Filipino youth upon arrival into Canada. Among these challenges were family separation/reunification, lack of accreditation and educational delay due to language barriers. Joanne Vasquez presented on the importance of social services in Quebec, and the lack of access in the Filipino community. For instance, Filipino elders are not accessing services and home services, and are left to rely on their families for support. Vasquez suggested that the Filipino community needs to understand and educate themselves about their rights and entitlements within the social service system – in this way, the Filipino community is able to empower themselves. Joy Alarcon, Board member of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec, shared her personal stories as a young mother and the challenges of raising her children. She then raised the question of whether Filipina women have choice in a society where women are seen objects or commodities. In response, Alarcon suggested that young Filipina women are able to educate themselves so that current and future generations can empower themselves. Finally, Dr. Joey Bonifacio of the Montreal Children’s Hospital, presented preliminary results of his photovoice project. This was an innovative way to understand the social determinants of health of newly Filipino youth immigrants in Montreal. These allowed Filipino youth to articulate objects or places that made them happy or sad, and to express their stories of integration and settlement.

Following the presentations, conference participants and delegates participated in one of two workshops: “Young Women’s Issues” and “Racism”. In these workshops, the intersection of sexism, racism and class were discussed. Participants had the opportunity to identify the predominant issues facing young women, and to define systemic racism and the ways that it affects Filipino youth in Canada. Both workshops offered participants the space and venue to share their personal insights and stories with others while also challenging themselves to identify systemic barriers that impede the growth of the community. Themes and relevant discussion points were then presented to the plenary.

The second day of the conference was closed in an enthusiastic solidarity night at Chalet Kent in Kent Park where local Filipino artists, delegates and members of the Montreal community came to share their artistic talents and reflections on the days activities through song, spoken word and music!

The final day of the conference opened with a song by Marylou David of UKPC/FCYA-Ontario. This performance was followed by a special presentation by Emmanuel Sayo, who reflected on the notion of multiculturalism in Canada. Sayo provided an overview of the policies that encouraged multiculturalism, and noted how these policies have shifted to take into account integration and settlement of cultural groups. This historical overview was made in connection with the challenges facing visible minority communities. Sayo suggested that linking everyday experiences of marginalized communities with relevant socio-cultural policies in Canada is the proper way to implement notions of multiculturalism. Following this presentation, a film screening of “Pinoyville: CDN”, a theatre project of the Kapit Bisig Centre first presented in Montreal in November 2008 (film by Krystle Alarcon), was presented to the audience. Writers, actors and contributors of the play then participated in an impromptu panel, discussing the development and themes inherent in the play.

The second and final workshop session examined “Youth and Education” and “Family Separation and Reunification”. These workshops allowed delegates and conference participants to discuss the barriers within the educational system, and the stories and effects of family separation and reunification. Both groups developed action plans to counter these issues, and identified the Live-In Caregiver Program as one of the major immigration policies behind these issues. Like the proceedings from the first workshop, findings and action plans were then presented to the plenary.

The conference concluded with a general assessment of the UGAT Conference. Here, participants and delegates were able to share their experiences and feedback of the conference. Ilyan Ferrer, member of KM and PhD student at McGill said, "I just wanted to say it was very inspiring to hear the stories presented. I used to think we always had to rely on others to give us the rights we deserve but I’ve come to realize that we can take care of our community. That’s one thing I learned today."

“UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots” is a follow up to the 2005 Youth Consultation, and represents the progress made by the Filipino community in Montreal. Delegates shared recent campaigns and strides made within the community, and by organizations like SIKLAB, KM and PWC-Q. In this venue, participants were encouraged to share their stories and to reflect on the experiences that connect the Filipino community in Montreal. With this being said, the conference objectives of sharing the personal experiences of Filipino youth living in Montreal,discussing the issues generally facing Filipino youth in Montreal in terms of their settlement and integration into Quebec society and learning about policies affecting Filipino youth, were met.

Activities such as this conference exemplify the capacity building and organizing that the Kapit Bisig Center and its member organizations have made in response to the predominant issues that face Filipino workers, youth and families. Moreover, they show the progress made by these organizations in building toward a multicultural and multiethnic Canadian society. Much needs to be done towards the empowerment and full participation of Filipino youth in society, and these youth are ready to take on this responsibility.

For photos, please click the following link: http://picasaweb.google.com/pwcofquebec/UGATConference02#

Photos from Ugat: The Fundraiser

2009-05-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

Please read press release below.

Filipino Youth showcase powerful performances at fundraiser for upcoming UGAT Conference

2009-05-13T22:03:00.001-07:00

Kabataang Montreal
Philippine Women's Centre of Quebec
SIKLAB-Quebec
Press Release

Filipino Youth showcase powerful performances at fundraiser for upcoming UGAT Conference

May 12, 2009

Montreal, QC, Canada - Saturday, May 9th, 2009 marked the Kapit Bisig Center’s UGAT: The Fundraiser, a night of spoken word and acoustic performances by prominent members of the Montreal community which took place at MUCS, a co-op space in the NDG/CDN area. The objective of the fundraiser was to raise awareness of the upcoming conference, UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots. The event was well received, with over 70 audience members being treated to a bevy of performances by Filipino artists such as Julie Nieto, Neil Castro, Josie Caro and Jillian Sudayan of the Sinag Bayan Cultural Collective, former Philippine Idol winner Cherylyn Toca, and local Filipino artist Yuri Billiones.

“It was a great show”, says Jillian Sudayan, a performer in Saturday’s event, “I felt a strong connection with my songs, and most importantly, with the crowd. I could see that these issues are relevant to the community, and to express them through art was inspiring.”

The night also featured spoken word performances by hip hop artist Angelica Le Minh, Zibz of the Kalumunity Vibe Collective, comedian George Hamilton Braithwaite, and musicians Raa and long time supporter and musician, Jesse Guttman. All these contributions were in solidarity with the efforts of the Kapit Bisig Center.

Audience members reflected on the themes of the event, which touched on the predominant issues facing the Filipino community in Montreal. Issues such as family separation, discrimination and racism were at the heart of many performances. “I’m glad I came to this event. There was a good diversity of performances that kept me entertained and inspired”, said Aaron Santos, a Filipino youth and member of Kabatanng Montreal. “The songs and poems were particularly powerful – to hear the issues facing the Filipino community in this way has encouraged me to learn more. I’m definitely going to the conference.”

Organizers were also pleased with the turnout, with 70 members of the Filipino community and supporters filling the MUCS venue. “This event was a testament not just to the talent of our Filipino youth, but to their strength in the belief that we can make a difference in this society”, says Josie Caro of PWC-Quebec “I'm looking forward to bringing more of that energy to the conference at the end of May when we will be tackling our community issues through discussion groups and workshops to really bring out the voices of all of our youth”. While the regional conference will predominately be attended by Montreal youth, participants from other parts of Canada and the United States are expected to attend.

One of the main issues that the conference would like to address is the growing marginalization of Filipino youth in Canada -- a social issue rooted in Canada’s Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). Since its inception in 1992, the LCP has brought close to 100,000 Filipino women to Canada to care for children, older adults and people with disabilities. In this context, LCP workers encounter poor working conditions and improper compensation -- which often places workers vulnerable to psychological, physical and financial abuse. Long-term implications of the program can be found in the negative impact toward families-- where LCP workers are reunited with children after an average of five years of separation. Changing family dynamics and integration into a new society are among the challenges that face Filipino Youth.

UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots is a conference meant to gather Filipino youth to share their stories of migration, develop their understanding of the situation of the Filipino community in Montreal, and engage in policy initiatives to empower Filipino youth. Participants will be encouraged to bring their ideas to the workshops and panel discussions as a means of contributing to the development of the Filipino community in Montreal. The conference will take place May 22-24, at the Amphitheatre of the Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry (ICFP) at 4333 Cote-Ste-Catherine.

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For more information on the conference or to volunteer, email kabataangmontreal@gmail.com or call:

Josie Caro at 514-962-9615
Julie Nieto at 514-659-5857
Neil Castro at 514-690-6345

UGAT: The Fundraiser

2009-04-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

Please join us for...

UGAT: The Fundraiser
a night of spoken word, music and song

The UGAT Conference* is coming up! Preparations are gathering speed and we are very, very excited to see you all between May 22&24 in Cote-des-Neiges.

Ahead of the conference, Kabataang Montreal has cooked up a an evening of spoken word, music and song. In true KM form, expect some soul, harmony and a whole lot of strong talents! All proceeds from the event will go to financing conference costs. Come for beats, rhymes, thoughts, beer, food... and to support!

UGAT: The Fundraiser
Saturday, May 9th @ 8pm
MUCS, 2000 Northcliffe # 218 - NDG
Vendome Metro

Door is 5-10$ sliding scale

* The conference “UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots” will gather Filipino Youth of Montreal to share their stories and understand one another in their context of migration and settlement in Canada. From the understanding of our roots of migration and the history of the Philippines, conference participants will then explore and discuss the settlement and integration of Filipinos in Canada, and specifically in Montreal. Panel and workshop topics will include racism, identity, gender, language and education. Another goal of the conference is to train youth to engage in discussion on policies affecting the Filipino community in Montreal. For more information or to register, email kabataangmontreal@gmail.com.

Registration now open!

2009-04-27T09:10:00.000-07:00

Kapit Bisig Centre Announcement

Please distribute widely

April 9, 2009

Announcement:

Registration now open for

UGAT: Sharing Our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots

An Intercollegiate and Community Conference for Filipino Youth

May 22-24, 2009

Kabataang Montreal, in partnership with the Kapit Bisig Centre member organizations, is pleased to announce that registration is open for UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots, an intercollegiate and community conference for Filipino youth, taking place May 22-24, 2009, at the Ampitheatre of the Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry, 4300 Cote-Ste-Catherine.

Kabataang Montreal (KM, “Filipino Youth of Montreal”) was formed in 2000 due to the need to address many of the social problems facing the youth, particularly those living in the Cote-des-Neiges area. Today, KM is comprised of a dynamic group of Filipino youth and students who share the desire to build a strong and united Filipino community. KM aims to empower Filipino youth and deepen their understanding of their social, economic and political situation in Canada.

The conference, “UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots”, follows the Kabataang Montreal Youth Consultation held in 2005 where over 100 youth gathered to discuss their migration stories and explore the settlement and integration of Filipinos in Quebec. Issues such as family separation and reunification, educational barriers, and systemic racism came to the forefront, and there was a general consensus to continue exploring these fields and come together to revisit these issues in a second local conference. We are looking forward to gathering both intercollegiate and community youth to explore these and other issues that have since come up as the Filipino community continues to evolve in Quebec.

This youth conference and consultation is part of our ongoing project to establish full integration, settlement and participation of Filipinos in a multicultural, multi-ethnic Canada. Because we recognize that the issues of Filipino youth in Canada continue to be of major concern to the community, this project includes a component on Filipino Canadian youth. It is our hope that UGAT: Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding our Roots will encourage further understanding of the issues affecting Filipino Canadian youth, and the particularities of their situation in Quebec thereby asserting their importance in the community's future.

Registration is now open and we are inviting you to join and participate in this two-and-a-half day conference. There will be community-based speakers, resource persons on and workshops and skills development in youth organizing. Topics will touch on major areas of concern to Filipino youth and will be geared towards these three goals of the conference:

- Sharing our migration stories: First, we would like to share our stories and experiences living as Filipinos in Montreal and, in doing so, come to a mutual understanding of our or our parents’ history of migration to Canada.

- Discussing our present realities: Second, we will explore the realities of settlement and integration of Filipino youth in Montreal, and discuss issues such as systemic racism, gender oppression, educational barriers and challenges of migration that the youth face today.

- Planning our future actions: Finally, we will participate in important policy engagement exercises to empower ourselves and strengthen our position here in Canada.

Panel speakers and resource persons include those who have done research and organizing work within the Filipino Canadian community. The three keynote speeches will be delivered by Cecilia Diocson, the Executive Director of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada; Roderick Carreon, co-founder of Kabataang Montreal and Chairperson of SIKLAB-National; and Carlo Sayo, the National Chairperson of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance.

Kabataang Montreal looks forward to your participation at this important gathering. Attached is the registration form. Please confirm your attendance by May 9, 2009. We look forward to hearing from you.

Registration Fee:

Youth and Students: Minimum $20 donation for 2 days (includes conference materials and meals.)

Observers: Minimum $40 donation for 2 days (includes conference materials and meals.)

Venue Details:

Amphitheatre

Institute of Community and Family Psychiatry

(Jewish General Hospital)

4333 Cote-Ste-Catherine

For more information, please feel free to contact us by email at kabataangmontreal@gmail.com

Filipino Youth of Montreal to Share their Stories, Return to their Roots in 2.5-day Conference

2009-03-10T09:51:00.000-07:00

Kapit Bisig Centre
press release

for immediate release: March 10, 2009

Montreal - Côte-des-Neiges is abuzz with excitement over the latest endeavour of the Kapit Bisig Centre. “Ugat : Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding Our Roots (A Filipino Youth Intercollegiate and Community Conference)”, is a 2.5-day conference organized by Kapit Bisig Centre member organization "Kabataang Montreal," to bring together Filipino Youth around Montreal and - as the title of the conference states - share their stories and understand their “Ugat”, the Tagalog word meaning “roots”.

The conference aims to gather Filipino Youth of Montreal to share their stories and understand one another in their context of migration and settlement in Canada. Participants are being invited from all backgrounds and experiences.

“No matter where you were born, or how much schooling you completed; no matter what language you speak, who you choose to worship, or who you choose to love, at the root of it is our common ancestry, our common history, our common colonization and our common migration,” says Julie Nieto, member of Kabataang Montreal and one of the key conference organizers. “That’s what makes us Filipino. And now we’re in Canada, and Quebec specifically. We are here in Montreal. ‘How is that going for us?’ is the next question we need to address.”

From the understanding of our roots of migration and the history of the Philippines, conference participants will then explore and discuss the settlement and integration of Filipinos in Canada, and specifically in Montreal. Panel and workshop topics will include racism, identity, gender, language and education. Another goal of the conference is to train youth to engage in discussion on policies affecting the Filipino community in Montreal.

“I’m so proud to see our young people taking a more active role in Canadian society,” says Cecilia Diocson, Executive Director of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada, and one of the keynote speakers for the conference. “So many of our youth are suffering, but so many more are starting to stand up and demand recognition.”

So far, many Filipino youth are eager to participate and the Filipino students of McGill University are no exception. Frances Bruno, co-president of the McGill University Filipino and Asian Students Association (MUFASA) says, “The members of MUFASA are eager to meet and learn alongside the Filipino students of Concordia, as well as with all other Filipinos around Montreal.”

As a daughter of OFWs, and a so-called “first generation” Filipino youth, Frances’ experiences are not uncommon: “Having to learn a completely novel language and adapting to a different culture was initially a challenge for me in terms of finding and embracing my identity at the age of 9, but ultimately helped me to realize that acknowledging your roots is all you need no matter where you are in the world.”

The conference will take a unique dynamic approach, bringing in speakers from community organizations as well as academic researchers. It will also feature an encore presentation of “Pinoyville: CDN”, a play first presented by the Kapit Bisig Centre in November 2008, as well as a photo exhibit by high school-aged Filipino youth, reflecting their experiences in Montreal.

“This conference is a continued assertion that the Filipino community in Montreal is growing stronger and more united,” says Joanne Vasquez, chair of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec. “With over 60% of all Filipinos living in Cote-des-Neiges, this is our ‘Pinoyville’. Even if you didn’t grow up in this neighbourhood, all Filipinos have meaningful experiences here, even if it is simply about being among people who look like you.”

Ugat : Sharing our Pinoyville Stories, Understanding Our Roots (A Filipino Youth Intercollegiate and Community Conference) is set to take place May 22-24, 2009, at the Ampitheatre of the Jewish General Hospital Institute for Community and Family Psychiatry (ICFP), 4333 Cote-Ste-Catherine. For more information, or to volunteer, email Julie Nieto or Josie Caro at kabataangmontreal@gmail.com.

--
---Philippine Women Centre of Quebec---
Under the supervision of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC), we are an institution of research, education, advocacy, and capacity building by Filipino women for the Filipino community.
Tel: (514) 678-3901

Jeunes philippins de Montréal partageront leurs histoires, retourneront à leurs souches durant une conférence de 2.5 jours

2009-03-10T09:46:00.000-07:00

Relevé de presse – Centre Kapit Bisig

Jeunes philippins de Montréal partageront leurs histoires, retourneront à leurs souches durant une conférence de 2.5 jours

Pour distribution immédiate - 10 mars 2009

Montréal – Côte-des-Neiges vibre d’anticipation à l’annonce de la plus récente entreprise du centre Kapit Bisig. «Ugat : Partager nos histoires, Comprendre nos souches » (une Conférence Communautaire et Intercollégiale de la Jeunesse Philippine), est une conférence de 2 jours et demi organisée par Kabataang Montréal, membre de l’organisation du Centre Kapit Bisig, et ayant pour but de réunir la jeunesse philippine du grand Montréal afin que nous partagions nos histoires et comprenions nos « ugat », le mot tagalog signifiant « racines ».

La conférence vise à réunir les jeunes philippins/es de Montréal afin qu'ils partagnet leurs histoires dans un contexte de migration et d’installation au Canada et se comprennent l’un l’autre . Tous sont invités, peu importe leur expériences, leur histoire ou leur identité.

« Peu importe où vous êtes né, ou combien d’années de scolarité vous avez complétées, peu importe votre langue, qui vous choisissez de vénérer, ou qui vous choisissez d’aimer, à la base de tout se trouve notre ascendance commune, notre histoire commune, notre colonisation et notre migration commune. » dit Julie Nieto, membre de Kabataang Montréal et une des organisatrices principales de la conférence. « C’est cela qui fait de nous de philippins. Et maintenant nous sommes au Canada, au Québec spécifiquement. Nous sommes ici à Montréal. ‘Comment cela va-t-il pour nous?’ est la prochaine question que nous devons aborder. »

Utilisant comme point de départ un entendement de notre récit de migration et l’histoire des Philippines, les participants exploreront et discuteront à propos de l'établissement et l'intégration des philippins au Canada, plus spécifiquement à Montréal. Les sujets des panels et ateliers incluront le racisme, l'identité, le genre, la langue, et l'éducation. Un autre but de la conférence est de former les jeunes à engager la conversation sur les politiques affectant la communauté philippine de Montréal.

"Je suis si fière de voir nos jeunes gens prendre un rôle plus actif dans la société canadienne" dit Cecilia Diocson, Directrice Exécutive de l'Alliance Nationale des Femmes Philippines du Canada, et une des oratrices principales de la conférence. "Tant de nos jeunes souffrent, mais bien plus se lèvent et exigent d'être reconnus."

À date, plusieurs jeunes philippins sont désireux de participer et les étudiants philippins de l'université McGill ne font pas exception. Frances Bruno, co-présidente de l'Association des étudiants philippins de l'université McGill (MUFASA) dit: "Les membres de MUFASA ont hâte de rencontrer et d'apprendre aux côtés des étudiants philippins de Concordia, ainsi qu'avec tous les autres philippins de la région de Montréal."

En tant que fille de travailleurs d'outre-mer et sois-disant philippine de "première génération", l'expérience de Frances est commune: "Devoir apprendre une langue complètement nouvelle et s'adapter à une nouvelle culture était initialement un défi pour moi, en ce qui concerne la découverte et l'acceptation de mon identité à l'âge de 9 ans. Mais au bout du compte ça m'a aidé à réaliser que reconnaître sos souches est tout ce dont un individu a besoin peu importe où il est dans ce monde."

La conférence aura une approche unique et dynamique, amenant des présentateurs d'organismes communautaires ainsi que des chercheurs académiques. Elle inclura aussi une seconde présentation de "Pinoyville CDN", une pièce présentée par le Centre Kapit Bisig en novembre 2008, ainsi qu'une exposition de photos par des jeunes étudiants du secondaire, démontrant leur expérience à Montréal.

"Cette conférence est une affirmation continue que la communauté philippine à Montréal grandit, se renforcit et s'unit" dit Joanne Vasquez, qui siège sur le comité du Centre des femmes philippines du Québec. "Avec plus de 60% de la population philippine vivant à Côte-des-Neiges, ceci est notre "Pinoyville." Même si vous n'avez pas grandi dans ce quartier, tout philippin a eu des expériences significatives ici, que ce ne soit qu'être auprès de gens qui lui ressemble."

"Ugat: Partager nos histoires, Comprendre nos souches " (une Conférence Communautaire et Intercollégiale de la Jeunesse Philippine) se déroulera du 22 au 24 mai 2009 à l'Amphithéâtre de l'Institut pour la Psychiatrie Communautaire et Familiale (IPCF) de l'Hopital Général Juif . 4333 Côte-Ste-Catherine. Pour de plus amples informations, ou pour s'engager comme bénévole, contactez Julie Nieto ou Josie Caro à kabataangmontreal@gmail.com

Filipino Youth Demand Social Justice, Unite and Advance the Struggle Against Systemic Racism!

2009-03-02T08:36:00.000-08:00

Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/ Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance National Statement

Filipino Youth Demand Social Justice, Unite and Advance the Struggle Against Systemic Racism!

For Immediate Release - February 27, 2009

On February 28, 2009 – On this day, we gather together on our 2nd Annual National Day of Action calling for Social Justice for Filipino Youth. Ugnayan ng Kabataan Pilipino sa Canada/ Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance extends our sympathies and condolences to the Filipino families across Canada who have lost loved ones to violence. In particular, we commemorate the lives of Mao Jomar Lanot, Jeffrey Reodica, Deeward Ponte and Charle Dalde.

In Vancouver, Toronto, and Montreal concerned Filipino-Canadians, organizations and community supporters are holding vigils, masses, marches, film showings, and discussions to address the issue of systemic racism faced by Filipino youth and the community.

January 2009 marked the one year death anniversary of Deeward Ponte who was stabbed in Vancouver’s Grays Park, and later died in the hospital. Only a few months after the death of Ponte, the community felt the loss of yet another young Filiipno, Charle Dalde, fatally stabbed outside of his Richmond home as a result of an untargeted killing.

Following his death was the traumatic and irreversible actions of the Richmond RCMP, who falsely assumed Dalde’s killing was gang related (a claim later proven false) and handcuffed Dalde’s parents and brother at gunpoint, searched their apartment and later denied the family access to Charle when he tragically passed away in the Richmond Hospital.

We see the actions of the Richmond RCMP as another case of racial profiling towards a family of color. Though the family has already filed complaints against the RCMP for the mishandling of their case and the Commission for Public Complaints Against the RCMP has confirmed it will be conducting an independent review of the RCMP’s treatment towards the family. There has yet to be a public apology.

The losses of two Filipino youth only reminds us of 17 year old newly arrived Filipino youth, Jomar Lanot, who was beaten at the basketball courts of Sir Charles Tupper Secondary and later died in the hospital in 2003. We remember in 2004 the death of Jeffery Reodica, who was shot 3 times in the back by plain clothes police officers in Toronto. New experiences of racial profiling of communities of colour are emerging, and we only see this increasing as security and law enforcement expands to deal with the increase of alleged gang activity. While we recognize the need to address the violence in our streets, we anticipate that the tactics of the RCMP, if not corrected, will have a negative effect on a community composed of new immigrants and temporary workers. This will serve only to further criminalize members of the Filipino community, instead of recognizing the positive contributions the Filipino community has made culturally,
socially and economically.

Throughout Canada’s history, people of colour and immigrant communities have shaped Canada into the multicultural and diverse country we know it today. But it has not been without struggle and resistance. Indigenous people in Canada have struggled for their right to land, and against the oppression of residential schools, the Chinese community demanded redress for the head tax placed on their families, and an apology has been given to the Japanese community for their unjust displacement and internment. The struggle of the Filipino community is a part of this history of social justice.

Filipinos have also become Canada’s top source for migrant and immigrant labour. Currently, 95% of workers coming under Citizenship and Immigration Canada. Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP) are Filipino women, who cannot bring their families when they enter Canada to work. Filipino youth are the most affected as they are the ones left behind while their parents are working abroad.

It is not only in the justice system that Filipino youth face barriers to genuine development. We remember ten years ago in 1999, when 25 Filipino youth were harassed and threatened in Vancouver Technical Secondary School by other students. They were kicked out and transferred into schools across the city, while the caucasian youth that harassed them continued their education uninterrupted. Lack of support from the educational system caused the majority of the Filipino youth to drop out of school. 10 years later many still have not obtained their high school diploma.

Racism and discrimination reaches to even some of the youngest in our community. In Montreal 2006, we remember the story of Luc Cagadoc, the 7 year old child reprimanded by one of his school’s Faculty for eating with a spoon and fork. This caused international uproar and actions by the Filipino community across Canada, and was another case of the education system not understanding its changing student population of new immigrants.

We see these cases as evidence of the marginalization of our community. Filipino students–particularly those newly arrived—hold some of the highest high school drop out rates across Canada. We are currently the third largest visible minority immigrant group in Canada, and yet we remain among the most underpaid and under-represented. As marginalized newly-arrived youth in Canada, many Filipino youth are vulnerable to racism, discrimination and violence and become involved in anti-social activities.

We demand social justice for our Filipino youth, their families and our community. We have to remain vigilant and strong, and committed to the empowerment of our youth and our community, so that the circumstances that lead to the death of Deeward Ponte, and Mao Jomar Lanot before him do not happen to future generations. This is the best way for us to honor their lives.

Despite the tragedies faced by our community, Filipino youth across Canada will not be deterred, and as members of UKPC, we will continue to serve the needs and interests of our community, empower our young people, understand our history and struggle for genuine change, equality and social justice.

Honor the memory of Jomar, Jeffrey, Deeward and Charle! 
Scrap the Live-in Caregiver Program! End family separation!
Heighten our Unity and Advance the Struggle Against Systemic Racism! 
End Systemic Racism Now!

British Columbia c/o The Kalayaan Centre 451 Powell St. Vancouver, 604-215-1103 ukpc_fcya@kalayaancentre.net

Ontario c/o Magkaisa Centre 1093 Davenport Road Toronto, 416-519-2553 ukpc-on@magkaisacentre.org  

Quebec Kabataang Montreal
kabataangmontreal@gmail.com

Pinoyville: CDN a success in Montreal showing

2008-11-27T08:41:00.000-08:00

Pinoyville: CDN a success in Montreal showing
For immediate release
November 27, 2008

Montreal, Quebec – On the evening of Sunday, November 16, members of the Kapit Bisig Centre performed the Montreal showing of Pinoyville: CDN, a theatrical presentation about the lives of Filipinos living in Cote-des-Neiges. To an audience of more than 100 members of the Montreal community, at the Cote-des-Neiges Community Centre, spectators were treated to cultural performances by Sinag Bayan, and to Pinoyville: CDN, a play outlining the common experiences of Filipinos as they integrate into Canadian society.

The evening also featured an art exhibit by MFA Marissa Largo in partnership with Kabataang Montreal, and paintings by Wing Diocson Yap depicting the plight of Filipinos as they work abroad and integrate into new environments. Guest speakers Ellie Israel of the English Montreal School Board, May Chiu of Quebec-Solidaire, and Cecilia Diocson of the Kapit Bisig Centre were on hand to congratulate the making of Pinoyville: CDN, and to reinforce the need to bring out the issues facing the Filipino community in Montreal.

"Pinoyville really highlights not only the harsh realities of systemic racism and economic marginalization that Filipino immigrants face, but the promise and determination of our youth to overcome adversity" says Mae Jane Nam, Board Member of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec. "It is a real achievement for the community here in Cote-des-Neiges to share our stories of migration in such a poignant and creative way."

Audience members from outside of the Filipino community were equally impressed by the play, and were surprised by challenges and barriers that Filipinos face when coming into Canada. "Watching Pinoyville as a person outside the Filipino community was an eye-opening experience. It served as a reminder that systemic racism is very much alive and well in our country and that we can never stop fighting for equality and social justice", said April Hayward-Avila, spectator of the play. "It also highlighted the ways in which mainstream Canadians are too often unintentionally part of the problem. Awareness initiatives like Pinoyville are so important and should be made available to the general public".

The show was followed by a question and answer discussion between cast members and the audience. Plans to expand the play into a larger production are now underway.

For more information on the Kapit Bisig Centre or its member organizations, call 514-678-3901 or send an email to one of its member organizations:

SIKLAB-Quebec (Advance and Uphold the Rights and Welfare of Filipino Migrant Workers): siklabquebec@gmail.com

Philippine Women Centre of Quebec: pwcofquebec@gmail.com

Kabataang Montreal: kabataangmontreal@gmail.com

Ponte and Laoagan

2008-02-07T19:25:00.000-08:00

For immediate release

February 8, 2008

Candlelight vigil mass in Montreal commemorates the deaths of two Filipino victims of violence

(Montreal, QC) In response to the deaths of two Filipino victims of violence who came under the LCP, Kabataang Montreal (KM) gathered the Filipino community yesterday for a solemn candlelight vigil mass in memory of Deeward Ponte and Arcelie Laoagan. The ceremony was held at St. Kevin's Church in Côte-des-Neiges, Quebec with 50 people in attendance.

"For any Filipino youth, it is hard to lose a brother or a friend. But, for a mother it is even more difficult to lose a son. All Mrs. Ponte wanted was to be with her children and raise them in a safe and peaceful environment in Canada," said Jhastine Arana of KM-FCYA.

The LCP is a temporary worker program which requires mostly Filipino women to work 24 months within a three year time period in order to apply for Canadian permanent residency. While working under this program, live-in caregivers take care of Canada’s young, elderly, and disabled earning minimum wage with long hours and usually no overtime pay.

"Because of the policies of the LCP, families are getting shattered, and family separation becomes the ultimate price for survival," says Roderick Carreon, national chairperson SIKLAB Canada. He goes on to add, "we condemn the senseless loss of one of our youth who was taken away from us at a very young age."

Kabataang Montreal is a Montreal Filipino youth organization and local chapter of Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA). This national alliance of Filipino youth organizations has summoned a national day of action on February 8, 2008 for overseas Filipino victims of violence, and to heighten the call for scrapping the LCP. Vigils will also be held in Vancouver and Toronto.

“When praying for the Laoagan and Ponte families, also include in your prayers that we unite our community and work together for a society that is safe and dignified for all,” asked Josie Caro, Board Member of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec.

For more information, please contact:

Neil Kastro at Kapit Bisig Centre, ph: 514-678-3901 or e-mail: kabataang_montreal @yahoo.ca

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Teenage Filipino Youth Inspire the Filipino Community!

2008-01-29T08:03:00.000-08:00

For immediate release
January 30, 2008

Teenage Filipino Youth Inspire the Filipino Community!

Montreal Filipino teenagers commit to help their community

(Montreal, QC) A sharing from Filipino teenagers inspired the community last Saturday. A local Filipino youth organization, Kabataang Montreal (KM) sent their delegates to "PALAKASIN!", an Ontario-wide Filipino youth conference held in Toronto last November.

"The most important thing I learned about was the LCP," says 17 year old Jhastine, when asked what she learned during the conference. While answering the question, Jhastine became emotional and added, "My mother came through the LCP and worked 7 days a week. It is only when I arrived in Canada did I realize how hard she had worked to support our family and bring us here."

16 year old Cindy said, "I was separated with my Dad for so long." From the PALAKASIN! Conference, Cindy commits to continue working with KM and "to help educate the community and learn more."

Other highlights of the evening include a report on the national formation of Filipino youth organizations, Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (UKPC/FCYA). UKPC/FCYA-National formed in September 2006.

KM will hold a hip-hop fundraiser during Valentine's called, "Ipagdiwang: Araw ng Puso, a KM Valentines Party". The event will feature local Filipino performers such as thePnoysouljahz, 7adybathugan, Klien, Sinag Bayan Quebec and the music of DJ Triple J from Toronto. The proceeds of the event will go towards supporting the work of KM and their office at the Kapit Bisig Centre.

The organizations at the Kapit Bisig Centre (KBC) are the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec, SIKLAB-Quebec (Advance and uphold the rights of overseas Filipino workers), Kabataang Montreal (Filipino youth in Montreal), Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights, and the Filipino Nurses Support Group-Quebec. The KBC community programs are geared towards strengthening and building the capacity of the Filipino community in Montreal.

Media contact: Neil Castro and Julie Nieto (514) 678-3901

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Le Centre Kapit Bisig s'ouvre officiellement :: Kapit Bisig Centre officially opens!

2007-12-13T11:29:00.000-08:00

**English translation below**

Pour diffusion immédiate:
13 décembre 2007

Le Centre Kapit Bisig s'ouvre officiellement

Montréal, Québec - La communauté Philippine de Montréal a ouvert officiellement le Centre "Kapit Bisig" (KBC) avec une journée Portes Ouvertes le 8 décembre 2007. Des organisateurs de divers secteurs, incluant des femmes, des travailleurs immigrants et des jeunes, ainsi que des membres de la communauté ont participé à cet évènement historique.

L'événement a commencé avec une performance du groupe Sinag Bayan Collective d'Arts Culturels de Québec. Ensuite, Cecilia Diocson, coordinatrice du KBC, a donnée une présentation décrivant comment le KBC comptait répondre aux besoins de la communauté Philippine du Québec. Diocson a décrit le développement historique du Centre Kapit Bisig, depuis l'ouverture du Centre des Femmes Philippines du Québec (PWC-Q) en mai 2006, il y a un peu plus d'un an.

"Quand PWC-Q s'est ouvert, nous avions un petit bureau dans un entrepôt sur la rue de Courtrai, parmi les ateliers de misères. En tant que communauté marginalisée et sans ressources, nous n'avions eu aucun choix. Grâce au dévouement et au travail ardu de nos bénévoles, nous avons développé nos capacités et nos ressources pour créer le Centre Kapit Bisig," raconte Diocson.

Diocson a aussi présenté des statistiques qui mettaient en évidence la marginalisation des Philippins du Québec. Par exemple, plus de 60% des personnes d'origine Philippine au Québec habitent à Côte-des-Neiges, une quartier reconnu comme étant pauvre. Les Philippins sont parmi les personnes minoritaires les plus éduquées à Montréal ( 27.7% des Philippins détiennent un diplôme universitaire, comparé à 17.7% de la population générale de Montréal), toutefois une grande portion des Philippins travaillent dans le secteur des services. La majorité des personnes d'origine Philippine sont des femmes, ce qui est en grande partie dû au Programme d'Aides familiaux résidants. Les jeunes Philippins sont réputés avoir le troisième taux de décrochage scolaire le plus élevé à Montréal.

Le Centre Kapit Bisig regroupe PWC-Q, SIKLAB-Q, KM-UKPC, Le groupe de soutient des infirmières Philippines, le Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR), le groupe Sinag Bayan Collective d'Arts Culturels de Québec et l'Alliance Nationale des Femmes Philippines au Canada (NAPWC). Les objectifs spécifiques sont de recueillir de l'information de la communauté, identifier les problèmes en amont, enrichir les connaissances et les analyses de la communauté, fournir des services accessibles et culturellement appropriés, et systématiser les méthodes de provision des services. Les défis du KBC sont nombreux et inclus les coupures de services et de soutien gouvernemental, ce qui est une conséquence directe de la mondialisation. Mais, malgré ces difficultés, Diocson a encouragé tout le monde à, "Faire don de notre temps et de notre énergie pour aider nos kababayans en participant aux activités du KBC" et se joindre à la lutte pour la justice sociale, l'égalité et la démocratie.

« Avant de déménager à Montréal, je participait à quelques organismes qui aidaient la communauté en général. Maintenant, j'apprends plus sur la situation des Philippins au Canada. Je pense qu'il est important de s'impliquer avec un organisme qui soutient les gens de ma communauté culturelle » dit Adrienne Vicente, une étudiante a l'Université Concordia, et nouvelle bénévole du KBC, "J'aimerais aider autant que je peux."

Jhastine, membre de Kabataang Montreal, est aussi bénévole au Centre Kapit Bisig. Dit-elle, "Je me suis d'abord intéressée à KM parce que mon amie était la soeur d'une des organisatrice. Un jour, j'ai vu des membres du KM qui manifestaient en dehors du métro Plamondon à cause d'un garçon qui avait été puni pour avoir mangé en utilisant une fourchette et une cuillère. Je pensais que c'était génial qu'un groupe lutte pour la justice." Pour ce qui est du nouveau Centre Kapit Bisig, Jhastine dit, "Ma mère est heureuse que je fasse du bénévolat dans une centre où je représente un modèle positif. C'est mieux que de passer le temps au parc. La Centre Kapit Bisig est déjà comme seconde maison. J'aimerais aider avec les activités quotidiennes afin d'impliquer les autres. Quand j'aide les autres, je me sens bien."

Sur le modèle du Centre Kalayaan à Vancouver, Colombie-Britannique, tous les organismes au Centre Kapit Bisig font partis de groupes nationaux qui travaillent pour la promotion des droits de base et le bien-être des Philippins partout au Canada. La KBC apprécie ses bénévoles qui répondent au téléphone, font de la publicité et organisent des sessions de formation sur les thèmes de l'immigration, la santé, les finances, le logement, les droits et l'emploi. Le centre continue d'accueillir tous les membres de la communauté Philippine qui aimeraient offrir de l'aide.

La Centre Kapit Bisig se situe au 4900 rue Fulton (coin Lemieux), près du métro Snowdon. Les heures d'ouverture sont de 10h00 à 16h00 du lundi au vendredi et de 11h00 à 18h00 le samedi et dimanche.

Pour plus d'informations, appeler le 514-678-3901 ou envoyer un courriel au:

SIKLAB-Quebec et le Groupe de soutien des infirmières Philippines: siklabquebec@gmail.com

La Centre des Femmes Philippines du Québec: pwcofquebec@gmail.com

Kabataang Montreal et le Sinag Bayan Collective d'Arts Culturels: kabataang_montreal@yahoo.ca

Le Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights: humanrights.philippines@gmail.com

Pour voir des photos de l'ouverture, visiter:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pwcofquebec/KBCLaunching
et
http://picasaweb.google.com/pwcofquebec/KBCOpenHousePrep

------------------

For immediate release
December 13, 2007

Kapit Bisig Centre officially opens!

Montreal, Quebec – The Montreal Filipino community officially launched the Kapit Bisig Centre (KBC) with an open house on December 8, 2007. Organizers from various sectors including women, migrant workers, and youth, along with community supporters attended this historic event.

The event opened with a performance by the Sinag Bayan Cultural Arts Collective of Quebec. Cecilia Diocson, KBC Co-ordinator, gave a presentation outlining how the KBC will address the needs of Quebec's Filipino community. Diocson discussed the historical development of the Kapit Bisig Centre, from the launching of the Philippine Women Centre of Quebec (PWC-Q) just over a year ago in May, 2006.

"When PWC-Q first opened, we had a small office space in a warehouse along de Courtrai, among sweatshop businesses. As a marginalized community with no resources, we really had no choice but to open our office there. Through the hard work of our dedicated volunteers, we have now developed our skills and resources to build the Kapit Bisig Centre," recalls Diocson.

In addition, Diocson presented statistical data demonstrating the marginalization of Quebec's Filipinos. For example, over 60% of the Filipinos in Quebec reside in Cote-des-Neiges, an area known for its high levels of poverty. Filipinos are among the highest educated visible minority groups in Montreal ( 27.7% of Filipinos have a university degree when contrasted to 17.7% of the general Montreal population), yet a large portion are working in service sector jobs. The majority of Filipinos in Montreal are women, mainly due to the Live-In Caregiver Program. Filipino youth reportedly have the third highest drop out rate in high schools.

The Kapit Bisig Centre is home to the PWC-Q, SIKLAB-Q, KM-UKPC, Filipino Nurses Support Group (FNSG), Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights (PCTFHR), Sinag Bayan Cultural Collective of Quebec, and National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC). The specific objectives of the KBC are to gather information about community, identify emerging issues, deepen understanding and analysis of the community, provide accessible and culturally-sensitive services, and to systematize method of delivery of services. Challenges to the KBC are numerous including cutbacks to services and funding, as an impact of globalization. Despite these challenges, Diocson encouraged all to "commit our time and energy to help our kababayans through the KBC" and join the struggle for social justice, equality, and democracy.

"Before I moved to Montreal, I was involved in various organizations that served a larger community, but I'm now also learning more about the huge diaspora of Filipinos in Canada and the issues that they are facing. I think it's important to get involved with an organization that supports people of my own cultural background," says Concordia University student and new volunteer Adrienne Vicente, "I want to help out as much as I can."

Jhastine, a member of Kabataang Montreal, also volunteers at the Kapit Bisig Centre. She says, "I first got interested in KM because my friend is a sister of one of the organizers. One day, I saw KM members rallying outside of Plamondon metro for a boy who had been reprimanded for eating with a spoon and fork. I thought that it was nice that there was a group that was fighting for justice." About the new Kapit Bisig Centre, Jhastine says, "My mom is happy that I am volunteering in a place where there are older role models. It's better than just hanging out at the park. The Kapit Bisig Centre already feels like a second home. I want to help with the day-to-day activities of the centre to get more people involved. It feels good to help."

Modeled after the Kalayaan Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia, all organizations at the Kapit Bisig Centre' are part of national formations that work to promote the genuine rights and welfare of Filipinos across Canada. The KBC is grateful for its volunteers who answer phones, do outreach, and run workshops and training sessions on topics such as immigration, health, housing, finance, rights and employment. It continues to welcome anyone from the Filipino community who can also lend a hand.

The Kapit Bisig Centre is located at 4900 Fulton Street (corner Lemieux) near Snowdon Metro. Hours of operation are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.

For more information call (514) 678-3901 or email the following organizations:

SIKLAB-Quebec and the Filipino Nurses Support Group: siklabquebec@gmail.com

Philippine Women Centre of Quebec: pwcofquebec@gmail.com

Kabataang Montreal and the Sinag Bayan Cultural Collective: kabataang_montreal@yahoo.ca

Philippines-Canada Task Force on Human Rights: humanrights.philippines@gmail.com

To view photos of the launching, visit:
http://picasaweb.google.com/pwcofquebec/KBCLaunching
and
http://picasaweb.google.com/pwcofquebec/KBCOpenHousePrep

2007-09-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

Kabataang Montreal - Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance

For immediate release

Police brutality continues in Cote-des-Neiges; a 17 year old Filipino teenage girl experiences police brutality by Montreal police officers

September 9, 2007

Montreal, Quebec –On August 24^th, the latest complaint against Montreal police harassment in the Cote-des-Neiges area is against two police officers for manhandling a 17-year old Filipino teenage girl named Tina (not her real name).

According to Tina, the officers approached her and a friend and unfairly accused them of drinking alcohol. Despite their insistence and assertion that they did not consume alcohol, the police officers accused Tina of having an "attitude" and roughly grabbed her as she stood up to leave and handcuffed her. Meanwhile, they hurt her arm, forcibly pushed her face-down to the ground, and slammed a car door on her leg while she was shoved into a police vehicle.

“I asked the officers what I did wrong that caused such brutality from them. They didn’t respond to me, they just talked about me and laughed.” says Tina when she recalls that evening on August 24^th. Immediately after the incident, Tina and her mother went to Cote-st-Luc Police Station 9 to file a complaint. “We were told by Station 9 that we could try but we would need a lot of money to get a good lawyer to win,” relates Tina’s mother.

Across Canada, the Filipino Canadian Youth Alliance has documented several cases of racial profiling and police brutality. Tina’s case is one of many cases in the Cote-des-Neiges area that have been reported to the Kabataang Montreal - Ugnayan ng Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance (KM-UKPC/FCYA). Kabataang Montreal is a local Filipino youth organization that has been working on issues of racial profiling against Filipino youth since 2000, and part of a national alliance of Filipino youth organizations in Vancouver and Toronto who campaign against criminalization of Filipino youth, in particular newly-arrived Filipino youth who are the immigrant children of domestic workers.

KM-UKPC/FCYA and Tina’s family are demanding a public apology from the Montreal Police Department for the incident of August 24, 2007. KM-UKPC/FCYA has a long standing anti-racism campaign including an end to racial profiling and police brutality.

“One of the major factors leading to this is the oppressive immigration policies of the Canadian government, particularly the Filipino community’s experiences with the federal Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP)–a racist policy which relegates migrant workers (a majority of whom are Filipino professionals) to slave-like working conditions. Filipino youth encounter barriers within the education system such as classes d’accueil, live in the most ghettoized areas in Canada, and suffer racism on a daily basis including racial profiling. This undermines our genuine development and equality as a community in Canada.” states Neil Castro, member of Kabataang Montreal.

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A press conference will be held at the Philippine Women's Centre of Quebec,
4180 du Courtrai, room #308, on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 10am.

Media Contact: Rodney Patricio (514) 991-7973 cell or (514) 678-3901 office

Community leader harassed by police from station 25 in the Cotes-des-Neiges area

2007-08-08T20:20:00.000-07:00

Kabataang Montreal (a Filipino youth organization in Montreal, KM) condemns the harassment of our community leader and the continuing and growing harassment of the Filipino youth in the area.

On July 24, Roderick Carreon, chairperson of SIKLAB (Advance the Rights and Welfare of Migrant Filipinos In Canada), was talking to the wife of Mel Domingo, a director of FAMAS (Filipino Association of Montreal and Suburbs), in front of the FAMAS center on Van Horne when a police officer beckoned Carreon with his finger. Knowing that he was clearly not breaking any law, Carreon ignored the officer's call and continued talking with Mrs. Domingo.

Upset, the officer then approached Carreon and demanded to see his identification. When Carreon asked what his violation was, the officer stated that he had the right to check his ID. When Carreon continued to question the officer on his violation, the officer became more upset and called for back up stating that Carreon was resisting arrest.

As 3 patrol cars arrived on the scene, Carreon decided to present his driver's license and registration although no actual charges were brought against him. As well, the police confiscated his vehicle and ticketed him for not having paid his vehicle’s registration even though he had his valid registration with him.

"Although there was no clear charge put against me, it was a clear case of discrimination," says Carreon of the situation during and interview with Sigaw ng Bayan (a Filipino Community radio show in Montreal) which featured police harassment against the Filipino community of Montreal.

Carreon goes on to add, "It is not an isolated incident but something being experienced by more and more Filipinos in the area, especially Filipino youth."

"This summer (2007) has seen an increase in police surveillance from station 25," shares Ryan G., a Filipino youth who lives in Cotes-des-Neiges. The police continues to randomly check ID's and harass Filipino youth.

Since KM was formed in 2000, there has been a lot of positive changes among Filipino youth in the community – making KM a role model in community youth organizing. Under Carreon’s leadership, KM had encouraged many young people to go back to school or find work and the City of Montreal had supported and funded some of its youth activities in the community.

KM continues to fight for the rights of Filipino youth and encourages the youth to learn their rights and deepen their understanding on why they experience racism and discrimination from the police who are supposed to protect them

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Filipinos march the streets of Montreal in support of Cagadoc family

2006-05-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Over 80 members of the Filipino community and their supporters demonstrated in Cote-des-Neiges, the heart of Montreal's Filipino community, to support Luc Cagadoc and his family. Seven year old Luc Cagadoc was punished unfairly for eating his food with a fork and spoon, a customary way of eating for Filipinos.

The Cagadoc family was also present during the march. Theresa Gallardo, mother of Luc Cagadoc, said, "We are so happy to see our Filipino community support us, it gives us inspiration!" Until now, there has been no move on the part of the Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board to apologize for the incident.

"There is a need to demonstrate to show that, as Filipinos, we demand that our children are respected and are accessing quality education," says Emmanuel Macarine, member of Kabataang Montreal, a local Filipino youth organization, "our voices must be heard and it has to be known that this cannot be tolerated.

Throughout the march, demonstrators chanted, "Immigrants in, racists out!" and "C-S-M-B, we demand apology!" and collected over 100 signatures in their petition demanding a public apology to the Cagadoc family and a racism-free environment for their children.

"In a country that prides itself on being multicultural, we should not be forced to conform our eating to the dominant, colonial, and imperialist culture," states Rodney Patricio, member of Kabataang Montreal, a local Filipino youth organization.

Kabataang Montreal has been challenging the Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board to hold a open community dialogue and has held a community forum on the issue of racism in the schools. Their organization is calling for a racism-free environment in the schools, access to quality education, and a public apology to the Cagadoc family and the Filipino community,

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Filipino youth angered by private meeting with Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board

2006-05-21T13:00:00.000-07:00

For immediate release
May 20, 2006

Filipino youth angered by private meeting with Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board

"Closed doors lock out the community," states Aaron Santos, member of Kabataang Montreal (KM), a Filipino youth organization, in response to the news of a private meeting between selected members of the community and the Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board (CSMB).

"This meeting does not engage our community and none of our questions or requests will be responded to," says Rodney Patricio, spokesperson of KM. "It will only further divide our community."

After trying several times to contact the CSMB about having a public meeting, the school board was tight-lipped about any of their plans to address the incident with Luc Cagadoc, a seven-year old boy was harrassed and disciplined for practicing his cultural eating habits.

"This is completely unacceptable for an institution to deny the obvious racism that exists within their system," says Santos. "Where they should be apologetic for their actions, they just continue to avoid any accountability on their part."

The Filipino youth group are calling for an open community meeting with the CSMB, a review of their anti-racism programs, access to quality education,
and a guarantee to a racism-free environment in the education system.

On Sunday, May 21st at 5:30 p.m., KM will lead an anti-racism demonstration to protest against the treatment of Luc Cagadoc. Meeting place is at
corner of Victoria and Van Horne (Metro Plamondon). All are welcome to attend - bring your forks and spoons!

For more information, contact Rodney or Joy at (514) 678-3901.

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Local Filipino youth denounce systemic racism by Montreal school board

2006-05-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Local Filipino youth denounce systemic racism by Montreal school board

Statement by Kabataang Montreal (Filipino youth organization in
Montreal)
May 10, 2006

The actions of the Marguerite Bourgeoys school board demonstrates the
depth of systemic racism within the Montreal school system. Completely
within their rights, the Cagadoc family has intelligently spoke out
about their concerns and asked for public support. Furthermore, we
disagree with recent reports that there may have been
misunderstandings, especially when the principal has alluded publicly
that Cagadoc's eating behaviour may not have been intelligent.

We are deeply offended by the reports of actions that took place in
ecole Lalande at Pierrefond involving a 7-year-old boy punished for
eating with a spoon and fork during lunch. It is unjust that he be
punished and secluded to another table for eating with a fork and
spoon.

Within Quebec's inter-cultural and diversity policies, immigrants
diversity is suppose to be celebrated, yet it is these same policies
that must be examined as they continue to hamper their development and
integration. Moreover, this just goes to show the fallacy of the
"tolerant and multicultural society" phraseology used in Canada to
sugar coat the problems of inherent and institutionalized racism that
many of us feel and experience each day.

By directing attention to the child's behaviour only, we see a
diversion tactic on the part of the school board to sweep the facts
under the table and not address the racist behaviour by
administrators. This type of discrimination and ignorance on the part
of school staff and administrators should not be tolerated in Canadian
schools since many Canadians have diverse cultural origins.

This is a prime example of racism and discrimination that we at
Kabataang Montreal won't stand for. The racism and discrimination
towards Filipinos begin with immigration policies like the Live-in
Caregiver Program (LCP) that imports many nannies, more than 90%
coming from the Philippines, to work as indentured slaves in the homes
of Canadians. The LCP creates a second class of workers who have a
different set of rules that apply to them. These are the kinds of
discriminatory policies that are extended to the families of Filipinos
living and working in Canada.

We would like to show to the family of the boy that we are behind them
100% and that they should continue to press on. Kabataang Montreal
will also be acting on our own behalf as members of the Filipino
community for the insult done to our compatriots sharing the same
cultural habits that have been looked down upon. We demand that the
Marguerite Bourgeoys school board make a public apology to the family
and that the Minister of Education conduct a public investigation,
review the anti-racism policies provincially, and ensure that quality
education is accessible for all.

Access for all to quality education!
Stop systemic racism!
Genuine equality and development for all!
Scrap the Live-In Caregiver Program

Cagadoc family receives legal warning from Montreal school board

2006-05-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

For immediate release
May 9, 2006

Cagadoc family receives legal warning from Montreal school board

The Marguerite Bourgeoys school board sent a legal warning to the
family of Luc Cagadoc, a seven-year old boy who was punished at school
for eating with a spoon and fork, a customary eating practice for
Filipinos. Incensed by the culturally insensitive school practices,
the boy's family has filed a complaint and made the incident public.

"There is no misunderstanding here, this is clearly an intimidation
tactic by the Marguerite Bourgeoys school board to discourage the
family from speaking out," states Roderick Carreon, Chairperson of
SIKLAB-Canada, a national formation of overseas Filipino migrant
workers in Canada. Carreon furthers, "However, this silencing
strategy is a form of systemic racism and has infuriated the
community. We will not accept this without a fight."

In September 1999, a similar tactic was used by the Vancouver School
Board (VSB), when 25 Filipino youth were stalked and threatened at
Vancouver Technical secondary school. The school's administration
denied that the incident was racist and refused to respond to requests
from the parents to protect these students. All of them eventually
dropped out of school because of the incident. When Ugnayan ng
Kabataang Pilipino sa Canada/Filipino-Canadian Youth Alliance
(UKPC/FCYA) made these racist incidents public, the VSB issued the
community organization a letter threatening a libel suit.

"The disciplinary actions and legal threats of the Marguerite
Bourgeoys school board have struck fear into every Filipino parent's
heart," says Joanne Vasquez, Chairperson of the Philippine Women
Centre of Quebec, "they worry that their own children will be
similarly harassed in their schools. Is this the better life in Canada
we sought?"

The majority of the Filipino community enters Canada through the
Live-In Caregiver Program (LCP) as domestic workers, despite being
amongst the highest-educated immigrants in Canada, where they are
deskilled, legislated into poverty, and separated from their families
for years. After working for 24 months within a three year time
period, they are allowed to apply for permanent residency and sponsor
their spouses and children to Canada. Often, Filipino families in
Canada experience more hardship as their children and spouses also
enter the cycle of cheap labour, encountering racism and harassment in
schools and workplaces.

Local organizations in Montreal, Kabataang Montreal (Filipino youth
organization in Montreal), Philippine Women Centre of Quebec, PINAY
(Filipino Women's Organization in Quebec) and SIKLAB-Montreal
(Overseas Filipino migrant workers) will hold a forum on May 10, 2006
at 6:30 p.m. The address is 4180 de Courtrai, Suite 308, Montreal,
Quebec.

For more information, please contact Joanne at (514) 659-4300 or email
at pwcofquebec@gmail.com.

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Get your forks and spoons ready - ANTI-RACISM DEMONSTRATION

2006-05-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

***Please forward widely****

Anti-Racism Demonstration

On Sunday, May 21st, Kabataang Montreal (Filipino
Youth Organization of Montreal) will host an
anti-racism demonstration in light of the
incident which took place at École Lalande in which a
7-year-old Filipino boy was punished for eating with a
spoon and fork.

Please join us as we call for an end to systemic
racism and equal rights to quality education. Meeting
point will be
Shaad, Victoria and Van Horne
(Métro Plamondon) on Sunday, May 21st, at 5:30pm.

**BRING YOUR FORKS AND SPOONS AS NOISEMAKERS**

For more information, contact Rodney or Joy at
(514) 678-3901 or (514)803.9046.

Kabataang Montreal's Statement on Arroyo's Proclamation 1017

2006-03-01T11:50:00.000-08:00

Militanteng pagbati sa iyong lahat!

KABABAYANS! KAPWA KABATAAN! KAPATID AT KAIBIGAN!

Kabataang Montreal is outraged by the state of
national emergancy in the Philippines proclaimed by
the illegitimate, U.S. puppet, corrupt, rotten and now
openly facist president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and
her crooked regime.

We, the Filipino youth of Montreal fully and highly
condemn Arroyo's proclamation 1017. Not only does this
desparate act by the fake president blatantly attack
and curtail the civil liberties and political rights
of the Filipino people, it dares to subject the people
to yet another facist dictatorship after the people
have attested 20 years ago, never again to martial
law.

And we say today the same as we did then, NEVER AGAIN
TO MARTIAL LAW!

Not only is Arroyo attempting to mimick the facist
Marcos dictatorship, she already surpassed the
magnitude of Marcos' facist acts.

Countless human rights violations such as, systematic killings
of activist and leaders of the anti-Arroyo protest
movement, including mass organizers, church leaders,
women and youth. Further oppression of the Filipino
people with antinational, anti-democratic and
anti-people policies keeping the people in poverty,
hunger and hardship.

Policies that send many Filipinos out of the
Philippines to work and live in Canada and all over
the world to face futher hardships and separation from
loved ones back home. Using the billions and billions
of dollars in remittances, the hard earned money that Filipinos working abroad send back home to
their loved ones, to use for their own selfish gains.

These are some of the attrocities of the much hated
Arroyo regime during her time in power. Filipinos have been affected even all the
way here in Canada. The Arroyo regime is able to disrupt our lives by disrupting the livelihoods of our families, our and all the people in the Philippines who now face these attrocities.

Arroyo is a threat to genuine freedom and democracy in the Philippines and we cannot allow her to continue her destructive rule.

We join with all Filipino people and all who are for a just and lasting peace in the Philippines in calling for the ouster of the unjust Arroyo regime !

OUST THE ILLIGITIMATE, PUPPET, CORRUPT, ROTTEN AND
FACIST ARROYO REGIME NOW!

NEVER AGAIN TO MARTIAL LAW!

GLORIA TUTA DICTADOR PACISTA!

Filipino-Canadians gather donations for victims of Leyte disaster

2006-02-22T18:51:00.000-08:00

National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada
SIKLAB - Canada
Press Release

Filipino-Canadians gather donations for victims of Leyte disaster

For immediate release: February 19, 2006

A network of progressive Filipinos in Canada is gathering donations for the victims of the recent Leyte disaster that claimed an estimated 1,800 lives.

"As the progressive Filipino Canadian community in Canada we extend our deepest sympathies to the families of those 1,800 people killed in the mudslide in Guinsaugon, Leyte, Philippines," said Cecilia Diocson, Chairperson of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada (NAPWC).

"We call on Filipinos in Canada and other Canadians to gather what financial support they can to help in the relief and recovery efforts of this tragedy," said Roderick Carreon, Chairperson of SIKLAB – Canada (Advance and Uphold the Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers).

Filipinos are the fourth largest visible minority group in Canada, numbering close to 400,000.

"This is a case of simple government neglect," says Diocson. "Even the Department of Environment and Natural Resources said yesterday the landslide was a tragedy waiting to happen," she added.

Diocson criticized Philippine President Gloria Macapgal-Arroyo's anti-people policies that have aggravated and not solved the chronic economic crisis in the Philippines. She said more government spending is directed towards servicing the foreign debt than badly needed social and economic programs. An estimated 88% of the population lives in poverty.

According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the region has been the scene of natural disasters since 1749, when a volcano in the area erupted. Since 1991, four deadly landslides and floods have also struck the region and claimed thousands of lives.

"At the same time, we question claims by the Philippine government that the mudslide was mainly due to illegal logging," states Carreon. "The real reason for the tragedy and others like it are the large-scale logging operations mostly by foreign-owned companies which have caused massive deforestation and environmental damage all over the Philippines," he added.

Carreon pointed to government policies of liberalization that, "give foreign companies the right to plunder the nation's natural resources at the people's expense."

The group is setting up a trust fund in the Vancouver area to accept donations to be coursed to the disaster area. Donations of $25 or more can also be made to SAPED-PCDI c/o 451 Powell Street, Vancouver, BC, V6A 1G7 and a tax receipt will be issued.

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For more information, please contact:

*

VANCOUVER: Cecilia Diocson (NAPWC) or Ted Alcuitas (BC Commitee for Human Rights in the Philippines) at: 604-215-1103 or e-mail: pwc@kalayaancentre.net
*

MONTREAL: Roderick Carreon (SIKLAB - Quebec) at: 514-344-2709 or Joanne Vasquez (Philippine Women Centre of Quebec) at: 514-659-4300
*

TORONTO: Joy Sioson, Philippine Women Centre of Ontario or Yolyn Valenzuela (SIKLAB - Ontario) at: 416-878-8772 or e-mail: siklab_ontario@yahoo.ca

*

MONTREAL: Roderick Carreon (SIKLAB - Quebec) at: 514-344-2709 or Joanne Vasquez (Philippine Women Centre of Quebec) at: 514-659-4300
*

TORONTO: Joy Sioson, Philippine Women Centre of Ontario or Yolyn Valenzuela (SIKLAB - Ontario) at: 416-878-8772 or e-mail: siklab_ontario@yahoo.ca

Fqs report back fundraiser

2006-02-01T19:05:00.000-08:00

On friday January 27 2006,

Kabaatang Montreal held a fundraiser party hosted by Sigaw ng Bayan (CKUT 90.3 fridays @ 2pm) for the FQS Report Back from the Vancouver Youth Conference last November 2005.

The evening began with a short play by the KM cultural committee dramatizing various historical and cultural events that happened in filipino history including the present day situation. The night also featured various bands playing including the RnB reggae sounds of Da Funk Lab, the hard punk rock of Frozen flame and sweet sounding pop rock of 15th station, formely know as the SFC band. Each band bringing it's own unique brand of music proved most entertaining.

To brief on what the FQS is, it began on January 26, 1970, with youth and students protesting Marcos' State of the Nation address. This led to a series of rallies where militant students, workers and farmers staged demonstrations in the streets of Manila to protest oil price hikes, graft and corruption in government, and the worsening economic situation at that time. Invariably, these protest actions turned violent and bloody as law enforcers responded with tear gas and, in some instances, with bullets. Thus has came to be known among activists and political observers as the First Quarter Storm, or simply the FQS.

The Youth Conference in Vancouver was to celebrate and draw lessons from the FQS so that we can continue the struggle of the youth and the people.

-A.D.Santos

Kabataang Montreal solidarity message for Ugnayan Vancouver and FQS delegates

2005-11-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

A warm and militant greeting from Kabataang Montreal.
We salute UKPC Vancouver for organizing this historic
event. We would also like to congratulate Ugnayan
Vancouver for reaching a milestone in their 10 years
of organizing, educating and mobilizing Filipino
youth.

During this inspiring weekend we look forward to
learning along with our fellow youth across Canada and
North America the history and significance of the
First Quarter Storm, and the important role of the
youth in creating this part of Philippine history. We
also look forward to sharing and addressing among our
fellow youth our experiences and issues in our
respective cities.

In Montreal, we have been organize among the Filipino
youth in addressing their issues and linking it back
to the overall struggle of the Filipino people. Their
issues include family separation, systemic racism,
education and root causes of migration.

We join with our fellow Filipino youth activists in
continuing the work
of that the FQS has started. That is, to fight for
the rights and welfare of the Filipino youth and to
link up their struggles with the struggle for social
change in the Philippines. We hope to continue to
deepen our understanding of the Philippine struggle as
well as the struggle of all migrant Filipinos through
this conference. We stand in solidarity with Filipino
youth across Canada to further our work locally and
work towards building a national formation in support
of the struggle for genuine freedom and democracy in
the Philippines.

Long live the spirit of the FQS!
Long live the spirit of the Filipino youth!
Ituloy ang laban ng sambayanang pilipino!!

KM trains to be filmakers!

2005-11-09T21:05:00.000-08:00

On Saturday, Nov. 5th, several members of the Cultural Committee got together to examine how the personal is political in a hands-on video workshop. We talked about the relationship between art and activism, looked at the inspiring artwork of Filipina-Canadian artist Lani Maestro, and shared our experiences of forced migration, racial profiling, and other struggles faced in society. Participants became interviewers, videographers, and performers as they shared their experiences and hopes on film.

With the goal of using expression and creation to raise awareness of these ongoing struggles, our video will become a recruiting and educating tool for other Filipino youths and to the greater community. Stay tuned for the screening of the video at a theatre near you!

If you’re interested in participating in future activist art initiatives, contact Neil or Marissa at m_largo@alcor.concordia.ca.

-Marissa

Photos of the consultation

2005-10-18T19:16:00.000-07:00