Spring Break
Student earns top honors as influential Filipina
Fighting for workers' rights, raising awareness on plight has been Oliveros' life passion
Lauren Sigel
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: News
|
Oliveros, the coordinator of the Multicultural Center at Portland Community College and a student at OSU's Community College Leadership Program, will receive an award as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the United States during the fifth annual Filipina Women's Network Summit, scheduled for Oct. 25-27 in Washington, D.C. She will be honored in the category of Emerging Leaders and Builders.
"These are our people, our countrymen, relatives, that are being affected by political repression," Oliveros said. "I feel like my main interests are both personal and political, partly because the personal bonds tie into the political ones."
According to its website, The Filipina Women's Network is a non-profit association for women of Philippine ancestry in the United States. FWN provides educational resources through publications, lectures, activities and training programs to further the professional and personal development of its members.
"In 2005, I went on an international human rights fact-finding mission in Hacienda Luisita, Philippines, organized by BAYAN USA, the only international chapter of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN-Philippines)," Oliveros said.
Oliveros is a second-generation Filipina-American. She feels connected to victims of human rights violations in the Philippines. "I have family and some relatives in the Philippines and have visited the Philippines several times as a child and as an adult," she said. "I also feel connected by hearing firsthand stories from the victims' family members, being in their environment and through my direct involvement with BAYAN USA, Seattle Anak Bayan and Northwest Filipino American Student Association."
Oliveros was nominated by Carmen Caballero Rubio, director of community affairs for Portland Mayor Tom Potter. Rubio said in an official press release that Oliveros has worked tirelessly and passionately to raise awareness around issues impacting women of color and the Filipino community.
"I feel like one of the roles of being a Filipino American is to raise awareness of Filipino workers in the Philippines by bringing information back to the United States and educating our community about the issues they face," Oliveros said.
"There is a high number of Filipinos leaving the Philippines due to the unemployment rates."
Even though October happens to be Filipino-American History Awareness Month, Oliveros believes "it is important to recognize the struggle of Filipinos not just during the history month, but all the time."
Note: writers will not reply to comments.
Comments by registered users are approved by default.