Happy and Determined: Exposure 2011

November 14th
10:54

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this is not the best quality video or the best quality flow, but it makes me happy. in commemoration of our 2011 expo:

KnL Song (HnD Anthem)

wake up in the morning with the roosters and the heat

gising na mga kasama, to the office we roll deep

break fast with pineapple and pandesal with that cheese

our first rev task for the day is to eat

coz we never know exactly what today is gon bring

whether we ED or we mob, or both, it ain’t no thing

dito sa krus na ligas tayo’y naghahanda (here at KnL, we prepare for the day)

kahit na simpleng buhay, basta lagi magkasama (even if our life is simple, as long as we are together)

si candyman, si bunso, janelas, ate rhonda, (with Cabug, Nicole, Janelle, Rhondalei)

ang saya ni mr. omell, jenilee, at miguel, (Sean, Jenilee and Michael are so happy)

punong puno naman ang puso ko bilang isang TL (my heart is full as Team Lead)

i truly love our collective life dito sa KnL (here at KnL)

i will never forget our many conversations

on how each one of us has a piece of the solution

to contribute to this nation’s revolution

and why we are all so thankful for the movement

without which none of us would be sittin here sweatin

in michael’s small ass apartment, our little piece of heaven

HnD HQ, we so happy and determined

got that bottle of red horse for our nightly assessment

big ups to boss wakx for getting us prepared

for this small task that we all get to share

even with the struggles that our crew must bear

it ain’t nothin for the masa and the love in the air

mixed with cigarette smoke, our dreams and our hope

for the future of our people, that JMS wrote

we ain’t a mess, nope, when we get it together

it a blessing we stay dope in any kinda weather

ang mga kahirapan na dinadaan sa tawa (hardships that dissipate through our laughter)

kahit isang saglit lang, makaranas ng ginhawa (even for a moment, we feel lighter)

basta HnD lagi ang mga kasama (as long as we are Happy and Determined with our comrades)

dito sa KnL, masarap magkaisa (here at KnL, it feels great to be together)

10:40

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one year later

Last year, on November 13, was Halong, a community sharing and cultural show and the culmination of the Bayan Expo 2011 experience.

I feel privileged to be back here in Pinas as I reflect on our experiences and all that has happened since then. I looked through all the old posts, smiled and sighed, and let myself relive many of those moments. I’m so thankful for this blog, and for the opportunity to know how my HnD kasamas experienced those moments, and how each of us interpreted what we learned.

It feels peculiar being back home, and not on an exposure program. When I arrived at the airport, it felt weird to be without a crew. I was happy, but it felt kind of hollow. I didn’t feel like I had really landed until today, when I visited the Bayan and Gabriela office. After sitting in on a couple of meetings (Inter- Party List @ Bayan, Staff Meeting and Gabriela), I felt like I was myself again.

Expo 2011 had it share of difficulties. But collectively, we pushed through and had an unbelievably dope overall experience. It was most definitely, some of the best and happiest times of my life. Going back to Seattle was very very hard. Not only because of my usual bicontinental blues, but because shortly after I experienced a bittersweet romantic entanglement with a comrade here, I went home and experienced the deepest heartbreak of my adult life. Shortly after I went back to Seattle, I found out my brother (who turned out to be a huge part of our expo) had done great harm to a person in the Seattle community. I still haven’t fully reconciled what that means to our relationship, but I felt like I lost a brother this past year.

On the other hand, I developed a deep affinity that turned into a great love during this trip. I actually felt this for every one of the HnD crew, but one in particular evolved in a romantic direction. This relationship has been and continues to be a very valuable learning experience.

Every one of the 2011 exposurists has done incredible organizing work in the past year, despite some major challenges. I truly feel that our area has been revitalized and feel better than ever. Usually hearing about the issues and activities taken on by orgs here make me feel inadequate, but when I think about our growing campaign work, our membership consolidation and how each organization has truly invested in each other, I feel so damn good. And HELLA proud. And really happy I went back to Seattle to be part of that.

Hanggang dito na lang muna.

WarmFuzzyMilitantLove

March 12th
23:40

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Getting off the plane after 12 hours; the fuzzy nervous anticipation.

November 8th
00:08

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This is just a short preview of our Expo trip.

To see more footage and learn more about our experiences there, come to “Halong: Philippine Exposure 2011” on Sunday November 13!

00:04

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Please save the date for November 13 and join us for an evening of live performances, gallery and interactive art installation.

Members from Anakbayan Seattle, Alay ng Kultura, Pinay sa Seattle and the Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites will be sharing their experiences this past summer.

Community Members to Showcase Philippine Experience in “Halong”

Seattle, WA – On Sunday, November 13, local community members will be sharing their experiences from a recent trip in the Philippines in a multi-media show entitled “Halong.” Their trip was an “expo program” designed to “expose” people living outside the Philippines to the harsh realities and impoverished conditions experienced by the majority of its citizens. “Exposurists” also shadowed folks organizing within urban and rural communities who help develop progressive solutions to the society’s huge inequalities.

The show’s title “Halong” means “safe journey” in the Illonggo language and “home” in Bicol. The performance will feature stories from members of local Filipino American organizations Anakbayan Seattle, Alay ng Kultura and Pinay sa Seattle and local group the Coalition of Anti-Racist Whites. The group traveled to the Philippines to bring back lessons learned about the growing social movement and how it can be applied in the U.S. They will be sharing their work with the different communities they learned from, including women, indigenous people, youth and students, peasants and workers. This multi-media event is their opportunity to share with the Seattle what they learned and experienced.

One notable community in the Philippines they had an opportunity to learn from is the B’laan indigenous tribe in Mindanao facing environmental problems from nearby mining operations. The community members will also outline the connections between the economic problems in the Philippines and the growing economic-based protests here. “The economic crisis and Occupy Wall Street protests indicate the growing need for social movement building,” said Katrina Pestano, one of the exposurists. “Filipino activists have a long history of struggling for social justice and now our stories are more relevant than ever.”

The event will be a multi-media show featuring live performances, poetry, music, video and more. Doors open at 1:00 pm with a suggested donation of $5-20. Light refreshments and beverages will be available for purchase. Please email halong.rsvp@gmail.com to RSVP.

August 30th
06:37

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Footage from the August 25 anti-budget cut protest in front of the House of Representatives. We left for the airport shortly after this was taken, when the rally was still peaceful.

By the time I arrived into Seattle, news started going around that the rally had turned violent. I couldn’t believe that the very people I had shared space and built with over the past month were being blasted by water cannons and beat by the Quezon City Police District. More powerful images can be seen here.

Aquino should not be surprised with the growing discontent and unrest of the people. The brutal actions of his government will only fuel greater resistance among the youth and the people across the country and overseas.

- Statement from AB US Chapters

-Jenilee

August 13th
22:39

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Journey to Upper Suyan 3

Saranganni, Mindanao

Summer Exposure 2011

22:19

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Journey to Upper Suyan 2

Saranganni, Mindanao

Summer Exposure 2011

22:05

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Journey to Upper Suyan, Saranggani, Mindanao

Summer Exposure 2011

21:41

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HnD (Happy and Determined) Crew, Summer Expo 2011