The Filipino Law Students Association is a student organization of the University of Hawaii at Manoa (Richardson) located in Honolulu, Hawaii. Founded more than 40 years ago, the Hawaii Philippine Bar Association (HFLA) was established by a small group of Filipino lawyers practicing in Honolulu. This organization has been instrumental in challenging stereotypes that have been associated with Filipino men, such as being more likely to be charged with misdemeanors and murder, and being the number one race in Hawaii to receive the death penalty in the first half of the 20th century. The Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu is a nonprofit organization that works to perpetuate local Filipino heritage and provide development opportunities for young citizens. This organization is dedicated to empowering active young citizens to create positive change.
The Sariling Gawa Youth Council is another Hawaiian 501 (c) 3 nonprofit organization that promotes cultural awareness, ethnic pride, and youth empowerment. The United States Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 allowed more Filipinos to bring their family members to Hawaii, which allowed more arriving Filipinos, especially women, to enter the state. This influx of Filipino workers was largely comprised of men, and upon their arrival, stereotypes such as that of “knife” and the derogatory use of their terms of kinship (in the native Filipino language) emerged. In 1906, the Hawaii Sugar Planters Association (HSPA) recruited many Filipino agricultural workers to move to Hawaii to work on sugar plantations. The HSPA preferred Filipinos because they were known to be hard workers and received the lowest wage of all the ethnicities that worked on the plantations. These ethnic groups were segregated so that Filipinos would not be influenced by the strike.
Japanese workers, and therefore Filipinos, could be used as leverage against striking Japanese workers. In addition to these organizations, the Hawaii Philippine Chamber of Commerce Foundation has been established to provide relief initiatives for those affected by Maui Fire Relief. If you want to send a check, do it with a note, FCCHF Maui Fire Relief to the Hawaii Philippine Chamber of Commerce Foundation, P. The Chamber has also established a direct link to PayPal where funds can be donated for ongoing relief initiatives. Today, these organizations are still active and continue to promote Filipino heritage and culture in Hawaii. The Filipino Jaycees of Honolulu are the leading young professional organization in the local community that develops and empowers leaders for the future, while remembering the Filipino roots that preceded it.
The Hawaii Philippine Bar Association (HFLA) continues its mission of challenging stereotypes associated with Filipino men and providing legal support for those in need. The Sariling Gawa Youth Council is another important organization that works to promote cultural awareness and ethnic pride among young people in Hawaii. Finally, the Hawaii Philippine Chamber of Commerce provides relief initiatives for those affected by Maui Fire Relief.
