Volunteering

I currently volunteer for two Filipino non-profits as their bookkeeper.  One is an arts organization that creates artistic opportunities for Filipinx artists, and the other shares Filipino culture to the GTA through cultural dances.  I've increased my involvement with them in the past month.  This Sunday, the dance org will have their quarterly Board of Directors meeting where I will attend to present their financials in a casual, potluck kind of gathering.

There's an opportunity for me to apply for the Executive Director role at the arts org.  Our incumbent has moved on to new opportunities.  We are in need of an ED to help lead the Strat Plan implementation.  I would love to throw my name into the ring to see if I can convince the board to trust me with the role.

As an ED, I would not only implement the Strat Plan that we've all worked on in the past year.  I will also continue the hard work of the previous ED(s) by increasing the org's profile.  I can do that through several projects.  First, I would lead the org to collaborate more with other Filipino non-profits in the GTA.  I believe there is definitely an opportunity for us to co-create and be in a mutual-aid relationship with the other orgs.  Secondly, my goal would be to meet with critical stakeholders who would be able to connect us with potential funders and sponsors.  Thirdly, and certainly not the least, I would love to showcase the art of our individual Board of Directors and future staff members through the org's socials.

Last night, some of the directors and I at the arts org met with a potential Treasurer in a zoom call.  Alvin, a pseudonym for the potential Treasurer, is a really nice guy with amazing credentials.  At one point, during the call, Alvin mentioned that he likes to paint as a hobby when he's not working as an audit professional.  This piqued my interest so I urged him to show us some of his art in the future, if he's comfortable.

A long-term goal would be to follow the Toronto Aboriginal Social Services Council model of governance, where there would be an overarching organization that would facilitate coordination and collaboration between Filipino non-profits.  We can follow the TASSC-model by creating a group of Board of Directors for this org that only includes the EDs of its member non-profit orgs.  A working name for this org would be Kapisanan ng mga Pilipinong Walang-humpas sa Adhikain, or KAPWA.  It's derived from the word kapwa, a core value of Filipino identity that emphasizes a sense of shared humanity and belonging.