NaFFAA names first batch of youth empowerment envoys

WASHINGTON, DC – NaFFAA announced its inaugural class of 12 ambassadors to the Empowering Pilipino Youth through Collaboration (EPYC) Program.

The EPYC Ambassadors Program equips young leaders to refine their skills and learn new strategies in order to become stronger advocates and deliver more effective programs and services to the Filipino community. The following are the ambassadors:

1. Leilani Encarnacion | Bensalem, Pennsylvania
2. Sariah Alzen Loy | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
3. Joseph Malasa | Charlottesville, Virginia
4. Nina Cedro | Franklin, Michigan
5. Christian Paneda | Ann Arbor, Michigan
6. Carlo Tuason | Cincinnati, Ohio
7. Marijo Manaois | Tacoma, Washington
8. Erick Yanzon | Bellingham, Washington
9. Miguel Louis Guerrero | Daly City, California
10. Kevin Suarez | San Jose, California
11. Raphael Noah Natividad | Irvine, California
12. Justin Suarez | Santa Maria, California

Ambassadors will support NaFFAA’s efforts around leadership development, civic engagement, and advocacy, and will help scale and build programs within their campuses and communities.

They will also gain important knowledge and skills in professional development, networking, Filipino American history, racial justice, multicultural competency, coalition building and other key areas.

Each ambassador will reach out to fellow Filipino American youth through social media and also engage them in person by speaking at events, facilitating workshops, or tabling on campus or during community events.  They will also lead a capstone project focused on either leadership development, civic engagement, or advocacy.

NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores said, “NaFFAA congratulates its inaugural class of EPYC Ambassadors: twelve young individuals committed to engaging and empowering Filipino American youth throughout the country. EPYC is a testament to our shared goal of developing the leadership pipeline for young Filipino American leaders. I look forward to seeing what the EPYC Ambassadors will accomplish on behalf of NaFFAA and for the Filipino American community as a whole.”