Session III

Workshop 1: “There's Blood in Your Coffee: Human Rights Violations in the Philippines”

Residents from the US returned home from the International Solidarity Mission (ISM) in the Philippines. The purpose of the ISM was to investigate gross human rights violations in the Philippines. ISM teams visited five sites to speak to survivors, witnesses, local government officials, and military commanders. The victims included women and children, many of whom were forced to leave their communities because of the intensified military presence. The Nestle strike in the Philippines will be highlighted during this workshop. Updates, connections to other Nestle boycotts such as the one in Colombia, and how you can use your power as a student and consumer will be covered.

Presenter: - Helene Lustan - USAS (United Students Against Sweatshops)

BIO

Helene Lustan
Helene Lustan is the Northwest Regional Organizer for United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS). She studied at Washington State University where she majored in Political Science. During her time at school, she was heavily involved the Filipino American Student Association and various womyn of color groups on campus. She participated in the Philippine Studies Program in the Summer of 2003, was the international intern in the Philippines for USAS, and was a delegate for the International Solidarity Mission this past Summer. She is currently the acting chair for the Philippine U.S. Solidarity Organization based in Seattle.

Workshop 2: Sexual Assault and Abuse and our community

This workshop is not designed to not only expose information, but its about exposing ourselves in order to make a connection. This will be straight dialogue folks, an all encompassing safe exploration. My framework: its not giving people information that's key to motivating them to act, but validating their perceptions and conveying a sense that the change they dare to imagine in this private space is achievable and desired by a great many others that are also ready to motivate. We are talking about personal stories and struggles, nurturing and validating those experiences, and organizing ways to connect and uplift others outside of this conference.

Presenter: Glenda Macatangay

BIO

She is a survivor. Surviving and thriving. Exploring and growing. Glenda Macatangay, Bay area Activista Fashionista, has her hands full with being a devoted single mother of a very precocious and amazing 4 year old son, a daughter and sister, cousin and friend of the Goce Clan, she lives her day-to-day doing psychotherapy and art therapy with elementary through high school students, she¡¦s currently completing her Masters and PPS Credentials in Social Work at Sacramento State University, advises for a few Sacramento youth coalitions, sits on the board of Philippine National Day Association, and constantly explores her own artistry in fashion design and runs her own sweatshop free clothing company, Coco-a, Collective Consciousness and Art. She comes raw and honest and hopes to make authentic connections with like-minded individuals who want to strengthen their voice, interpersonal relationships, uplift their communities, and work towards the common good.

Workshop 3. "ENVISIONEERING: The Art Of Life"

Like a hidden treasure chest, our greatest talents and dreams are buried under years of neglect and self-doubt. Participants will challenge their self-concept with a personal vision map/treasure map to ‘envisioneer’ their lives at its greatest manifestation. In this process, fear of failure, inadequacy and other self-esteem issues are unearthed. Through writing, art and role-play in the presence of this resistance, participants will reclaim their personal excellence

Presenter: Rich Kiamco

BIO

Rich Kiamco was featured on Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, on Q Television's Queer Edge, and has also performed with Peeling, an Asian-American performance collective based in New York City. He won the Overall Excellence Award for Solo Performance at the New York International Fringe Festival and Best Solo Performance at the Montreal GLBT International Theatre Festival. His writing can be found in Take Out: Queer Writing From Asian Pacific America and Queer Stories For Boys. Upcoming projects include REAL MOMENTUM a documentary series on MTV's new queer channel LOGO. For booking info: www.RichKiamco.com

Workshop 4: " THE FILIPINA IN YOU: HOW COLLECTIVE HISTORY AND EXPERIENCE SHAPE (AND RESHAPE) WOMEN OF PHILIPPINE ANCESTRY "

The Philippines exported one million people throughout the world last year, 75% of whom were women. This workshop by Gabriela Network will examine how both Philippine and Philippine American history have affected the image and socio-economic and political realities of Filipinas in the United States and also to a large extent the Filipina diaspora throughout the globe. An emphasis on current political events, especially its impact on women and children, will be discussed.

Presenter: Olivia Quinto

BIO

GABRIELA Network is the largest and oldest Philippine-US women's mass multi-racial solidarity organization with chapters all over the country -- Seattle, Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, New York/New Jersey, Irvine and Washington DC. We work with GABRIELA Philippines, a national alliance of more than 200 women's organizations. We work on issues that impact women of Philippines ancestry, but which have their roots in the decisions made in the United States. It's international sex trafficking campaign, entitled the Purple Rose campaign, focuses on the effects of militarism, conflict, globalization and the mail order bride industry on women and children. To get more information, go to www.gabnet.org .

Olivia J. Quintois a NY/NJ chapter co-coordinator of Gabriela Network. Raised in the Bronx, she is a freelance correspondent for two internationally distributed Filipino American publications, Filipinas Magazine and Philippine News. Olivia is also a program associate for Globalvision -- an independent media company that has produced highly acclaimed newsmagazines, nationally televised specials and cutting edge documentary films -- and an editor for MediaChannel, an international media watchdog supersite. Olivia has been involved in human rights and women's issues since her academic career in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University.