10 Issues Filipino Americans Face — and the Organizations Fighting Them
Awareness is the first step. Organizing is the second. For each issue below, we've listed organizations doing the work.
1. Immigration and deportation fear
Hundreds of thousands of Filipinos in the U.S. are undocumented. The fear of detention and family separation shapes daily life for many families.
NAFCON USA (National Alliance for Filipino Concerns) — nafconusa.org
Migrante — a global network defending Filipino migrants
2. Labor trafficking and exploitation
Filipino nurses, caregivers and domestic workers have been recruited with promises that turned into exploitative contracts, heavy "breach" fees and threats of deportation.
Damayan Migrant Workers Association — founded by Filipina domestic workers in New York
3. Wage theft
Unpaid overtime, delayed pay and stolen wages hit care workers and service workers hard.
Filipino Advocates for Justice — one of the oldest Filipino American advocacy groups, based in the Bay Area
4. Mental health stigma
Filipino Americans underuse mental health services, and "keep it in the family" culture makes it harder to ask for help.
Peer-led Filipino American mental health groups and the Asian Mental Health Collective
5. The glass ceiling
Filipino Americans are highly educated and hard-working, yet underrepresented in leadership.
NaFFAA (National Federation of Filipino American Associations) — civic engagement and leadership
6. Invisible in the data
Filipino health and income disparities get hidden inside the broader "Asian" category.
AAPI Data — research on disaggregated data
APIAVote — voter registration and civic participation
7. Anti-Asian hate
After 2020, Filipino Americans were among those targeted — including the 2021 New York subway attack in which Filipino American Noel Quintana's face was slashed.
Stop AAPI Hate — tracks and responds to incidents
8. Intergenerational trauma and colonial mentality
Many second- and third-generation Fil-Ams grow up ashamed of being Filipino and reclaim it later. Psychologists have studied "colonial mentality" — the internalized idea that Western is better.
Anakbayan USA — youth political education
And yes, the reason Ugat exists
9. Political representation
Filipino Americans number more than 4 million, but are underrepresented in elected office.
NaFFAA and the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS), which preserves our history and advocates for recognition
10. Health disparities
Filipino Americans have high rates of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, yet are understudied in research.
SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans) — health and social services in Los Angeles
NAFCON health and community campaigns
Join the fight
Pick one issue that hits home. Find the organization. Show up once. That's how it starts.
Sources
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