Your Filipino Professionals Association

Your Filipino Professionals Association (YFPA), a 501(c)(3)non-profit organization, was founded by three Filipino American classmates from the University of San Francisco. They created a collaborative forum for Filipino-American professionals in the SF Bay Area to connect and support professional networking, educational and community service activities The YFPA Scholarship Program was founded in 2014 to recognize college bound high school graduating seniors involved in the Filipino community. We have awarded 14 scholarships so far, in addition to 6 full tuition scholarships at the Academy of Art University of San Francisco. We plan to expand scholarships in 2024 to also include post-secondary education programs. YFPA also has alliances with local organizations to broaden the reach of its overall programming. These organizations include Asian Business League, Asian Leaders Alliance, National Association of Asian American Professionals, Filipino Bar Association, Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce of Northern CA, SoMa Pilipinas, Galing Bata, etc.

About the Organization:

National • New Jersey • New York

The Issue:

With Filipinos being the third highest Asian population in the Bay Area, YFPA seeks to address common problems experienced by Filipino Americans:

Limited Career Opportunities

Filipinos face challenges in advancing their careers in the United States. According to a study, the Philippines recorded a 176-percent increase in voluntary resignation across different industries since the pandemic started. Some of the reasons are the abrupt changes in the way of working, lack of work-life balance, and the uncertainty due to the pandemic. In addition, Filipinos also experience workplace discrimination that is associated with more health conditions.

Societal Marginalization

Filipinos face challenges and barriers in the U.S., such as discrimination, poverty, and limited access to health care. According to a 2007 study, 11% of single-heritage Filipinos did not identify as Asian, which may reflect a sense of marginalization or invisibility within the broader Asian American community. In 2019, 6% of Filipinos in the U.S. lived in poverty, compared to 4% of all Asians and 12% of all Americans.

Poor Access to Quality Education

According to the Pew Research Center, 22% of Filipinos in the U.S. have only a high school diploma or less, compared to 13% of all Asian immigrants. Moreover, 19% of Filipinos live in poverty, which can limit their educational opportunities and outcomes. Some of the factors that contribute to poor education among Filipinos include language barriers, lack of financial resources, discrimination and cultural differences.

Lack of representation in professional leadership positions

Filipinos are one of the largest Asian groups in the USA, but face a significant gap in leadership representation across various fields. According to Bloomberg, Asian Americans are often stereotyped as passive, compliant, or lacking in creativity, which hinders their career advancement. In science, for example, Filipinos account for only 1.5% of the total U.S. scientific workforce, despite making up 4.2% of the Asian American population. Similarly, in nursing, Filipinos comprise 4% of the registered nurses in the U.S., but only 1% of the nursing faculty. These statistics show that Filipinos encounter many barriers that limit their opportunities and visibility as leaders.

The Solution:

YFPA and our Board of Directors are planning to expand upon our current roster of programs.

Educational Scholarship Program

YFPA offers scholarship programs to support strong academic students involved in the Filipino community. These programs aim to provide financial assistance and academic guidance to help students achieve their educational goals and career aspirations. YFPA has awarded a total of 20 students since 2014. We plan to award additional scholarships in 2024 to inspire students pursuing post secondary education programs.

Professional Development Program

YFPA launched its professional development programs to provide Filipinos with opportunities to learn new skills, enhance their performance, and advance their careers. Programming has included mentorship programs, speaker panels, entrepreneurship panels, resume review workshops, mock interviews, effective communication skills, career coaching, negotiation skills, and more. We plan to further collaborate with Employee Resource Groups and Community Partners to offer leadership programming to increase opportunities for Filipinos in leadership roles.

Networking Program

YFPA’s networking programs connect professionals to potential mentors, collaborators, employers, and more. Our programs have included networking events at Filipino and AAPI local establishments. We have also had fundraising raffles and silent auctions to not only raise funds for YFPA and our scholarship programs, but to also feature sponsors and local businesses that donate prizes. In addition we have increased engagement by connecting to followers on our social media platforms. This has allowed followers to network and share their profiles and exchange expertise, ideas, and referrals. With additional programming, we plan to increase engagement for in person and virtual events, as well as on social media.

Volunteer Programs

YFPA has given the opportunity for volunteers to serve the community through several programs including local food banks, food kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, Galing Bata toy drives, Asian American Donor Programs, and more. We also have volunteer opportunities to serve on YFPA committees such as: Scholarship Program, Marketing and Social Media, Fundraising, Events, Professional Development, and our Board of Directors. YFPA volunteers give back to the community and engage with other Filipino professionals and, foster meaningful connections that positively impact their personal and career growth.

Your Filipino Professionals Association