and friends in Wisconsin and help our community talk about serious issues in an informal, interactive, and welcoming atmosphere. /During the KAPIHAN, it was gratifying to hear from the many who attended speak about issues that affect them personally. The objective of this initial gathering was to gather topics for future KAPIHAN sessions. The participants raised topics to focus on in the future, including issues about Filipinos? feelings of invisibility in American society, assimilation, cultural identity, generational identity, and political clout to name a few.  It was apparent that there are numerous issues for our community to discuss. // Those of us who refuse to turn our back on the Philippines at times, find ourselves searching for answers about our country of origin and its current situation. On top of that, we confront a constant battle to understand our lives in society and issues affecting us here. It is for these reasons that we initiated the KAPIHAN. Our initiative is to develop ourselves by learning from each other. Hopefully this will encourage us to become involved and make informed actions on what matters to us Filipinos, and our community.
KAPIHAN (Coffee gathering)
                               Filipinos are talking
                                by Al Poliarco
     At our first KAPIHAN (coffee gathering) Forum for Filipino concerns, held in Waunakee last December, Filipinos and friends wasted no time to discuss concerns and issues that everyone felt matter to them and to our community. /KAPIHAN organizers Carmel Capati, Jenette Nelson, Jenny Ybanez, Bill Briggs, Lem Guiao, and Al  Poliarco hope to spearhead a dialogue among Filipinos
(Above) At the first KAPIHAN in Wanaukee last December, Filipinos discussed how they can be more visible in American society. They also talked about assimilation issues, among other things.
    I am sure we can all agree that a lack of social concern and fear of taking action is unAmerican and unFilipino. Let us not allow the comfort of living in America to numb our senses of social responsibility. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "One of the greatest liabilities of history is that all too many people fail to remain awake through great periods of social change. But today our very own survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant, and face the challenge of change."
      Please join us for our next KAPIHAN on Saturday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m., Sequoya Branch Library, 513 Midvale Blvd. in Madison.  Prof. Alfred McCoy of UW-Madison's Department of History  will be the speaker. Contact us at kapihansamadison@hotmail.com or by phone at (608) 233-1768 (Al Poliarco), (608) 334-8826 (Carmel Capati), or (608) 848-2959 (Jenny Ybanez).
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