UniPro x FANHS Filipinos in New York: Why We Matter

Filipinos in New York

Why Should We Vote?

Who are We?

○ 3.6 Million Filipinos in the U.S. in 2012

○ 8% or 276,000+ live in the Tri-State Area

○ The Filipino American population in the Tri-State area (NY-NJ-CT) constituted the third largest concentration of Filipinos in the United States in 2010.

○ Filipino Americans are:

○ The Fourth Largest Asian Subgroup in New York

○ Live mostly in New York City (62% of New York’s Filipino population reside in NYC)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2010 Census, 2012 American Community, Survey 1-Year Estimate

Who are We?

○ Between 2000 and 2010, the senior population posted the fastest growth among all age groups in the Filipino American community.

○ A high proportion of Filipino American children and youth are of mixed race

○ The foreign-born make up a majority of Filipino Americans in the Tri-State

○ A significant number of Filipino American immigrants are undocumented, and they constitute an especially vulnerable group.

Source: FAHSI Community Needs Assessment, 2014.

Potential for Political Force

○ A majority of foreign-born Filipino Americans in the Tri-State have become naturalized U.S. citizens—those who are eligible tend to vote!

○ Studies of the voting behavior among Asian Americans at the national level indicate that Filipino Americans have a relatively high voter registration and voter turnout rates.

○ Yet, very few Filipino Americans have been elected to public office (and very few run for office) in the Tri-State area.

Source: FAHSI Community Needs Assessment, 2014.

AAPI Voting Practices

No votes =

No Political Power!

What do we care about?

The Issues, Local and National

Immigration

○ As of 2013, about 68 percent of the 1.8 million Filipino immigrants in the United States were naturalized citizens, in comparison to 47 percent of the total foreign-born population.

○ However, waits for visas are long: the Filipino brother or sister of a U.S. citizen would have to have applied 24 years ago to have it processed now.

○ A significant number of Filipino American immigrants are undocumented-- an estimated 280,000 undocumented Filipinos resided in the U.S. in 2010, the largest number among the major Asian American groups.

○ Only 1 in 4 eligible, undocumented Filipinos living in the U.S. has applied for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, as of March 2014.

Sources: Migration Policy Institute, State Department Visa Bulletin, March 2016; FAHSI Community Needs Assessment, 2014; International Business Times

Health and Healthcare Access

○ At least 1 in 10 Filipino Americans in New York and New Jersey had no health insurance.

○ High costs, lack of comprehensive care were big barriers

○ Barriers to Access:

○ Lack of awareness of what social services are available

○ Role of stigma and Hiya (shame) in inhibiting people from accessing services, especially mental health & sexual/reproductive health services

○ Diabetes, lack of health insurance, heart disease, and depression are of major concern for Tri-stateFil-Ams, but lack of data available on how it impacts us specifically

Source: FAHSI Community Needs Assessment, 2014.

Social Security & Medicare

○ An unofficial survey conducted by a coalition of Filipino organizations and community groups across the U.S. shows that about 100 Filipino American professionals retire every day.

○ Many Filipino American seniors are unaware of the services for which they are eligible.

○ e.g. the need to register for Social Security

○ Social isolation prevents seniors from plugging into resource networks

○ While Fil-Am seniors can take Social Security retirement benefits and savings anywhere in the world, Medicare coverage does not extend overseas.

○ Until Medicare extends coverage to them outside the U.S., Filipinos who want to retire in the Philippines will need private medical insurance.

Sources: New America Media, FAHSI Community Assessment, 2014

Housing

WHERE DO WE LIVE?

○ 56% of Filipinos live in Queens with the other 28% in Manhattan and Brooklyn, and the remaining 16 % in Bronx and Staten Island

○ In Queens we settle largely in these neighborhoods:

○ Elmhurst, Woodside, Briarwood - Jamaica Hills, Elmhurst - Maspeth, Queens Village, Jamaica Estates - Holliswood, Jamaica, Pomonok, Flushing Heights-Hillcrest, Jackson Heights, and Bellerose

HOMEOWNERS:

○ We have a 39 % homeownership rate which is slightly higher than 32 % for all households.

○ 41 % of Filipino households pay thirty percent or more of their household income

RENTERS:

○ 40 % of Filipino households spend more than thirty percent of their household income on rent and utilities, compared with 53 percent of all households that rented. This rate for Filipinos rose significantly from 32% in 2008

Source: http://www.aafny.org/cic/briefs/filipino2013.pdf

Gentrification and Tenants

○ For many low income Filipinos, that live in New York City especially in Queens, gentrification is often a huge issue. They are being slowly pushed out of their affordable apartments and homes.

○ Gentrification may bring new businesses to your neighborhood but depending on socio-economic status one could also be facing eviction.

○ All renters should know to contact a housing attorney or call 311 in order to be briefed about your rights as a tenant. Your situation can differ depending on what type of housing you have.

GENTRIFICATION = the process of renewal and rebuilding, which result in the influx of the middle class or affluent people into deteriorating areas; this often displaces poorer residents

Student Debt

○ Fil-Ams have a higher median household income than the general population, but skyrocketing tuition costs combined with cuts to public funding for financial aid programs, and other economic uncertainties challenge our access to education.

○ Economic sustainability and growth after graduation has lagged since the Great Recession ‘07-’08.

○ 2/3 of bachelor’s degree recipients graduate with outstanding loans averaging $27,000.

○ Student debt cuts ability to purchase valued big-ticket items (houses, cars) that are also vital to the economy.

○ Perkins Loan ended in 2015

○ Obama’s Feb 2016 budget proposal submitted to Congress:

○ Increase in Pell Grant for academic year 2017-2018 (*changes every year)

○ “America’s College Promise” - 2 years of free community college to “responsible students”

○ Special funding initiatives for Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) and HBCUs

○ Streamline FAFSA to eliminate “confusing questions”

○ Bonus funding for accelerated tracks

○ Modifications to loan forgiveness and repayment programs to alleviate student debt burden

Sources: Pew Research Center, 2014 and Asian American Federation Profile of NYC’s Filipino Americans, 2013 Edition; National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

Let’s Talk About It

Personal Narratives from the Community

RJ Mendoza-Nadal

LGBTQ and Civil Rights Bureau Community

Liaison to the Brooklyn District Attorney’s Office

MarivirMontebon

Author and Editor, OSM! Magazine

Iris Zalun

Voting Rights Organizer at the Asian American Legal

Defense and Education Fund (AALDEF)

So How do I sign up?

First, confirmthat you can vote!

Unsure? Checkwww.canivote.org

Fill out the appropriate sections with your information!

To vote in the primaries, you MUST select a political party!