Event Schedule
6:00 PM
Check-in & Cocktail Hour
Silent Auction
Live Auction Preview
Golden Ticket
7:00 PM
Program Begins
Dinner
Live Auction
Raise the Paddle
Dessert Dash
9:00 PM
Music & Dance
Live Auction
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Expand to learn more about our background dating back to 19271927 University of Washington Filipino students conceived of purchasing a students’ clubhouse. A committee was formed; and an aggressive fundraising campaign from the Alaska canneries during the fishing season yielded a sizeable amount. 1929 To attract broader support, the name of sponsoring organization was changed from University of Washington Students Clubhouse to Seattle Filipino Community Clubhouse. 1935 The Philippine Commonwealth Government was inaugurated in Manila. To have a common celebration in Seattle, the disparate Filipino organizations agreed to form a new organization called Philippine Commonwealth Council of Seattle (PCCS), which was to hold a two-day Philippine Commonwealth Day celebration. A constitution and a set of by-laws were drafted and approved. The two-day celebration was a resounding success. A new era has arrived, Filipinos in Seattle had finally become united. The organization was incorporated. 1940 Pio de Cano sued and won a landmark case enabling Filipinos to purchase land. He contested the application of the 1921 Alien Land Law to Filipinos, which prohibited non-citizens from owning land. He won the case on the grounds that Filipinos had not been “aliens” but “nationals” at the time the law was passed. After that ruling, de Cano became the first Filipino homeowner in Seattle. 1946 The Philippines was granted independence on July 4. The name Philippine Commonwealth Council of Seattle became inappropriate. The Filipinos adopted a new name: the Filipino Community of Seattle and Vicinity. A new constitution and a set of by-laws were adopted and was re-incorporated under the laws of Washington. 1952 In anticipation of the 3rd wave of Filipino immigrants entering Seattle, the organization was renamed “Filipino Community of Seattle, Incorporated.” 1965 The Community Council (FCS Leadership Council) authorized and approved the purchase of a property (a bowling alley) at 5740 Empire Way S (now MLK Jr Way S). The property is now known as the Filipino Community Center (FCC). 1973 The mortgage for FCC has been paid in full. 1974 A mortgage burning ceremony was held. With the complete ownership of the building by FCS, a milestone has been reached by Seattle Filipinos. It is a symbol of a people’s unity. 1984 The Senior Lunch Program was established. It is funded by the City of Seattle Senior Services through the Pacific Asian Empowerment Program. Low cost, hot, delicious and nutritious lunches are served to seniors on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The lunch program continues to this day and now serves over 100 seniors. 1995 FCS launched Youth Empowerment Program (YEP) with a $38K grant from the City of Seattle’s Department of Neighborhoods. The program, nurturing growth and maturity among Filipino American youth, is designed within the perspective of Filipino culture and values to provide them leadership skills, civic consciousness, and self-help for the youths to help their peers, and to provide pro-active action in their respective neighborhoods. 2000 The first FCS Miss Gay contest was staged. It was considered “daring” at the time as it was the first of its kind to be held at FCC. 2003-2008 The community saw major renovation of the Filipino Community Center and the development of responsive programs and services. The FCS Board members voted unanimously to proceed with the pre-development stage of the Filipino Community Village; working toward the development and construction of a two-phased housing, commercial and community service facility with projected cost of $20 million. 2012 FCS hired is first paid Executive Director. 2013 By unanimous vote of the Board Members, the FCS by-laws changed from general election to recruitment of board members subject to board approval. The board elects the President and Officers from among the board members. Term of the President is limited to 2 terms with 3 years/term; the other officers are limited to 3 terms with 3 years/term. The Washington State Legislature awarded $1.2 million to FCS to fund the construction of the Innovation Learning Center. 2018 FCS Board selected Beacon Development to build the Filipino Community Village. Cost of the Village was projected to be $30 million. Capital campaign for the Village entered a hectic phase. One-on-one solicitation with community member, and events, like Kamayan, were held to raise the funds. By the end of the year, approximately $3 million were raised from individuals, foundations, corporations, and state, city and county government for the Innovation Learning Center. 2019 Board Members adopted a 3-year strategic plan to guide FCS operations in 2019 – 2022. Groundbreaking for the Village was held on September 18, and construction commenced in December, 2019.
Guest Speaker
Doug Baldwin
Chief Executive Officer of Vault89 and Founder of the Family First Community Center Foundation. Doug is a philanthropic activist with a passion for creating empathic solutions to complex challenges. As the recipient of the Martin Luther King Jr. Medal of Distinguished Service Award and the Paul G. Allen Humanitarian Award, the former Super Bowl Champion is the youngest ever appointee to the WA State Clemency and Pardons Board. But most importantly, Doug is a blessed husband and father.
Event Emcee
Arnaldo Inocentes
Founder of the Pacific Northwest Cabaret Association and Executive Producer of the Seattle Cabaret Festival. He started with Seattle Men's Chorus SMC) and performed with SMC in major concert halls around the world as a soloist. Arnaldo is also the Co-Executive Director of Pride ASIA, was past co-chair for Filipinos at Microsoft (FAM), and currently an advisory board FAM member. He is also a recipient of the New York Bistro Award (2008), GAWAD Musika Award for Most Innovative Concert Artist in Manila (2014), Filipino Community of Seattle (FCS) Lifetime Achievement Award for Arts & Culture (2016), GenPride Rainbow Community Pillar Award (2022) and recently, the International Examiner's Community Voice Award for Culture & the Arts (2024).
Guest Performers
Angelica Generosa
Angelica Generosa (she/her) is from South River, New Jersey. She studied on scholarship at the School of American Ballet and Princeton Ballet, and she attended summer courses at the School of American Ballet, Chautauqua Summer Program, and New Jersey Ballet. She also studied with Gina Forcella in Sayreville, New Jersey. Angelica joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2011. She was promoted to corps de ballet in 2012, soloist in 2016, and principal in 2020.
Angelica was the recipient of the Youth American Grand Prix Regional Hope Award in 2005, and she was a YAGP New York finalist in 2007. She also was the recipient of the School of American Ballet Mae L. Wien Award for Outstanding Promise.
Angelica has performed as a guest artist with the Vail International Dance Festival, American Academy of Ballet, and Ballet Hawaii. She has performed at the Chautauqua Dance Alumni Gala and Gala de ballet de Buenos Aires.
Dylan Wald
Dylan Wald (he/him) is from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He studied at Minnesota Dance Theatre & the Dance Institute and Pacific Northwest Ballet School. He attended summer courses at Pacific Northwest Ballet, the School of American Ballet, The Juilliard School, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. Dylan joined Pacific Northwest Ballet as an apprentice in 2014 and was promoted to corps de ballet in 2015, soloist in 2019, and principal in 2020.
In 2017, Dylan participated in the Nederlands Dans Theater Summer Intensive. In 2019, he performed with Seattle Dance Collective. In 2021, he choreographed Unprecedented Serenade for PNB School’s Professional Division students.
Event Auctioneer
Christine DeCastro
Professional Benefit Auctioneer, is a vivacious go-getter committed to driving fundraising to an entirely new level for well deserving organizations. A graduate of the World Wide College of Auctioneering, a member of the National Auctioneers Association and a Benefit Auctioneer Specialist (less than 1% of Auctioneers throughout North America maintain this specialized designation and training in benefit auctions), Christine loves to have fun and ensures that donors do too! She holds a Political Science degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and has nearly 20 years of sales and marketing experience. She is an avid volunteer who is passionate and ready to WOW your donors! Christine believes every benefit auction should leave you with a happy heart knowing that, together, you did your part to elevate your favorite organization to its highest potential.
2024 Gala Committee
Chair: Agnes Vining
Members: Bennyroyce Royon, Agnes Navarro, Edwin Obras, Armilito Pangilinan, Kirsten Garcia, Francis Franco, AJ Mijares, and Jan Edrozo.
Thank you to our 2024 sponsors!
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Friends of FCS
AJ Pangilinan LLC