“In the ongoing attempt to serve and interact with the Pilipino community, the Pilipino American Alliance stands to promote a network of social support through the encouragement of political struggle, academic excellence, and cultural awareness while celebrating cultural diversity.”
What is PAA? In 1969, in the midst of a turbulent era of protest and struggle, Pilipino students rallied together to create an organization to advance political, economic, and social justice. This group was called the Pilipino American Alliance (PAA), initiated by its founders to protect and enhance the representation of Pilipinos and Pilipino Americans on the Berkeley campus and the surrounding community. During its 37-year existence, PAA has strived to promote a network of social support for the Pilipino and Pilipino-American community through the encouragement of political struggle, academic excellence, and cultural awareness while encouraging unity on campus through the celebration of cultural diversity.
What does PAA offer? Alongside its general meetings and community educational discussions where topics and issues such as identity, religion, family, LGBT, and the Presidential Election are discussed, PAA also heads the Kuya/Ate/Ading mentorship program and holds events to promote the social wellbeing of the student community on campus. Such events include: Friendship Games, where students travel to CSU Fullerton to compete in challenges with hundreds of other students from Pilipino organizations from different colleges and universities across the state; Pilipino Cultural Night, where students from the community get involved in the production of a cultural show that includes skits, singing, and traditional and modern dance; Various benefit concerts and events supporting Pilipino organizations such as Bindlestiff Studios, Student Action for Veterans Equity and the Manilatown Heritage Foundation; PAA also publishes The PAAges a publication aimed at giving a voice to the community at Cal and offers scholarships such as the Grace Rualo Asuncion scholarship; Kuya/Ate/Ading outings, study nights, and PAArties!
