Send Toronto youth organizers to the Philippines!

What is Anakbayan Toronto?

Anakbayan Toronto is a comprehensive mass organization of Filipino youth and students working to arouse, organize, and mobilize our community at home and abroad to fight for National Democracy with a socialist perspective in the Philippines. We are one of the many overseas chapters of Anakbayan in the Philippines.

We are a collective of young organizers, cultural workers, students, and professionals who seek to uplift the struggle in the Philippines with our humble contributions, and to develop a greater understanding of the worsening situation there.

Two of our active Anakbayan Toronto members will be going to the Philippines this summer to deepen their understanding and integrate with communities there. Since joining the National Democratic movement as members of Anakbayan Toronto early last year, the two of us have worked closely together on various campaigns and events, and now we want to take it to the next level.

What have we done as members of Anakbayan Toronto?

In our time in various working bodies within our organization, we have participated in and led broad educational, political, social, and cultural gatherings.

From producing artwork and music to build our national, scientific, and mass-oriented culture; to hosting free political education on a range of topics from the basics of Philippine history and revolutions to the principles of organizing a community – in a short time, we have developed greatly as organizers, and now we’re seeking the opportunity to deepen and consolidate that experience.

What are we doing in the Philippines?

Every year, Anakbayan chapters around the world send people to the Philippines for a comprehensive exposure trip to integrate, learn from, and ultimately serve the masses.

Exposure trips aim to deepen our organizers' understanding of the conditions and struggles of the Filipino people.

While abroad, we will take part in educational discussions and a variety of skill-based trainings. Moreover, we will integrate and build relationships with communities engaged in grassroots movement building by doing on the ground work to fight the exploitative dynamics that produce widespread climate destruction, displacement, militarization, and grave human rights violations. We are firmly committed to bringing our experiences, lessons, and messages of solidarity back to the U.S. upon our return.

Why are we doing this?

Although the work to Serve the People here is important and weighty, this exposure trip is fundamental to further our understanding of the struggle for national democracy and to deepen our roots and organizational connections with the popular mass movement happening in the Philippines.

Where is this money going?

The money will be going directly to our travel and to our gracious hosts who are activists and organizers themselves. We will be leaving in July and returning after about 2 months. Because of organizational connections and the generosity of our hosts, these months of travel is much much cheaper than it would be if we were traveling on our own. But as students and young professionals we are still not able to pull these funds together ourselves.

If you have spendable income, and support the fight for National Democracy towards Socialism in the Philippines, please consider donating some to this integration trip.

Thank you, and long live international solidarity! MABUHAY!