Jane Baron (standing left) poses with other NEXTGEN Fellows Marc Butiong and Jeselle Santiago in Tinago Falls, Iligan Philippines June 2015

In June 2015,  the Bayanihan Foundation NEXTGEN Fellows (Jane Baron, Marc Butiong and Jeselle Santiago) visited their parents’ native homeland and for some of them they visited the Philippines for the first time. For better or worse, the trip changed them. It made them connect the local to the global. Upon his return, Marc wrote in his essay reflecting on the trip, “My first-ever trip to the Philippines was filled with constant intrigue and excitement…. we were fully immersed in a transformative experience and (we) are fortunate to have the opportunity to share it with others.”

NEXTGEN Fellow Jane Baron (center) walks through Cebu’s Carbon Market, the island’s oldest and largest public market

In February 2016, Jeselle Santiago thought of spearheading a creative fundraising idea and conduct a garage sale (yard sale) in Chicago to mark the start of Spring.  Jeselle said, “Why not? We can have the proceeds benefit the women vendors displaced by the fire at Carbon Market, Cebu’s largest and oldest public market in the island.”  I realized that Jeselle connected the local and the global.  She saw the connection between the women vendors in Carbon Market that were recently tragically displaced due to a recent fire in 2014; many of them left without a means of livelihood (Philippine Inquirer, January 2014). A garage sale fundraiser would also be a great payoff for many in Chicago to reduce clutter in their garages and have more space in their closets.

In March 5, 2016, the Bayanihan Foundation will conduct a local Chicago garage sale (yard sale) with over 30 families donating items from their closets and garages. It will be held at St. Wenceslaus Church Parish Hall, 3400 N. Monticello Ave. Chicago, in partnership with my mother’s parish church, St. Wenceslaus Parish.

2015 NEXTGEN Fellow Jeselle Santiago collected used books for an elementary school in Iligan, Philippines October 2015

Act Local Think Global

Jeselle had the correct mindset of thinking globally and acting locally.  Her trip to the Philippines and visiting the Cebu’s Carbon Market made her make the connections between local issues within a community and broader global issues and themes. The Bayanihan Foundation’s NEXTGEN Fellowship Program made a difference. I hope the foundation could continue to influence the broader and complex connection of  more young people as it plans to continue bringing second and third generation Filipino Americans back to the Philippines so they can make those personal and global connections.   After all, in the 21st century, the local and the global are connected and they’re closer than you think.

Join us for the Bayanihan Foundation’s Garage Sale (Yard Sale) at St. Wenceslaus Church Parish Hall, 3400 N. Monticello Ave. Chicago. Come hunt for bargains and enjoy my Mom’s homemade pancit (Filipino noodles). Cannot join the Garage Sale? Consider donating to the Bayanihan Foundation and support its NEXTGEN Fellowship Program: bit.ly/1LAOeBQ