 Alan Paredes our dear friend and previous YFPA Board of Directors, sadly passed on December 12, 2022 from injuries sustained from an electronic bike accident.
Alan proudly served leadership positions as YFPA Marketing Director, Vice President, and Scholarship Program co-founder and Director. He was kind to all and loved supporting the Filipino community. For more information or to support, us this LINK. If you have questions, please contact Regina Finuliar, regina.finuliar.yfpa@gmail.com.
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 YFPA celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month! We were able to interview Bay Area martial artist and instructor, Joseph Bautista, Esakbo Daan. Joseph will lead a self defense online class, hosted by YFPA and FASTER May 26!
1. How did you get started? What is the inspiration behind Eskabo Daan? My stepfather is the one who introduced me to Filipino martial arts. As I started my journey in martial arts and the age of four. I was constantly searching for an art that could feel this void that I could not explain. And I found that Filipino martial arts was that answer. I have trained a number of different arts but always felt that since there are much larger people out there and even tougher people there had to be a way to level the playing field. Since Filipino Martial Arts specializes in the use of weapons, I felt that this art is something that I can do for a lifetime. And even if I get to 80s and 90s years old and even injured that with the weapon, I will still always have a fighting chance. After all we can't rely on our youth and fitness for our entire lives. Grandmaster Robert Castro is the creator and founder of Eskabo Daan. It is a mix of different martial art styles from the Philippines. And the idea is to keep with the tradition of evolution. In order to survive everyone must be able to adapt to modern times. And that's exactly what we do. That's what the Philippine martial arts has done for the last 2,000 years to survive. Evolve and adapt. We opened in November 2009. After returning from a trip to the Philippines we were disheartened to find that even people in the Philippines were unaware of our own martial arts. To the point they were adamant Filipino Martial Arts doesn't exist. We saw martial arts schools for everything except for Filipino martial arts. We also know that many systems and Styles take from Filipino Martial Arts and don't give credit back to FMA. They simply rebrand and rename the moves and call it their own. We strive to preserve and promote Filipino Martial Arts culture, history and knowledge. 2. What makes Filipino martial arts different from other martial arts? A lot of people don't even know about martial arts from the Philippines. And the ones that do think we only can fight with two sticks. That couldn't be further from the truth. We are weapons-based system while at the same time a complete system. We kick, punch, elbow, elbow, knee, wrestle, pinch, bite, eye gouge and do joint manipulation. Not a lot of arts have that list. In Filipino martial arts we do that with and without a weapon. Law enforcement and military from around the world uses Filipino martial arts because of its versatility. So not only to be specialized in the use of weapons we specialize in versatility and adaptability. Filipino martial arts is the only art that will start you off with weapons from day one. Our mentality is if someone's going to attack you, they may be bigger than you, stronger than you, you may be injured, you may be old or there may be multiple people. So it only makes sense to try to level the playing field as quickly as possible. 3. Why do your students come to your class? They come to learn to defend themselves, learn about their culture and to be around a group of people and has like a family atmosphere. It is therapeutic to go to work out in a fun safe environment where people feel comfortable. 4. Tell us about a student that changed over time or how they benefited from your classes or workshops. We have had shy timid people on day one end up empowered and finding their voice. For both kids and adults that happens. Folks have come in with little to no self-esteem to end up with plenty of confidence. We also have folks come in with no knowledge of their own history, culture and heritage. In time they learn a lot about their Filipino roots. I personally was never proud to identify as Filipino. With FMA I am super proud of my roots and I seek to give the same for those interested in learning more about their Filipino roots. 5. Can you explain why learning self-defense is so important? Simply put your personal safety is your personal responsibility. Cops or loved ones can't always be able there to protect you. Bystanders for the most part are unwilling to step in and help should something happen to you. It is like insurance. Better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it. Attacks can happen anywhere at anytime. It is up to you how equipped you are to handle the situation. Get more information at Eskabo Daan. YFPA celebrates Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month! Our featured guest, Bay Area Chef Dominic Ainza cooked chicken adobo on May 20 on Zoom! Watch it here! Chef Dominic Ainza is well known in the Bay Area restaurant and the Asian American culinary scene, He has worked alongside award-winning executive chefs and developed kitchens in Michelin-recommended restaurants, such as Betelnut, Red Lantern and Attic.  1. What inspired you to become a chef?
I loved cooking. I would say I was inspired by a lot of what I was seeing on TV. But this was for me a second career. I never worked at a restaurant, and I didn’t want to start a second career earning minimum wage and working the night shift, the extra-long hours and standing all day, with minimal breaks. So, I enrolled into cooking school with the main objective of being a food tester, for like a magazine. I wanted to know how food worked. What was the difference between a good dish and a great dish, or why do you cook meat or vegetables a certain way and not all the same way? I wanted to cook a dish 30 times to know as much about the dish as possible and tell people, “this is the best version of the dish and why”. That was my plan all throughout my time in culinary school. Pretty much until my last few days of school, where I had to decide an internship. All the magazines I applied for were out of state, no pay, where I really didn’t know people. I had to decide that to stay local, I found the one restaurant that was going to pay me for my internship, or the 8 other places that were not. I ended up in a restaurant and fell in love with the whole vibe and rush and haven’t looked back since. 2. What is your favorite thing to make at home? It is not really one dish, because I can eat any version of fried rice every day. Rice and anything is pretty much comfort food. But to choose a favorite?? Cooking at times can be a little lucky, because I usually cook what I have and not so much following a recipe with the set ingredients. When something you feel that you pull out of nothing that tastes VERY good, then that becomes my favorite. It is not one dish that is my favorite, my favorite is the challenge of creating something with “nothing”. 3. Is there an item that is always in your kitchen? I will always have basic staples like onions, carrots, garlic and canned tomatoes of some type. Having these items is a good base to start with when trying to cook from nothing. Also, I have some type of frozen vegetables. I tend to think protein first when cooking a meal. So much so, then I tend to forget sides such as vegetables. Having some in the freezer is always a good got when you need last minute veg for myself and the kids. 4. What was the best cooking advice you received? The best advice that I found out myself as a failed restaurateur, is that “there is food that tastes good and there is food that sells” I tell this to all my cooks, it just goes to show sometimes you are only as good as your PR firm! More on Chef Dominic Ainza “I’m just a cook,” Chef Dominic Ainza humbly answers, but behind his humility is a focused creative passion for food and ambition to elevate cuisine that is closest to his heart. His path started in non-profit, working to help better the community as a youth counselor, developing youths to see life “a little outside the box". Chef Dominic decided to move on from non-profit and decided to go to culinary school at San Francisco's California Culinary Academy (CCA). He went to culinary school was because he "wanted to know how food works." He had never worked in a restaurant before going to culinary school, he just wanted to be a recipe tester, a great home cook and possibly go back to work with kids. Prior to opening his own and now closed restaurant, Mercury Lounge, Chef Dominic has been a force behind numerous award-winning kitchens. He worked as an intern in the kitchen of Betelnut, an award-winning Southeast Asian restaurant in the Marina in San Francisco. Working closely with Executive Chef Alex Ong and Sous Chef Daniel Sudar inspired Chef Ainza to seriously pursue his passion for the restaurant business, pan-Asian cuisine. After three years with Betelnut, Chef Ainza went on to become the opening sous chef for Poleng Lounge, a well-regarded contemporary Filipino Pan-Asian restaurant in San Francisco. Under Executive Chef Tim Lyum. Ainza also served as sous chef for Michelin Guide-recommended Red Lantern in Redwood City, CA, where he reunited with Daniel Sudar who became the executive chef responsible for this restaurant's highly acclaimed Pacific Rim cuisine. This eventually led him to return with Chef Lyum’s restaurant Attic in San Mateo. Chef Dominic’s cuisine doesn’t just represent the tradition. Just as his cultural background is a colorful quilt, his cuisine is intricately woven with the best of the Bay Area’s culinary cultures that should be enjoyed by people from all backgrounds. “Filipino food is my culture and what I love to cook. But for every dish I cook, I want to make sure I am representing history, culture, regions, integrity and families that cook the dishes. I know I did my job as a chef representing my culture.” Dominic is currently a Chef for a Bay Area tech company.  ___
Engage industry professionals. Build virtual relationships. Network with a purpose. Watch on YouTube! Virtual Presenters: Natalie Aliga Vice President Community Relations Consultant, Wells Fargo Jonathan Javier CEO and Founder, Wonsulting Charity Nicolas Principal EHS Consultant Professional networking can be challenging and working remotely may seem to make networking even more difficult. Whether working from home temporarily or permanently, you still have the ability to create meaningful relationships and build your network. All you need is a focused, achievable strategic plan. Join our virtual panel discussion and learn to become an expert networker! ___ This is a free event. If you would like to make a contribution, proceeds go to the 2021 YFPA Scholarship Program. Enter The New Networking 2021 Raffle Fundraiser! Enter today! Donations accepted for our online Raffle Fundraiser: https://bit.ly/3f8TmWh Raffle prizes: https://bit.ly/3sjdqJk ___ The New Networking 2021 Thursday, March 25 6:30 - 7:30 PM Zoom Session + Breakout Rooms YFPA Moderators: Regina Finuliar HR Business Partner, Agenus Allan Alday Deputy Director, Corporate Engagement, Year Up Bay Area  Building professional relationships can be vital to finding strong mentors, discussing industry trends with peer groups, sharing skills and expertise and moving up the career ladder.
In 2021, because of Covid-19, conferences and networking events are cancelled and in-person meetings over coffee will be limited. Luckily, networking and relationship building opportunities remain available. With a little creative proactivity, you can create relevant and valuable professional connections and expand your network remotely. 1. Leverage your existing connections. You are more connected than you think! Consider your current or past mentors, advisors, roommates, friends and family, connections you made at a pre-Covid event. Begin to reach out to the closest in your network, even inside your organization, let them know your situation and what you would like to do. Start with a casual introduction and discussion, the two-way conversation will lead to productive and informative dialogue. What are they doing, what do they hear within their networks? Ask them to introduce you to contacts in their network and offer to do the same. 2. Engage on social media. Engage and network on your digital platforms. Update your information on Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook, as these platforms are designed to network. Be proactive, share links to content on industry trends, data, news articles, online events and informative webinars. When you promote your brand, use relevant keywords, photos, videos, professional experiences, online publications to support your social media presence. Take advantage of the recommendation feature on Linkedin. Reach out to industry colleagues or customers for a brief recommendation to help promote your brand. Always offer to write one in return. 3. Prepare for the meeting. Take time to prepare in advance of any meeting, whether a phone conversation or video call. Research the company and person you are scheduled to meet, even if you are in the same organization or industry. Review the company website, business segments, news and social media pages, your goal is to maximize the time with them wisely, have questions prepared and listen to their feedback. You don’t want to waste time discussing topics you could have easily researched online or have them explain the company products and services to you. In addition, it is a good idea to prepare as if you were meeting face-to-face. Avoid the casual t-shirt call from your bed. Take the extra effort when you network remotely as you would in-person. 4. Make new connections. Feel comfortable to network with people outside your industry. Network diversity offers insight into the challenges and opportunities people face in other industries, how they work with cross-functional teams and the decisions they make. Conduct informative interviews, as these are a great way to network and get a foot in the door with an organization or a person you would like to know better. Now is the perfect time. Everyone is in a similar situation. The important take away, stay active and intentional. Take advantage of the wide range of tools available to help facilitate remote engagements. Set attainable goals, for example, in three weeks connect with 10 people over email, Zoom or phone. Enjoy the time while you expand your network, as it takes time and effort, but with an organized plan you will easily promote your brand strengths and value.  YFPA Scholarship Director, Regina Finuliar, will co-host the National Branding and Resume Workshop for Filipinx American College Students at the FASTER event, Sunday, September 27, 2020.
Resumes and profiles are snapshots of experience, background and education, what employers will see first. Regina will discuss how to make your existing experience standout and help showcase your technical skills and knowledge. Register TODAY! For upcoming YFPA events and workshops visit: yfpasf.com/events  Please join us Thursday, August 20, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM to congratulate the YFPA 2020 scholarship recipients Fausthina Dalit and Maria Paningbatan! Fausthina and Maria both plan to attend University of California at Berkeley in Fall 2020. Featured speakers Robert Uy, Attorney and past YFPA Board Member Jennifer Cabalquinto, Chief Financial Officer, Golden State Warriors Music performances by Tracy Cruz, Multi-Award Winning Music Artist and Kulintronica. YFPA 2020 Scholarship Awards Thursday, August 20, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM WATCH THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HERE. Online Raffle Participate for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors! Purchase your raflle tickets by Thursday, August 20, 6:45 PM. Get raffle tickets HERE. Email regina.finuliar.yfpa@gmail.com with questions or comments. We look forward to meeting you! Donate to the YFPA Scholarship Program!  The YFPA Scholarship Program was designed to serve Bay Area graduating high school students who are involved in the Filipino community and have been accepted into a 4 year college and university to pursue a Bachelor’s degree.
 Congratulations Fausthina and Maria!
Please join us Thursday, August 20, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM to congratulate the YFPA 2020 scholarship recipients! Zoom Event: REGISTER TODAY! We look forward to meeting you! San Francisco, CA – YFPA, Your Filipino Professionals Association, today announced recipients of its scholarship program. The YFPA Scholarship Program, established in 2014, to recognize outstanding college-bound, Bay Area graduating high school students involved in the Filipino community, demonstrated academic excellence and leadership and provide financial asssistance. The 2020 recipients are Fausthina Dalit, William C. Overfelt High School in San Jose, CA and Maria Paningbatan, Westmoor High School in Daly City, CA. Both will attend University of California at Berkeley this Fall. 2020. "We are incredibly proud of Fausthina and Maria for their academic excellence and committment to the Filipino community, as they represent tomorrow's leadership," said Regina Finuliar, YFPA Board Scholarship Program Director. “We are excited they will pursue their educational and career aspirations and have many opportunities to be involved in the Filipinx community at UC Berkeley.” The YFPA Scholarship Program is made possible through generous support of individual donors. Scholarships are awarded based on academic achievement, student essay, panel interview, financial need and demonstrated involvement in the Filipino community, Please join us Thursday, August 20, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM to congratulate the YFPA 2020 scholarship recipients! YFPA 2020 Scholarship Awards Thursday, August 20, 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM Zoom Event: REGISTER TODAY! Online Raffle Participate for a chance to win prizes from our sponsors! Purchase your raflle tickets by Thursday, August 20, 5:45 PM! Get raffle tickets HERE! Email regina.finuliar.yfpa@gmail.com with questions or comments. We look forward to meeting you! Donate to the YFPA Scholarship Program! For more information, please visit the YFPA Scholarship page or email Regina Finuliar, YFPA Board Scholarship Program Director, regina.finuliar.yfpa@gmail.com with questions or comments. Get Involved Have you been looking for a way to get more involved with YFPA this year beyond our events? We have plenty of opportunities to engage in a way that suits your calendar and schedule. E-mail getintouch@yfpasf.com to learn more.  Networking events provide great opportunities to meet interesting people, develop new connections, stay current on industry trends, share business experiences and build public speaking confidence.
If it's your first event or your weekly outing, here are 5 easy steps to help you have fun and maximize your efforts at the next networking event. 1. Pitch, Prepare, Set Goals Prepare to introduce yourself, have a personal pitch ready. A ten second elevator pitch will make a lasting impression. Prepare simple answers to possible questions and set a few goals for the event. Who are you? What is your industry or business? Why are you at the event? Consider how long you will stay, maybe introduce yourself to 3-5 new people. Are you interested in joining the organization or want to build your network in a specific industry? Draft questions for the featured speaker, in case there is only a small window of opportunity to chat. Do you want to work on your causal conversation skills or promote a new business venture? Plan ahead. 2. Ask Questions, Be Creative Try to avoid the most common icebreaker question at networking mixers: What do you do? Good questions will lead to good conversations. Let people know you are an excellent person to connect with. Mix it up. How did you get started in your industry? What do you find challenging about your position? What are you working on at the moment? Why did you get involved with this organization? Is this the only networking event you attend? Be creative with your questions and answers, have fun. Everyone has a good story. If you meet someone outside of your target network, they might be able to introduce you to someone that could help you. 3. Start Conversations Remember, you are there to be social. Once you have set down your coat, don't look for a place to dig in for the entire evening. Engage. Maybe start near the bar. If you are drinking or having soda, conversations often take place near the bar. Avoid hovering around the sign-in table, bathroom or food table; feel free to insert yourself into conversations. Always try to meet the organizers, board members and staff, they will know most attendees and will always make introductions. Avoid the "work the room" approach. Focus on quality conversations, instead of trying to meet everyone with only brief interaction and discussion. 4. Be Professional, Stay Professional Professional or business causal, dress for comfort and interaction. Sure, wear the suit, being overdressed will only work to your advantage! You certainly deserve a drink at the end of a long day, just set a limit. Be professional, you can always meet friends after the mixer for more drinks. In summary, just be yourself, have fun and remember to engage! If you have questions or comments, we would love to hear from you! Please let us know if this post was helpful. Your feedback is always welcome! Join our mailing list and sign up for the next YFPA event!  Have you ever wondered why your favorite specialty retail shop coffee always tastes better than ? YFPA offers quick tips for brewing retail coffee flavor at home! 1. Coffee Quality and Freshness Start with good coffee. No judgment here, you like what you like. However, brewing Folgers hoping it will taste like Blue Bottle, Verve or Weaver's retail coffee is a waste of time. Specialty coffee roasters source high quality Arabica beans, roast in small batches and serve fresh coffee daily. Coffee sealed in packages or cans is not considered fresh and typically a blend of low quality Robusta beans. Not fresh means the coffee could have been sealed and stored in a warehouse for a few years. Fresh roasted coffee slowly releases gas trapped inside from the roasting process. A good way to tell if your coffee is fresh, does it have a rich brown crema when you pour hot water over the grounds? Fresh degassing or blooming coffee smells fresh and has rich brown color. Coffee that is not fresh smells stale and looks more pale brown when blooming. Coffee packages that have a valve to allow the beans or grounds inside to slowly release gas, are most likely to contain fresh coffee. Packaged and can coffee without valves, is not degassing and therefore not fresh. 2. Correct Water Temperature The correct water temperature is essential to extract the true flavor from coffee grounds. For brewing coffee, 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit or 93-96 degrees Celsius is the ideal range. Boiling water, 212 degrees Fahrenheit or 100 degrees Celsius is too hot and scalds the coffee grounds, giving the coffee a burnt flavor. To get water to 200 F or 93 C, without a thermometer, just remove the water kettle from the heat and let sit about 30 seconds after the boil. 3. Auto Drip Brewer vs. Pour Over Common in many homes is the auto drip brewer. With only 120 volts, the auto drip brewer does not have enough power to heat water to the correct brewing temperature of 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit or 93-96 degrees Celsius. Usually an auto drip's maximum temperature is around 180 F or 82 C. Brewing at lower temperatures will not bring out the true coffee flavor. Think of trying to make Earl Grey tea with just warm water. If you want to recreate the in-store coffee flavor with an auto drip brewer, it will be difficult. Though not as flashy, try an inexpensive, simple one-cup cone with paper filter, also known as a pour-over. You can adjust the amount of grounds with a pour-over and use correct water temperature to get the desired flavor profile. The one-cup pour-over might be the best option to reproduce the retail coffee flavor profile at home. 4. Pre-Heat Mugs and Containers Don’t forget to pre-heat coffee mugs or thermal containers! Pouring or brewing hot coffee into a cold mug or thermal container will immediately cool your coffee. The drop in temperature changes the flavor and results in warm coffee. Use hot water from the stove kettle or even hot water from the faucet to pre-heat coffee cups. Pre-heating only takes 5-10 seconds to ensure your coffee will taste better and is hot. Happy home brewing! If you have questions, we would love to hear from you! Please let us know if this post was helpful. Your feedback is always welcome! Join our mailing list and attend the next YFPA event! |
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