Our Mission
SIPA enriches and empowers generations of Pilipino Americans and others by providing health and human services, community economic development, arts and culture, and a place where people of all backgrounds come together to strengthen the community.
Our Indigenous Values
Artwork by Kristian Kabuay
KAWANGGAWA
From awa (compassion) and gawa (action), refers to charity, “a kind act” or “deed of mercy.” Based on notion of pakikipagkapwa, or shared humanity.
PAGTUTULONGAN
From tulong (help), refers to peer to peer assistance and in an egalitarian spirit of mutual self-help.
DAMAYAN
From damay (to involve, implicate, draw in), refers to the involvement / engagement aspect of service and community development.
Equity Statement
As part of our Equity Strategy, SIPA will adopt a lens that holds a keen analysis of power and privilege, including an understanding of the history and sociopolitical factors that have impacted Filipinos* in US and globally. This includes understanding our history of colonization, imperialism and systemic racism, and will continuously examine the role of Filipino Americans within the larger movement for racial justice. We recognized the diversity of our own community and strive to actively work in solidarity with groups to guide our work. This refers in particular to youth, immigrant, undocumented, Black, Latinx, Indigenous, AAPI, LGBTQIA+, those living in poverty, unhoused communities, people of all faiths, genders, ability, non-English and non-Tagalog speaking people.
Land acknowledgment
SIPA, as an operator of affordable housing and Equal Opportunity Employer, is obligated to adhere to accessibility guidelines set by local, state, county and federal laws. SIPA is committed to meeting those requirements and going above and beyond to establish policies and practices that reflect the level of equity we aim to achieve.
*Filipino is used throughout our work to refer to Pilipino, Filipinx, Filipina, Pinxy, Pinay, Pinoy, Filipinx/a/o American and descendants of the Philippines and people of the Filipino diaspora in the United States. It is meant to be inclusive of all genders, migration and immigrant experiences, languages, generations and multi-ethnic/racial identities.
SIPA acknowledges that we are on occupied and unceded Tongva and Chumash land.
We honor the Tongva, Chumash and First Nations people here and indigenous people throughout the world and their continued fight for sovereignty and the return of land, including the indigenous people of the archipelago known as the Philippines.
We honor our own ancestors and elders whose roots on this land now named Los Angeles brought us here today.
We recognize that this land acknowledgment is done with radical love for community and is insufficient. We commit to work in solidarity with indigenous people toward our collective liberation.