AFIRE Chicago

UPDATE: Position has been filled! Thank you to everyone who showed interest! If you are interested in the class, there are only a few spots left. Friendly reminder that the class prioritizes Filipino-Americans and folks with Philippine ancestry.

MORE INFO ABOUT THE TAGALOG 101 FALL 2024 VIRTUAL REVIEW SPACE 💻👾

Swipe for more details ▶▶▶

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Image descriptions: all graphics are set against a background pattern featuring a glowing moon in shades of sky blue overlaid on an enlarged snakeskin-like pattern of midnight blue.
Slide 1: Title slide for the Tagalog 101 Fall 2024 Virtual Review Space.
Slide 2: About the Space.
Slide 3: Registration Required.
Slide 4: Virtual Review Space Schedule.
Alt text is provided.

FINAL REMINDER to register for tomorrow's Seeding AFIRE event! Added third slide for Accessibility.

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is returning to Chicago this August - what does that mean for our communities?

This year's DNC in Chicago is expected to be quite contentious. We believe it's important for our communities to understand why and how we can make our voices heard.

Join AFIRE at our next Seeding AFIRE for an earnest discussion on the upcoming DNC and why this matters for our communities. This Seeding AFIRE event will be co-hosted by the HANA Center and feature a guest presentation by folks from the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN). Please RSVP at tinyurl.com/seeding-AFIRE. See you tomorrow!



Image description: two slides with white graphics containing text and small images of flowers, seedlings, and a caricature of a seed. AFIRE, HANA Center, and USPCN logos included.

Reminder to register for our next Seeding AFIRE event if you haven't already!

The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is returning to Chicago this August - what does that mean for our communities?

This year's DNC in Chicago is expected to be quite contentious. We believe it's important for our communities to understand why and how we can make our voices heard.

Join AFIRE at our next Seeding AFIRE for an earnest discussion on the upcoming DNC and why this matters for our communities. This Seeding AFIRE event will be co-hosted by the HANA Center and feature a guest presentation by folks from the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN). Please RSVP at tinyurl.com/seeding-AFIRE. See you Saturday!



Image description: two slides with white graphics containing text and small images of flowers, seedlings, and a caricature of a seed. AFIRE, HANA Center, and USPCN logos included.

Registration for Fall sessions of Tagalog 101 is now OPEN! Registration link in our bio. 🌕🐍

AFIRE Chicago's Tagalog 101 offers the space to learn foundational aspects of conversational Tagalog.

The class invites students into AFIRE's Commitment to Liberation, collectively creating the conditions to learn, grow, build, and move towards a shared vision of liberation for oppressed peoples everywhere.

Scan the QR code, check out the linktree, or visit tinyurl.com/AFIRE-Chicago-GM to RSVP for AFIRE's next General Members Meeting & summer Piyesta!

When: Saturday, August 24, 12:00 PM - 3:00 PM (doors open at 11:30 AM)

Where: HANA Center, 4300 N California Ave, Chicago, IL 60618 (first floor auditorium)

What: We will introduce our new GM structure, visit recent highlights, and discuss the year ahead, followed by our annual summer social, Piyesta!

::: ACCESSIBILITY :::

Parking: There is free street parking on California Ave, Cullom Ave, and the Horner Park parking lot.

CTA: #78 Bus (Montrose & California) or #80 Bus (Irving Park & California).

Restrooms: Gendered restrooms on the first floor, all gender-neutral restrooms on the second floor (via staircase).

Visual aids: Printed handouts and slideshow.

Nourishment: Food and drinks provided; non-vegetarian and vegetarian options available

COVID-19: Masks are required. If you are not feeling well, please stay home to minimize risk.

Last day to RSVP is Thursday, August 22!



Image: orange graphic with citrus wedges and text in white lettering running down the center; a QR code is at the bottom center

📆 SAVE THE DATE 📆

Image description: Blue post-it note against a cork background, red tape in upper left corner, the lower right corner of the post-it is upturned revealing yellow. AFIRE logo across bottom. Text on post-it reads: "SAVE THE DATE! AFIRE's next General Members Meeting & Piyesta will be on Saturday, August 24, 2024!"

What time is it?! 🎶 Summertime! 🎶 It's our vacation! 🎶

The AFIRE team is going on break! Our offices will be closed from Friday, 7/12/24 to Sunday, 7/21/24. We hope everyone stays safe, nourished, and hydrated. Ingat 🌻

Image description: A light blue post-it note laid on top of a frond of a palm tree, all against a cork board background with a blue wave and white flowers framing the upper left corner. Text reads: "AFIRE will be closed for Summer Break! 7/12/24 - 7/21/24. Stay cool and hydrated!" with the AFIRE logo on the bottom edge of the post-it.

The Great Baklaan is here!! Can’t wait to see you!

Missed the ticket sales online? They’re available at the door for sliding scale starting at $20.

Image: Light green graphic with text and illustrated characters.

We are only a couple more days from The Great Baklaan, are you ready? Our Resource Fair partners are! KANWIN, Life is Work, Invisible 2 Invincible, and AFIRE Chicago will be joining participants on Saturday to provide resources and information on programming and services available in the community.

If you haven't gotten your ticket yet, come join us!: Scan the QR code above or visit https://tinyurl.com/thegreatbaklaan

Saturday, June 8, 2024
9:30a doors open
10a - 7:30p
18th Street Casa de Cultura
2057 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Activities include panel discussions on the history of LGBTQ+ organizing in Chicago and LGBTQ+ family experiences, a resource fair, and a timeline gallery and artmaking. Lunch and ample break times are included. The day will close with some poetry, music, performance, and drag by local Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+!

See you soon!

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Slide 1: Orange graphic with event details and a QR code
Slides 2 - 7: Orange graphics with text including name of organization, mission statement, organizational logo

What's in a name? Everything! The post about performers for The Great Baklaan this weekend included a typo for one of our performers . This was a mistake on our part and while we are not perfect (hello, boring!), we know very well how important it is to recognize and uplift the many ways our community identifies, including the names we have and the names we choose to go by. We reached out to Markiki once we realized the mistake, and with their permission, we are resharing their post with the correct spelling of their name.

We are looking forward to Markiki's performance at The Great Baklaan this weekend!

Image:
Pink graphic with text including the name and bio of the performer, their headshot, and the name and date of the event

Here's the team behind The Great Baklaan, Part 2! There's quite a few of us so this post is shared in two parts.

One of the many things that make this event so unique and special is the collaboration between several q***r and trans individuals and group partners. The Great Baklaan would not be possible without all of us. The planning group began convening in January, usually in the evenings after long and busy days. We discussed, delegated, divvied up the labor. We met as working groups outside of our big group monthly sessions. We read and responded to numerous emails from our Project Coordinator and one another. We pushed through and now it's finally here!!! We can't wait to see you!

If you haven't gotten tickets yet, make sure to scan the QR code above or visit https://tinyurl.com/thegreatbaklaan

Saturday, June 8, 2024
9:30a doors open
10a - 7:30p
18th Street Casa de Cultura
2057 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Activities include panel discussions on the history of LGBTQ+ organizing in Chicago and LGBTQ+ family experiences, a resource fair, and a timeline gallery and artmaking. Lunch and ample break times are included. The day will close with some poetry, music, performance, and drag by local Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+!

Happy Pride, everyone - we are looking forward to grounding in the rich Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+ history and learning more about the experiences of our LGBTQ+ families. See you on June 8!



Images:
Slide 1: Blue graphic with text including event details
Slides 2 - 7: Blue graphics of text including the name and bio of each planning committee member and their headshot

Here's the team behind The Great Baklaan, Part 1! There's quite a few of us so this post is shared in two parts.

One of the many things that make this event so unique and special is the collaboration between several q***r and trans individuals and group partners. The Great Baklaan would not be possible without all of us. The planning group began convening in January, usually in the evenings after long and busy days. We discussed, delegated, divvied up the labor. We met as working groups outside of our big group monthly sessions. We read and responded to numerous emails from our Project Coordinator and one another. We pushed through and now it's finally here!!! We can't wait to see you!

If you haven't gotten tickets yet, make sure to scan the QR code above or visit https://tinyurl.com/thegreatbaklaan

Saturday, June 8, 2024
9:30a doors open
10a - 7:30p
18th Street Casa de Cultura
2057 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608

Activities include panel discussions on the history of LGBTQ+ organizing in Chicago and LGBTQ+ family experiences, a resource fair, and a timeline gallery and artmaking. Lunch and ample break times are included. The day will close with some poetry, music, performance, and drag by local Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+!

Happy Pride, everyone - we are looking forward to grounding in the rich Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+ history and learning more about the experiences of our LGBTQ+ families. See you on June 8!



Images:
Slide 1: Blue graphic with text including event details
Slides 2 - 7: Blue graphics of text including the name and bio of each planning committee member and their headshot

Happy Pride Month, everyone! It's time to meet the performers for The Great Baklaan - thank you to these creatives and artists for sharing your work and energies with us!

Have you registered for The Great Baklaan yet?? AFIRE is cohosting the event alongside Luya Poetry, Blasian March, i2i, and local LGBTQ+ organizers. This event is a first of its kind for the Filipinx/a/o community and we are excited to be in this moment with you!

Saturday, June 8, 2024
9:30a doors open
10a - 7:30p
18th Street Casa de Cultura
2057 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Register at: Scan the QR code or visit https://tinyurl.com/thegreatbaklaan

Activities include panel discussions on the history of LGBTQ+ organizing in Chicago and LGBTQ+ family experiences, a resource fair, and a timeline gallery and artmaking. Lunch and ample break times are included. The day will close with the energy and poetry, music, performance, and drag of local Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+!

This event is a reminder to the Filipinx/a/o community that Pride Month is very much a part of our history and present. Pride Month uplifts and celebrates the Stonewall Uprising, which protested the decades-long targeting and oppression of the gay community and catalyzed the gay rights movement in the 1960s. Pride Month started as a riot for change led by q***r and trans people of color who risked their lives for a future they knew they might not survive to see and we won't soon forget it! As organizers today, we understand the teachings of their efforts: our liberation is bound to one another and no one is free until we are all free. Join us on June 8, let's get free together!



Images:
Slide 1: Pink graphic with text including event details and a QR code
Slides 2 - 10: Pink graphics of text including the name and bio of each performer and a headshot

Join us at The Great Baklaan for a panel discussion on the experience of q***r Filipinx/a/o families in Chicago. Scroll to the right to scan and register thru the QR code! Or visit our linktree (link in bio).

See you soon!

Panelists: Iana Amiscaray, E Armea, and Chip Payos.

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Graphics against green background - each slide contains text running down on the left side, and a picture on the right. Last slide includes QR code.

Did you get your tickets for June 8??? Scroll to the right to scan the QR code and register!

Join us at The Great Baklaan to hear about the history of q***r and Filipinx/a/o organizing history in Chicago. This panel discussion poses questions to three panelists: What are the issues? What are the opportunities?

Panelists: Master Leather Redux, Ro Truong, and Lani Montreal.

Images:
Graphics against green background - each slide contains text running down on the left side, and a picture on the right. Last slide includes QR code.

Hello!

We are seeking paid crew for the upcoming Filipinx/a/o June Pride event, The Great Baklaan! More detailed information is available in the sign-up form below. Thanks for considering it!

WHO: Those interested in assisting with a Filipinx/a/o-centered June Pride event. You do not have to be FIlipinx/a/o or LGBTQIA+ to be crew!
WHEN: Saturday, June 8, 2024
WHERE: 18th Street Casa de Cultura, 2057 W 18th St, Chicago, IL
TIMES: We are seeking folks to work either of these two shifts
6:30am - 2:30pm (Crew A)
2:00pm - 10:00pm (Crew B)
COMPENSATION: $100/shift. Food will be provided!

HOW TO SIGN-UP: Apply at this Google Form: https://tinyurl.com/greatbaklaancrew
or visit the linktree in our bio!

NEXT STEPS: Fill out the form and an AFIRE Chicago staff member will contact you the week of 5/20 to set up a phone call to brief you on the event, answer questions, and confirm your shift.



Images:
Two graphics, yellow background with small, digital fruit characters with faces, arms, and legs. Text includes information about the event.

We are one month out from The Great Baklaan! Are you ready???

Saturday, June 8, 2024
10a - 8p
18th Street Casa de Cultura
2057 W 18th St, Chicago, IL 60608
Register at: https://tinyurl.com/thegreatbaklaan

What IS The Great Baklaan?
The Great Baklaan is first and foremost a Filipinx/a/o LGBTQ+ event and we cannot wait to connect with you there!

It is also a collaboration between AFIRE and our friends at , , , and LGBTQ+ organizers from all over Chicago. The Great Baklaan reimagines community partnerships and collaborations to elevate the LGBTQ+ issues facing our community and showcase the talents and resources of our diverse community members.

It's going to be a full day with panel discussions, networking, and performance, so make sure you REGISTER for your ticket! Scan the QR code, visit the link above, or check the Linktree in our bio!

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🌱CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS! Swipe for additional info. We are calling out for volunteers for our next Citizenship Workshop on Saturday, May 18, 2024!

For additional questions and concerns, contact our Citizenship Program Manager, Noel, at [email protected]




Images: Series of 7 slides against a white background with multi-colored and soft-edged shapes in different orientations.
1. Graphic with a picture of a group of people standing or kneeling in the upper right, text that says CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS, and logos for multiple organizations across top and bottom.
2. When Saturday May 18th, 2024 8a-2p
3. Where HANA Center 4300 N California Ave Chicago, IL 60618. Free Parking on California Ave and Horner Park
4. About the Workshop In partnership with Erie House and Palenque LSNA, the Citizenship Workshop is intended to assist eligible Green Card holders apply for American citizenship. Applicant registration will begin around 8:30a/9a, and the entire process for applicants can take around 4 hours.
5. Volunteer Training First-time volunteers and N400 Application screeners will be required to go through a virtual training session prior to the workshop.
6. If you are interested in volunteering, or have any questions and concerns, please contact our Citizenship Program Manager, Noel, at [email protected] for more information.
7. Same picture from slide 1 of group of people standing or kneeling, text below pic reads: Group selfie with volunteers and partner orgs from our March 2024 workshop!

Citizenship Workshop is on May 18! See slides for more detailed info and call (773) 580-1025 to make an appointment if you are seeking naturalization. If you would like to volunteer, email [email protected].

*Para sa Tagalog, mag-swipe sa slides 3, 4, at 5.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: graphic with multi-colored tri-flags running across the top and numerous organizations’ logos in the middle. Text reads: Citizenship Workshop With fee scholarship assistance Are you a green card holder for 5 years or more? Are you interested in applying for U.S. citizenship? You may qualify to file an N-400 Application for Naturalization at a Citizenship Workshop. The next workshop is on Saturday, May at 4300 N California Ave. If you are interested in filing an N-400 application, please contact us at (773) 580-1025 or email our Citizenship Program Manager, Noel, at [email protected]. You will be invited to attend a Citizenship Application Preparation (CAP) Session at the AFIRE office to screen for eligibility for naturalization. If you are confirmed to be eligible for naturalization at a CAP Session, AFIRE staff will register you for the next Citizenship Workshop. See next slide for CAP Session details.

Our next Citizenship Workshop is on Saturday, May 18! Location TBA. If you are seeking naturalization, call us at (773) 580-1025 for more information. If you would like to volunteer, email [email protected]. *Para sa Tagalog, mag-swipe sa slides 3, 4, at 5.

IMAGE DESCRIPTION:
graphic with multi-colored tri-flags running across the top and numerous organizations’ logos in the middle. Text reads:

Citizenship Workshop
With fee scholarship assistance
Are you a green card holder for 5 years or more?
Are you interested in applying for U.S. citizenship?
You may qualify to file an N-400 Application for Naturalization at a Citizenship Workshop. The next workshop is on Saturday, March 9, 2024. Location TBA.

If you are interested in filing an N-400 application, please contact us at (773) 580-1025 or email our Citizenship Program Manager, Noel, at [email protected]. You will be invited to attend a Citizenship Application Preparation (CAP) Session at the AFIRE office to screen for eligibility for naturalization.

If you are confirmed to be eligible for naturalization at a CAP Session, AFIRE staff will register you for the next Citizenship Workshop. See next slide for CAP Session details.

The Work Without Fear Act, a vital piece of legislation designed to protect workers from immigration-based retaliation, is about to be voted on in committee.

Join AFIRE in demanding legislators vote YES to the Work Without Fear Act!

Raise the Floor Alliance

North Collab Citizenship Workshop at NEIU El Centro this morning! Shout-out to all our volunteers taking time on their Saturday to assist community members move forward with citizenship. We appreciate you all !!!!

2024 Asian American Action Day is right around the corner! Every year, AFIRE & its members head to Springfield during the legislative session to advocate with our coalition partners on issues that impact our community. Every year we wear matching t.shirts to showcase our group. What t.shirt, you ask? The one designed by the lucky winner of our t.shirt design contest!

The contest is open to Filipinx/a/o, Black, Indigenous, & People of Color from today, March 7, until Sunday, March 17! All designs will be shared to our social media from March 18 to March 25. We will ask folks to vote for their favorite design & the one with the most votes will be the design for our t.shirt. The winning design will be announced on March 26!

Artists can use any style they want to create a design using black and / or white colors (up to 2 colors total). They must integrate the slogan “Kapangyarihan, Nasa Ating Dugo!” into their design. This translates to “Power, It’s In Our Blood!” We want our legislators to know we are out here building our power! The final t.shirt will be red (check out the red in our post & our logo!). The winner of the contest will receive a $100 food gift card to Boonie’s (a Filipino restaurant located on the north side of Chicago), a free t.shirt of their own design, & a spotlight on our social media & listserv.

All designs should be submitted by March 17 by midnight to [email protected].



Image Description: all images are graphics against blue background with light blue geometric concentric shapes in wavy orientation. White t.shirt in upper left corner & in lower right corner. Text in white or yellow against red concentric shapes.
1. Text reads: 2024 Asian American Action Day T-Shirt Design Contest. AFIRE logo across bottom.
2. Text reads: Last Day for Design Submissions March 17, 2024
Winning Design to be Announced March 26, 2024
Asian American Action Day May 1, 2024
3. Text reads: Base Shirt Color Red
Any Style
Must integrate the following slogan: Kapangyarihan, Nasa Ating Dugo! Translation: Power, It's In Our Blood! Submit designs to krial@afire by March 17, 2024.

* Para sa Tagalog, mag-swipe sa slides 3, 4, at 5*

We still have appointments available for this Saturday's Citizenship Workshop!

If you or anyone you know is seeking assistance with their Application for Naturalization, please contact our Citizenship Program Manager, Noel, at [email protected] or call our office at (773) 580-1025