National Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the contributions, diverse cultures and the extensive histories of the Asian and Pacific Islander communities. At the Y, we believe our communities are stronger when everyone feels welcome and we work together for the common good. This month, we're celebrating our staff and the impact they have made on our community.
Wing Ly
Data and Application Specialist at YMCA Childcare Resources Services Research and Evaluation Department
Describe what you do at the Y: I support various YMCA divisions and departments with data management and project management support.
How long have you been at YMCA? 1 year and 4 months!
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? Asian Pacific American Heritage Month to me means honoring and celebrating the various AAPI cultures – their history, their present, their similarities, and their distinct differences. It is important, especially during a time where our pain seems invisible, for the AAPI community to be acknowledged and to feel seen. We are a community that is as diverse as we are resilient.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? Asian Pacific American Heritage Month the time to focus on the AAPI influences in your life. It’s amazing how ingrained various cultures are within our surroundings without us noticing. AAPI music, food, art, books, history – it’s all around us! This month is the only the beginning of showcasing and highlighting AAPI contributions to the community.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? Being Chinese American, I am always in awe of how preserving yet giving my culture is. Regardless of how hard the road might be, or how many barriers might be set up against you, my culture has always taught me to be resilient and giving.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My parents and my sister are the role models that guide me in my life. I’ve learned, through them, how to be genuine through my actions as well as my words. They push me to be a better person and a better version of myself every day.
Sydney Lara
Child and Youth Development Director at Ryan Family YMCA
Describe what you do at the Y: I have the incredible opportunity to support our Child and Youth Development Programs (Camp, Character Builders, and Enrichment)
How long have you been at YMCA? Since 2015- Almost 6 years!
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is an opportunity to celebrate the beauty and importance of AAPI cultures. It is a time to acknowledge and highlight the stories, experiences, contributions, and traditions of Asian and Pacific Islander cultures.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? This month provides the opportunity to do some research and to learn more about a country or culture that you may not know much about.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I am proud of the respect and warmth shown in Filipino culture. In my family, everyone is “ate” or “kuya”. You don’t even need to have met the person but you address them with respect and treat them as family.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? I am inspired by my grandparents who came to America as immigrants. They learned English and created a better life for their family with hard work and resilience.
Paula Yuponco Ford
Development Department Head at Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA
Describe what you do at the Y: I support the North-East-South area branches with all of their fundraising efforts, including Annual Campaign, event fundraisers, grants, donor development and donor stewardship.
How long have you been at YMCA? I was hired in September 2009 in the Member Services Department and moved to Development in September 2015.
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? It is important to recognize the cultural diversity within our communities (and nation!) and honor the work of ALL minorities but, in today’s climate of hate crimes, we need to remember and celebrate the significant roles so many Asian Pacific Islanders have played in shaping modern history.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? Do something to personally celebrate the event – read up on the history of Chinese and their impact on farmers’ rights or civil rights, go to an Asian Film Festival, eat sushi!
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? Filipinos in the United States live different lifestyles than those in the Philippines. When I went to the Philippines in 2008, it made me proud to be reintroduced to family customs, cook the local cuisine and appreciate the easy-going, but very hard-working, nature of the people.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My 88-year-old Dad has always inspired me with his genuine personality, big heart and amazing work ethic.
Pana Hap
Child and Youth Development Program Director at Mission Family YMCA
Describe what you do at the Y: I’m an operator at the Y- providing leadership and support of Child & Youth Development programs in central San Diego.
How long have you been at YMCA? Since May 2013.
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? It means validating our lived experiences. I believe it is important to have an awareness month for the Asian Pacific Islander community so that we can learn from other’s experiences- a key part to thriving and rising, together.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? I hope that it helps people learn more about the different make-up of the Asian Pacific Islander community, its rich diversity and the uniqueness of each cultural identity.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I am of mixed heritage and I am proud of all the cultural identities that make up who I am. I am most proud of our (sometimes intertwined) histories and our ability to adapt in our new and ever-changing world.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? It is the refugee and immigrant communities that inspire me most. Being a product of City Heights (San Diego) myself, I saw first-hand their resiliency and determination to do better for themselves and their families despite the many barriers and challenges.
TK Nguyen
Department Head at Copley-Price Family YMCA
Describe what you do at the Y: I oversee membership, preschool, camps, sports, enrichment, gymnastics, ChildWatch and teen programs.
How long have you been at YMCA? 2 years.
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? Asian American Heritage Month is meaningful to me because it allows the nation to celebrate with the APIA community for our contribution, accomplishments, histories, and highlight our multidimensional communities. It is an important to have heritage months, not just for APIA, but for all cultures, because the more we know, the more we don’t render any communities invisible and vulnerable. Learning and understanding different cultures, and celebrating them, are ways we acknowledge and support our communities.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month?That it isn’t just about the food, our music, movies. It is about learning our histories, because it’s American History.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? I am of mix heritages, and identify as Vietnamese American.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? Thich Nhat Hanh, Viet Thanh Nguyen, and Yuri Kochiyama
Kim Cabais
Quality Programs Trainer - Expanded Learning Programs
Describe what you do at the Y: I create professional development content and help train ELP staff.
How long have you been at YMCA? I've been working for the Y for 11 years.
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? This month is important because it's a time to celebrate and honor the AAPI community, their achievements, and culture and it reminds me to be proud of who I am.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? This month is important because it's a time to celebrate and honor the AAPI community, their achievements, and culture and it reminds me to be proud of who I am.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? The Filipino community will always make sure you are fed. You'll always be greeted with a "Did you eat yet?"
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? I'm inspired by Asian women that are loud, speak out, and break the model minority myth. And also, The Squad (Rep. AOC, Rep. Omar, Rep. Pressley, Rep. Tlaib).
Joangrace G. Espiritu
Area Marketing Director for YMCA Community Support Services
Describe what you do at the Y: I support the marketing activities of YMCA Childcare Resource Service, YMCA Expanded Learning Programs, and YMCA Youth & Family Services with raising awareness, building engagement of partners and participants, and demonstrating our impact in San Diego.
How long have you been at YMCA? 16 years, (My Y career can get a driver's license!)
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? Representation. I want my children to see themselves and their culture being recognized. I want them to feel proud of who they are and I want them to celebrate each other.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? Celebrating AAPI influence is critical, especially in San Diego and especially right now. We are part of the fabric that makes up America's Finest City and during this month we can begin to shine a light on contributions and our role in history. This is the beginning of the conversation and it's up to us to continue it.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? Family plays a HUGE role in the Filipino community. Growing up, our neighbors held the honorary title of aunts and uncles, our friends became cousins, and older people in your life became your Lolo or Lola (grandparent).
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My parents' generation left the familiarity of their homeland to carve a better future for their children. I am humbled by their sacrifice and grateful for their fortitude.
Jonathan Labrador
Quality Program Coordinator at YMCA Expanded Learning Programs
Describe what you do at the Y: I ensure consistent, high quality expanded learning programs at multiple school site locations. I provide on-site staff development and coaching, collaboration with school personnel, strengthen families, and serve the Chula Vista community.
How long have you been at YMCA? 10 years
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? Asian Pacific American Heritage month gives me a chance to reflect on all the hard work my family has gone through to give people like me opportunities to thrive. It's also a chance for me to take a step back, appreciate and discover other Asian Pacific Americans as well for their accomplishments and important roles of Asians in the larger narrative of the US.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? I feel like it's the time to appreciate and respect the hard work of immigrant families to better the living situation for future generations of Asian Pacific Americans.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? My parents are the hardest working people I know. My parents inspire me to pave the way for the younger/new Asian Pacific American generation to continue to teach our tradition and culture.
Alex Laurio
Youth Care Supervisor, Support Specialist, Overnight Residential Supervisor
Describe what you do at the Y: I am working in many different job positions with the Y. To summarize my positions; I work with transitional youth who are at-risk of being homeless as well as youth who are pursuing job stability. I also have started a new position where I am working with youth who have experienced immigration struggles.
How long have you been at YMCA? I have been working at YMCA for over 2 years.
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is so important to me because the API community should be represented and appreciated for the accomplishment they have done.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? I think the community should know is that it's important to appreciate Asian Pacific Heritage Month just like any other culture. I am just happy that the API community can be represented and appreciated by others.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? As a Filipino American, I'm proud that my culture stresses the importance of family and hard work. As an Asian American, I am so proud that although there is so man cultures and ethnicities within the API but we can come together as if we were one.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? A leader, mentor, and friend that inspires my life are Jason Vicente, Nicholas Devico, and Arthur Samot. They have been a mentor figure in my life for over the last 4 years and the amount of experience and knowledge I have gained wouldn't be the same without their help.
Laura Madamba
Gymnastics Program Director II
Describe what you do at the Y: Run the Ecke gymnastics center and programming.
How long have you been at YMCA? 20.5 years
What does Asian Pacific American Heritage Month mean to you and why is it important to have this type of month? It is great that Asian and Pacific Islanders are receiving recognition and attention. But all I really hope for is all people to be thought of as equal regardless of color.
What would you like the community to know about Asian Pacific American Heritage Month? There is not anything specific I can think of but general awareness of the month, what it stands for and major notable historical moments.
What is something you are proud of about your heritage and background? There is SO MUCH I love about being both Asian and Pacific Islander. One of my favorite things about both the Japanese and Filipino cultures is the food.
Which leaders, artists, friends, or family members inspire and guide you in your life? Both of my parents and their families are HUGE INSPIRATIONS TO ME. Both sides of my family were involved in notable historical struggles within each of their individual cultures and learning about those struggles as I grew up gives me incredible pride and strength.