A New Wave: Filipino American Youth Shaping Southern Nevada’s Political Landscape

Written by Leizel Trinidad-Jacobsen

A Rising Tide of Activism

Young Filipino Americans are increasingly active in various political spheres. From grassroots organizing to running for office, they are demonstrating a strong commitment to civic engagement. Digital tools such as social media have become a powerful tool for these young activists. They utilize platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter to share their views, mobilize supporters, and raise awareness about important issues. By creating engaging content and building online communities, they are able to reach a wider audience and inspire others to get involved.

Organizations below are providing platforms for young people to connect, learn, and take action.

 

1. Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO). – Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) is a network of high-performing, next-generation leaders who advance the Philippines and the Filipino people through their advocacy and expertise in various industries. www.fylpro.org

1. Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) – The Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) is a nonprofit organization officially chartered in 2015 dedicated to building, connecting, and educating the Asian and Pacific Islander American community in Nevada. www.acdcnv.org

1. One APIA Nevada. – Founded in June 2018, One APIA Nevada is a grassroots nonprofit advocating for policies empowering everyday Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Nevadans. www.oneapianevada.org

1. Asian American Pacific Islanders(AAPI) Chamber. – The Asian American Pacific Islanders(AAPI) Chamber is a 501(c)6 nonprofit organization dedicated to strengthen confidence in Southern Nevada as a great place to do business; grow innovative sectors, with a focus on equity; build neighborhoods as places to work, live, and play; and deliver sustainable infrastructure for communities and the region’s future economy. www.aapichamber.com

1. Asian Pacific American Leadership Foundation. – APALF was founded with the mission of engaging the AAPI community in active civic participation by creating, supporting, building and strengthening the local community infrastructure to help prepare and train qualified AAPI leaders for public service. www.apalf.org

 

6. Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote). – Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote) is the nation’s leading nonpartisan nonprofit dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to strengthen and sustain a culture of civic engagement. www.APIAVote.org

 

7. The Alliance for Youth Action. – The Alliance for Youth Action unites America’s unstoppable young people. We are a national network of local organizations building a progressive youth power to strengthen our democracy, fix our economy, and correct injustices through on the ground organizing. Of Young People. By Young People. For All People. www.allianceforyouthaction.org

Cultural Identity and Political Views

Many young Filipino Americans draw inspiration from their cultural heritage, which often emphasizes family, community, and social justice. This cultural lens shapes their political views and motivates them to fight for equity and equality. They are passionate about issues such as immigration reform, healthcare access, and environmental protection, which directly impact their communities.

Current Filipino American political candidates running for office:

 

 

1. Karl Catarata, A native Gen Z Nevadan, son to an esteemed special education teacher in the Clark County School District is running for Clark County School District Board of Trustees, District A. Karl serves as a Board Member for the DISCOVERY Children’s Museum in downtown Las Vegas. He is a Trustee for Vegas Vista Academy, a new school dedicated to underserved families in Las Vegas and a chairperson for the Nevada Commission on Mentoring, a volunteer position that enables him to oversee a grants program supporting mentoring initiatives across the state.
   

   Assemblywoman Erica Mosca is running for re-election to the Nevada State Assembly to represent District 14 in Las Vegas

1. Assemblywoman Erica Mosca is running for re-election to the Nevada State Assembly to represent District 14 in Las Vegas.. She is known by many in the community as “Ms. Mosca,” is a proud first-generation college graduate, daughter of a Filipino immigrant, and social justice advocate. She is a Millennial Summa Cum Laude graduate of Boston University in 2008 that moved to teach 5th grade in East Las Vegas. Mosca made her classroom theme “Leaders in Training” to empower equitable opportunity for students from a similar background as herself. Then she saved up enough money and started the “Leaders in Training” as an official non-profit organization. Today LIT empowers over 200 students annually with a 100% college acceptance rate, 81% postsecondary persistence rate including 20 different institutions in 8 states from NYU, University of Michigan to USC and all of our NV schools and 100% of members committing to use their education and success to empower their home community.

For more information on elections, visit www.nvsos.gov/sos/elections

Empowering the Next Generation

To foster future generations of Filipino American leaders, various initiatives are underway to educate and empower young people. Voter registration drives, political workshops, and mentorship programs are designed to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to participate in the democratic process.

The Asian Community development council (ACDC) is a nonprofit organization with a team of mostly Gen Z and Millennial Fil-Am leaders who conducted a movement to increase voter participation among several demographic groups, particularly ones which present historically low voter turnout. These include the AAPI community as a whole, youth, newly naturalized Americans, citizens with low English proficiency, and the formerly incarcerated. ACDC’s Voter Registration team went out to specific sites where AANHPIs were predicted to frequent. These sites included ethnic grocery stores, Shanghai Plaza, Chinatown Plaza, local colleges and universities, faith-based community spaces, small businesses, and malls in neighborhoods with a high AAPI population percentage. To this date, they have registered over 58,000 new ANHPI voters.

A Bright Future

The growing influence of Filipino American Millennial’s and Gen Z is reshaping the political landscape of Southern Nevada. Their passion, creativity, and dedication are driving positive change and inspiring hope for the future. As they continue to rise to prominence, they are poised to become powerful voices in shaping the region’s destiny.