NaFFAA Illinois
What is the Circle of Empowered Women?
By Jelly Carandang | CEW 2004
The Circle of Empowered Women (CEW) is originally a group of Filipino women residing in any of the states in the Midwest who have been nominated and invited to become part of a network that will provide mutual support, leadership growth, information and experience sharing, and will create the foundation for lasting personal and social change. Its first task is to act as the bridge to the future.
The network started with a specific task of helping with the launching of the 6th NaFFAA (National Federation of Filipino American Associations) National Empowerment Conference in Chicago on September 10-12, 2004. The theme of the 6th NaFFAA National Empowerment Conference, “Bridging Filipino American Communities” and Bataan-Corregidor Bridge served as the inspiration of this theme. The Bataan-Corregidor Bridge is our link to the history of Philippine American relations, our bridge to the historical past and guide to the understanding of the present and expectations of the future. The immediate future is our youth and the women will become the nurturer and protector of this future. The combined and varied strengths of these women will pave the way for the youth to preserve and continue the spirit of Filipino women leadership. This philosophy will serve as the foundation of the Circle of Empowered Women (CEW) and the framework around which all other goals and objectives will be built.
Gathering the Collective Power of Filipino Women Leaders
To be empowered, a woman needs to feel she has power over something strong. She needs to be secure and confident in her conviction that she has conquered something that is, in itself, powerful and overwhelming. Then, this feeling of empowerment should make an impact on her life and the lives of those around her.
An empowered woman can be a mother who has become a role model to her child or children. She can be a teacher who has inspired her students to become the best they can be or to follow in her footsteps. She is a nurse, whose wholesome personality has brought comfort to her patients, or a volunteer who makes a difference in her community.
She is a community leader, a woman of faith, a trendsetter, high achiever, or a successful entrepreneur. She is an architect, engineer, doctor, lawyer, computer programmer, broadcast and print journalist, accountant, a motivational speaker, artist, fashion designer, business woman, marketing or sales person, the list goes on.
She can be a formerly battered woman who found the courage to fight her abuser and free herself from the bondage of abuse or a woman who has bounced back from a depressing situation in life and became productive.
Why the Circle? What’s the need for it?
In order to make a bigger impact in our community we need to have a collective voice and a solid organization that can take our issues to places where they can be heard and acted upon.
The first CEW induction event was prepared by Yoly Tubalinal as a fundraising event for the 2004 NaFFAA National Empowerment Conference which was held in Chicago. She co-chaired the event with Jerry Clarito. NaFFAA is convening this circle to provide the organization help and support that it will initially need. In turn, the circle will create the new organizational reality that will shape and contribute to the political development of our community.
The Circle Today
The CEW aims to expand by establishing a network of affiliates in all other states defined within the NaFFAA Regions. Illinois will serve as the headquarters of the future National Circle of Empowered Women in the U.S. (NCEWUS).
Since its formation in 2004, the group has evolved. We went from a biennial celebration to an annual celebration of International Women’s History Month. In 2009, in keeping with our theme “Forging Alliances for Women Empowerment”, we opened our doors to all women, regardless of race or religion. The combined emotional strengths, intelligence, wealth of experiences, and the passion to help others, will make our organization a unified and strong voice in the fight for issues affecting women worldwide.
We will be visible, so that women victims out there will know that they are not alone, and that help is available, if they chose to ask for it.