Emulate the Late Papo: Artist, Activist, Revolutionary

Habi Arts Statement Commemorating Papo de Asis’ 5th Year Death Anniversary

Habi Arts joins our Filipino compatriots, friends, and supporters in commemorating the life and works of one of our organization’s founders, Danilo “Papo” de Asis. He passed away five years ago today, after wholeheartedly serving the people in the Philippines and here in the United States for many years. Even after half a decade, his legacy has remained alive in the hearts and minds of those whom his memory continues to teach and inspire.

Papo was a well-known artist, but foremost, an activist and revolutionary. As early as 1973, Papo was already in the midst of the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship. He was active in Sining Bayan, a group of artists who propagated patriotic and progressive art. Afterwards, he also became involved in NPAA or Nagkakaisang Progresibong Artists-Arkitekto (United Progressive Artists-Architects), Mabini Artists, and other artist groups fighting for social change in the Philippines. In 1990, he immigrated to the US and continued his involvement in the community.

Papo was instrumental in leading and developing various organizations in Southern California. He worked with various sectors: workers, youth and students, cultural workers and artists. In 1986, he founded the group People’s Artists, which created artwork that spoke to the issues faced by Filipinos in the Philippines, Filipino immigrants, Filipino Americans, and other oppressed and exploited peoples in the US. In 2003, along with other concerned artists, he founded Habi Ng Kalinangan or Habi Arts.

Throughout his life in the US, Papo worked with many people and a multitude of organizations. The one lesson that he imparted to all of them, by example, is his commitment to genuine social change and service to the masses. Particularly in Habi Arts, he had instilled the importance of educating, organizing, and mobilizing the broad masses of Filipino compatriots, allies, and other oppressed peoples around human rights, immigrants’ issues, basic civil rights and welfare, and linking those issues to the basic problems of the Philippines—foreign intervention, landlessness, and corruption (also referred to as imperialism, feudalism, and bureaucrat capitalism).

As an immigrant himself, he understood and had compassion for those who had just arrived from the Philippines and from any country. He fought against Proposition 187 (an anti-immigrant initiative prohibiting access to public services) and supported justice for immigrant campaigns. He understood that the issues faced by Filipinos and Filipino Americans in the US are inextricably connected with the issues faced by his people back home. Thus, he also propagated and organized around Philippine issues such as state violence, repression, corruption, and economic devastation. He condemned human rights violations in the Philippines, and called for genuine independence and democracy in Philippine society. Until his death, Papo poured his heart and soul into working towards a better and brighter world.

In commemorating the fifth anniversary of Papo’s death, we do so not with tears in our eyes and grief in our hearts, but with fists raised high and a united determination to surge forward in the struggle to which Papo had dedicated his life.

Habi Arts calls on all progressive artists, Filipino immigrants, Filipino Americans, and other oppressed peoples to celebrate and learn lessons from the life and struggle of Papo de Asis. Let us emulate his commitment to social justice. Let us take the side of the immigrants, the victims of human rights violations, the workers and peasant masses. Let us take the side of the oppressed and exploited—just as Papo had done.

Long live Papo de Asis!
Justice for victims of human rights violations in the Philippines!
Justice for immigrants in the US!
Onward with the struggle for genuine independence and democracy in the Philippines!
Long live the Filipino people!

Related Pages:
In Memory of Papo de Asis
Papo de Asis Gallery

Upholding Human Rights, Life and Dignity Arts Exhibit and Open Mic

WEAVING: An Afternoon of Pinay Poetry/Performance/Song/Dance

Join us for an afternoon of poetry, dance, performance and song by eight talented Filipina American women living, working and art-making in Los Angeles. These amazing women will be performing new work/pieces made especially for this showcase. Support their creative efforts and enjoy an afternoon filled with powerful, inspiring and thought provoking art in the Museum’s outdoor patio.

A satellite event of “The (Dis)Embodied Filipina: Fashioning Domesticity, Weaving Desire Exhibition”

Saturday, December 5, 2009, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

Pacific Asia Museum Outdoor Patio
46 North Los Robles Ave
Pasadena, CA 91101

Admission: $9 general / $7 students and seniors / free for children 11 and under and for members

Co-sponsored by: Project Pacific Pipeline, UCLA Amerasia Journal’s Women Issue “WHERE WOMEN TELL STORIES”, Kundiman West Coast, and Habi Arts

Curated by: Irene Soriano Brightman

PAMALAK (Poetry and Performance)
Rebecca Baroma
Alfie Ebojo
Melinda Corazon Foley
Melissa Roxas
Stephanie Santos
Minerva Benedicto Vier

KANTA (Song)
Nicole De Jesus
Jenny San Angel

SAYAW (Dance)
Cheryl Samson

Rebecca Baroma is a special education teacher at a middle school but has been incognito for a few. She dabbles in different forms of expression and is currently working on a play which will be read in December at East West Players. She is very happy to be back, up and running.

Alfie Ebojo – bio traveling as we speak.

Canadian Native, Nicole De Jesus, is a singer-songwriter, pianist, guitarist, and visual artist. Originally trained as a musical theater singer, Nicole has also ventured off in a variety of styles of music, such as rock and pop. When not doing music, she is creating art through painting and drawing, which happens to be Nicole’s first love. She currently resides in the Los Angeles area, where she holds a voice studio for singing lessons known as “Nicole De Jesus Voice Studio”.

Melinda Corazon Foley – writer, performer – novels, screenplays, poetry, webisodes. proudest projects to date: “the ice hotel” for bryan – and “vigilante”.

Melissa Roxas is a poet, writer, and a human rights activist.  She is a survivor of abduction and torture perpetrated by the Philippine military.  This experience strengthens her resolve to continue her human rights work and to continue writing for truth and justice.

Cheryl Samson is a proud member of the Balagtasan Collective, a family of artists and organizers, where she was able to merge her love for artistic expression, community organizing and involvement, as well as truly express her identity as a Filipina American growing up in the Los Angeles area. 5 foot Pinay, a quarter Chinese, she truly loves the life that she was blessed with, the family that defines her and the friends that save her thru and thru. Constantly trying to find balance in her life, she loves to: keep her physical body and creativity stimulated thru dance and yoga; capture stories and moments thru her cameras and writing; listen to people’s life stories thru her day job; keep her mind stimulated by learning other languages and about other cultures; and stay connected spiritually thru daily meditation.

Jenny San Angel has been playing music since she was a band nerd in jr high playing clarinet (one time, in band camp). By day, she’s a Net Admin at USC – by night, she plays drums, guitar, bass, and keyboards for various projects. Her weaknesses? Mac n’ cheese, beer, Japanese food and Rubik’s cubes (not in that order).

Stephanie Santos – bio traveling as we speak.

Minerva Benedicto Vier is a writer-performer from Cebu, Philippines who currently lives in Los Angeles. As an actor, Minerva has performed in various L.A. stage productions for theater companies such as Center Theater Group, Playwrights Arena, Casa 0101, Will & Co., Antaeus Classical Theater and Collage Dance Theater. As a writer, she has penned the plays Stateside Girls, Uterine and Magdalena among others. As a dancer, she has worked with The Second Company of Alvin Ailey and is currently working with Silayan Dance Company (a Philippine contemporary dance company) in Bihag: A Hiphop Tinikling.

Save the Date/Call for Artists and Performers for International Human Rights Day Celebration

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Arts Exhibit Opening Reception, 7:00 PM
Live Performances Begin, 7:45 PM

Fernando’s Hideaway
(during Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk)
519 S Spring St (between 5th St and 6th St)
Los Angeles, CA 90013

In celebration of International Human Rights Day on December 10, we will be launching an arts exhibit.  We’ll be having an opening night reception that will include performances and an open mic session.

The opening night reception will take place during Downtown Los Angeles’ monthly Downtown Art Walk in which shops and galleries, spanning several blocks, open up their space to share their art and culture.

Habi Arts, in cooperation with other community organizations, will be hosting the International Human Rights Day celebration at Fernando’s Hideaway (across the street from the Los Angeles Theater Center) located at 519 South Spring Street (south of the intersection at 5th Street), Los Angeles, CA 90013.

We are looking for the following:

• art pieces to hang for at least a month
• musicians/performers (especially acoustic musicians/performers)
• poets and spoken word artists

If you are interested, please email info@habi-arts.org to obtain more information and specifications for the art pieces.

Human Rights Defender Speaks: An Ecumenical Community Forum With Attorney Rex Fernandez