The KasamaRep position is one of the most important Executive Board positions as it serves as the gateway between the membership and E-Board. It’s a one-of-a-kind experience and we’re all here to ride it. The KasamaReps serve as Executive Board members with an intention to lead and learn, hence the the reps are also called interns. All-in-all, a KasamaRep is a voice of the membership, a leader in training, and an Executive Board member. Below are your nominations for 2020-2021 KasamaReps.

After reading their responses, you can click here to vote on your class’ KasamaRep.

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Sophomore KasamaRep Nominations

What is one strength and one weakness? How do you think working in a team setting can help nurture and improve these qualities?

One strength I’d say I carry is building on top of ideas; when it comes to brainstorming, I like thinking to the details of what could be included to events, workshops, etc. One weakness I have is needing clarification on certain instructions, meaning I’ll most likely be asking a lot of questions and needing constant communication. When it comes to working with a team, I like to build and affirm that trust with peers. When that trust is built, my work flow will progressively come with ease and get better overtime.

What are some ways that you think you would be able to represent your class?

Even though there is still the situation of covid going on, there are still ways that I could represent my class in different situations. One big plan is to keep in touch with my class constantly with upcoming workshops/events. Other plans could be having small trips to different food areas around SF, having trips to the filipino cultural centers in SF, and most importantly, get input from the class of what events they’d want to have next (all with practicing social distancing and wearing masks of course).

What does being your own culture mean to you? What are some ways you can share this meaning with the members of Kasamahan?

Being in my own culture means holding responsibility to carry it on to upcoming generations; in my opinion, culture dies out when no one takes the responsibility to carry it. I hopefully want to imply this meaning by emphasizing the importance of workshops we hold and encouraging the filipino based/YPSP classes that are offered at USF. There are places such as the SF Filipino Cultural Center and SOMA that sometimes go unnoticed; I hopefully want to remind my peers that these places exist for education in our own culture along with community building.

What does being your own culture mean to you? What are some ways you can share this meaning with the members of Kasamahan?

Being your own culture to me means that You have your own set of beliefs, morals, understandings, and values that you follow.  It can also mean that you  are still understanding your own culture that you are developing as you grow in life. To me it could be anything from your own style to your daily traditions that you maintain. Your own culture could also be your identity and/or what you identify as. Being your own culture really can be limitless such as your social justice and political beliefs growing up and how they’ve evolved since you’ve grown up now. Being your own culture can change, you change, we all change, it’s part of life. Our life experiences make our own cultures grow and become what they’re meant to be.  One way that I can share this meaning with the members of the Kasamahan community is to stand by my beliefs of being my own individual culture and promote a safe and welcoming space for them to express themselves being their own culture thus, sharing the same understanding of “being your own culture.”

Why are you interested in representing your class?

I’m interested in representing my class because I want to be more involved in the Kasamahan club and work directly with the Executive Board. Along with that I would like to work directly with the members of the class of 2023 to understand and support them in whatever they need. I am also interested in representing my class because I am inspired by the amount of young individuals that take part in an organization that stands by, unity, solidarity, and equality. These are qualities that I stand and live my life by and it would be an honor to represent a class that aims to embody these beliefs in life and in our communities. 

Do you have any experience in a leadership position? If yes, where/when?

Yes, I do have some experience in a leadership position. At each retreat I had the opportunity to be a retreat leader, which consisted of giving a talk. I gave talks on gifts in our lives and the meaning of forgiveness/reconciliation. My talks for each one also included my personal experience with gifts in my life and having to forgive. The age groups of the retreaters ranged from 15-18. At Carondelet High School I began to lead retreats my sophomore year in 2016 with about 30 retreaters. In 2017 and 2018 I led two retreats, one for CHS and the other for my parish, Christ the King, in Pleasant Hill with 60 and 80 retreaters. In 2019 I led a Kairos retreat along with another retreat at CTK. These retreats inspired me to write, develop a love for public speaking, and even taught me things about myself. Another experience that I had in leadership was being on the Carondelet Dance Team and being a leader for my varsity team. This experience showed me how hard working I really am, along with the dedication I cultivate for my passions.

What are some ways that you think you would be able to represent your class?

I believe that every voice matters and by being apart of this program I can become that connection for the general members to e-board and to voice out any concerns, needs, or wants that my class has voiced out.  Not only do I want to become a bridge to E-Board for my peers, but I also want to be that support system for my classmates whether it be supporting them mentally, emotionally, or academically.  We are students first and foremost and schoolwork can sometimes get the best of us, and I understand that and I want to help make your college and Kasamahan experience the best it has ever been.  

Tell us about one experience in Kasamahan that affected you (i.e. the way you see yourself, your culture or etc.)

When I initially joined, there were times I was about to back out and quit Kasamahan mostly because I was a huge introvert and I normally keep to myself and the number of members did intimidate me.  I eventually decided to stick it out and participate in FG.  When I first started FG, it was tough because I didn’t know a lot of people and it made me feel out of place, but I decided to stick it out and to further put myself and participate in Prop/Design committee because art was the one thing I was comfortable with.  When I went to the first meeting, I was the only freshman and off the bat, I was nervous.  But when I walked into that room, I surprisingly didn’t feel nervous at all anymore.  I felt welcomed and proceeded to learn more about a lot of the members there, like who knew I would meet a person who is from a neighboring city of mine or someone who is into astrology like me.  Overall, this experience changed the way I saw Kasamahan.  Yes, there is a lot of members and it may seem frightening at first, but it’s more than just a club, it’s a community that embraces you for you and welcomes you with open arms.   

What is one strength and one weakness? How do you think working in a team setting can help nurture and improve these qualities?

One strength that I have is that I am open to taking any constructive criticism and applying it to my work ethic or work in general and one weakness I have is that sometimes I tend to stray off topic at times.  When working in a team setting, you would need to share an idea or multiple.  Constructive criticism from your peers may not only help your idea work out for the better, but it also helps with communication and transparency between peers which is such a good attribute when working in a group setting.  I also feel that accountability is important when working in a group setting and it has helped me stay focused in many group settings.

What does being your own culture mean to you? What are some ways you can share this meaning with the members of Kasamahan?

Being my own culture is about having a firm grasp with all aspects of my identity and accepting those aspects for the way they are. Growing up in this country and moving every couple years to a different place never allowed me to settle down and find the time to get to know who I really am. I was just a shell of who I was meant to be, going through the motions. When I came to USF, Kasamahan opened my eyes to see what it means to be a Filipinx, a woman, a student, etc. It opened my mind to the idea that I am part of a collective of experiences and stories, which we all share with one another. I fell in love with learning more about my culture and passionately pursing who I am as a person. I can share this by not only being unapologetically myself, but encouraging others to the same. Along with this, I can make the effort to be present physically/emotionally, respect others for their own identities, and genuinely understand them. 

From previous experience, how have you dealt with managing your time during stressful situations?

In a stressful situation, I like to write a list of everything down that I need to get done, typically in my planner. I will usually list them in order of what needs to get done first, assign specific times to complete these tasks, and then check them off as I go. But one thing that I find important is to be open to relieving pressure off of myself, whether it be taking a few minutes to meditate or to even ask someone for help. As a person who gets stressed easily, I am still learning to speak up when I am stressed and ask for help. It is something that I hope to learn and apply to my education as well.

Why are you interested in representing your class?

The reason why I want to represent my class is because I have a heart and will to serve others. This organization has a special place in my heart, and I am passionate about giving back to the organization that has given me so much. Kasamahan has easily become my home away from home, where I have been warmly embraced with open arms. I want to learn more about the organization and its members, and advocate for those whose voices are both heard and unheard. I want to lift up and encourage my fellow members, and provide the same opportunities that I was offered when I first came to this organization. I want to be someone that people can count on, regardless of the situation, and represent their opinions and interests to the best of my ability.

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Junior KasamaRep Nomination

Tell us about one experience in Kasamahan that affected you (i.e. the way you see yourself, your culture or etc.)

Alright, this is kinda a weird one. It was one night during Barrio 2019 Run-Throughs, before I had even officially joined Kasamahan. I dropped off food for Sly and Julie while they were rehearsing in UC4, but I thought I’d stick around a bit. Fast forward and suddenly it was 12:30 A.M (I had never stayed this late), Ate Mics, Kuya Nate, and Ate Ria were making their big speeches. Their voices carried an incredible amount of power, and heart–I mean, in the moment I was awestruck. It also happened to be the night of sweatshirt reveal…so I think the screams of membership helped burn the memories in. The more and more I thought about that night, the more it dawned on me that I hadn’t ever experienced that kind of unfettered passion for culture. That is what drew me in so much. What would it be like to not just watch, but join in and share that feeling with all of them? To sit in that big group, looking up at the CD and ED and being fired up after an exhausting 6 hour rehearsal? And in experiencing that, could I then unlock a part of my identity that I’ve hidden away? Now, I am here in this organization, finding the answers.

What do you hope to gain by interning for Kasamahan’s Executive Board?

I am always curious about understanding how I operate, as well as how others around me operate. What situations make me feel uncomfortable, and what can I do to remove that aversion? Where do I feel most comfortable, and how can I uplift others to become more comfortable with that? What kinds of attitudes do I need to take on in order to effectively employ subjectivity and objectivity in a group collaborative setting? These are all questions to which I hope my time as an E-Board intern will help to answer, or at least begin to answer. Ultimately, this experience would be a significant stepping stone in bringing me closer to my best, fully realized self. 

Why are you interested in representing your class?

I’m a believer in unity fostered by transparency. Open, honest communication is the way. If we seek to live out the message of unity and solidarity, I think this begins with making efforts to dissolve the barriers between E-Board and general membership. For some, it can be intimidating to approach E-Board members or feel comfortable sharing their thoughts due to the hierarchical nature of the organization. While no one person is to blame for this, I believe that it is on all of us to help each other break down these mental walls. Primarily, this would mean opening up constant channels of feedback and communication between the two, beyond the general anonymous feedback form and office hours. As I want to see this provided for my class (and membership as a whole), why not be the one to help enact that? I want to play a part in closing the gap, in order to strengthen the integrity of Kasamahan and expand the family that I have found in this place.

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Senior KasamaRep Nomination

What does being your own culture mean to you? What are some ways you can share this meaning with the members of Kasamahan?

To me, being a Filipina-American means strength, compassion, and community. I’ve learned that these are very strong values within my culture through my experience in Kasamahan these past three years. Through sharing those experiences and helping other members experience them for themselves is how I want to share what my culture means to me. 

Tell us about one experience in Kasamahan that affected you (i.e. the way you see yourself, your culture or etc.)

My first Barrio experience changed the way I felt about and saw my culture. Before coming to USF, I never had the chance to learn about Filipinx history or understand what it meant to be Fil-Am. However, through the long hours of rehearsals, emotional but motivating speeches, and so many new friends connected to this experience, I started to embrace my culture. Putting on the attire and performing dances that represented the cultural tribes in the Philippines brought such a different perspective to what being Filipinx meant. Through watching the skit inspired by the Fil-Am narrative, I started to understand where my story fit in. Feeling that Barrio magic affected the way I felt about my culture. Through this experience, I started to embrace and be proud of being Filipina-American. 

What is one strength and one weakness? How do you think working in a team setting can help nurture and improve these qualities?

One of my strengths is that I am a very good communicator. I think that working in a team will allow my communication skills to continue to improve since I will need to be constantly communicating with the other KasamaREPs, Director of Membership, and the rest of the Executive Board. One weakness is that I can be quite stubborn sometimes. However, I think that since the Executive Board is on the bigger side, it’ll allow me to improve this quality as I’ll need to be more flexible and compromise. 

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