Meet Cam C of Long Beach and Carson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cam C

Hi Cam, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I’ve always had a little spark of advocacy in me, starting from environmental concern as an 8-year old, all the way to learning about intersectional feminism as a teenager! I joined Malaya Movement Long Beach and Carson (LBC), a U.S. based Filipino anti-fascist human rights organization. In Tagalog language, “Malaya” means “Free.” It all started after a very fateful day 2 years ago, when I bumped into a middle school friend from way, way back. We talked a lot about current issues in the Philippines, such as the brutal war on drugs, public health issues, and was invited to join their member meeting one day. Now that I have been in Malaya LBC for over 2 years now, I am so glad that I got to learn about how corruption in the Philippines and even our own U.S. tax dollars, negatively affect millions of Filipinos overseas, such as forced migration and increased militarization. Since Los Angeles County boasts the largest Filipino population in the world outside of the Philippines, I am grateful that I have been able to be a part of so many rallies, community events, and campaign efforts that are dedicated to solidarity and serving the people.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Becoming part of a human rights grassroots organization was definitely something that made me not only to learn how to better manage my time, but also how to become an effective community organizer, which can be so difficult when you work a regular 9-5 job. Because community organizing is something you do outside after work and on the weekends, it was a bit difficult at first to work with members (and also of the community) to coordinate outreach, delegate tasks, and plan meetings (yes, that means Zoom meetings in the evenings as well). Now, I am able to still balance having a social life, a 9-5 job, and community organizing activities on the weekends, since I find it really fulfilling to be able to see my fellow organizer friends while coordinating events, like rallies or karaoke nights/open mics, that are really enjoyable for everyone!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am proud that I have such a supportive community within Malaya Movement Long Beach and Carson, alongside the many grassroots Filipino organizations within LA County. Many Filipinos are often migrant workers, often working in healthcare or domestic work (i.e. in-home caregivers). One of our more recent campaigns is called “Worker’s Rights are Human Rights!” For this, our focus is learning more about migrant workers’ issues in the Filipino community here in Carson, as well as housing issues, due to the rapid gentrification. A lot of what we do is canvassing, educating the community, and learning more about the issues going on.

Filipinos in LA often work in blue-collar jobs, such as home caregivers or domestic workers, factory workers, and of course, in healthcare—-all of which are settings where many experience workplace injustices, even at a classic fast food favorite, Jollibee. One issue that has been going on for several decades in the Filipino community is wage theft, which has been a common occurrence for overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs) for about as long as the Labor Export Policy (LEP) has been enacted in 1974. Nationally, Malaya is also working towards lobbying efforts and outreach on helping to pass the Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA), which aims to halt our US tax dollars from funding state violence and increasing military aggressions in the Philippines, preventing the land from becoming a military playground for the US and China. We work with so many different groups, even high schoolers and non-Filipinos join in on supporting the movement!

Locally, we also help organize fun community events to raise awareness about campaigns, such as open mics, community teach-ins, and film screenings about ongoing social issues in the Philippines!

Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Persistence is very important for success as a community organizer. Our current system is designed so that, for many working people, we work 40 or so hours a week and scramble to find the little time that we have for hobbies, social life, and most importantly, rest. But confiding in a group of passionate people that always unite to ensure that the anti-fascist movement continues, really inspires me to keep advocating and fighting for human rights; both in our community and our motherland. Survival is built on community—-and finding that group is so important to helping keep that fire of persistence alive. A historic chant that we always say is, “Makibaka, huwag matakot!” which means, “Dare to struggle, do not be afraid!”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.malayamovement.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/malayalbc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/malayalongbeachcarson/

Image Credits
Hello! I didn’t want to use a solo photo so I used one of me and a friend speaking at an LA rally. 🙂