by Jamie L. Mapa

October 1, 2009, Queens, NY

Rose-Ann Ubarra-Cunanan has been named the Interim Executive Director of Filipino American Human Services, Inc. (FAHSI), a community-based, non-profit organization dedicated to serving segments of the Filipino community of New York. FAHSI was established in 1993 in an effort to bridge the gap in social services—specifically intended for youth, women, recent immigrants and the elderly—for the Filipino-American community and is headquartered at the Philippine American Center in Jamaica, Queens.

Growing up in a suburb of Long Island, Rose said there were no safe-havens for Filipino youth, which troubled her. Her commitment to finding an organization that focused on these particular demographics stemmed from her upbringing and in 1999, Rose joined FAHSI as a student volunteer.

At FAHSI, Rose quickly ascended the ranks, having been promoted from volunteer to Youth Coordinator in September 2005. Shortly after contributing to various youth projects, Rose became the Youth Program Director where she was in charge of all programs, projects & workshops that related FAHSI’s youth program. She spearheaded workshops that included college preparation courses, building on arts and crafts skills, and Filipino Cultural workshops.

In 2007, Rose’s dedication to FAHSI and her steadfast commitment to serving Filipino youth in her community rightfully earned her a spot on The Filipina Women’s Network’s National 100 Most Influential Filipina Women in the U.S. list. Since 2007 Rose has branched out of the youth space and has strived to develop different areas and programs at FAHSI, as well as publicize it locally. She quickly moved on to tackling duties as the overall Program Director. As the Program Director, Rose oversaw all community outreach and all events sponsored by FAHSI.

As the interim Director, her responsibilities—in addition to managing and delegating various tasks to the different directors at FAHSI—include preparing the budget and prospecting for additional funding. Her goal in the near future is to collaborate with more organizations that have a similar focus, which includes the Filipino-American National Historical Society. She would also like to continue to promote FAHSI as a community center where everyone is welcome. 

Upcoming events include their annual “Thanks for Giving” on November 19th, an event designed to thank all participants and volunteers for their support, as well as their annual “Light-A-Parol” to be held at the Philippine Consulate in Manhattan.

Rose’s dream is to continue contributing to FAHSI in various capacities. When asked what the best part about working at FAHSI was and what her ultimate dreams are, she responded with, “The essence of FAHSI is its participants and its volunteers who put forth all the effort. It is a wonderful feeling knowing that you have a support system that you can turn to; that is a privilege I never had… I want to have a space for my children when they grow up where they can socialize, interact with other Filipinos and learn more about their culture and history. It really is like family here.”

FAHSI
(718) 883-1295