Damayan Prioritizes Transparency And Democracy in 2024 General Assembly
“[The General Assembly] is our way of [being] compliant with our bylaws. It's felicity seeing our members,” Kuya Rick S., Damayan Member.
Last week, over 50 Damayan members participated in our General Assembly & Board Elections and engaged in Damayan’s democratic principles and transparent reporting. Our active members–representing domestic workers, migrant workers, and low-wage workers–deliberated and voted on significant proposals, while Damayan leaders presented the progress and objectives in serving our migrant worker community.
Highlights:
New Member Orientation: Damayan co-founder Linda and organizer Lydia provided insights into Damayan's mission, membership criteria, and services, equipping new members with essential knowledge about Damayan’s values and our critical analysis of forced migration from the Philippines.
Accomplishment Report: Executive Director Riya Ortiz highlighted our achievements, including empowering 80 labor trafficking survivors with T-Visas and facilitating family reunifications with almost 80 children. We also emphasized the vital services we provided, like the WeRise Nanny Training program and regular Legal Clinics, which reflects how Damayan responds and organizes for the needs of our community.
Financial Transparency: Treasurer Raffy Garcia presented the 2023 Financial Report and the 2024 Budget. Through our transparent report, members can be confident that their membership fees, donations, and other contributions are efficiently allocated to increasing community impact.
Three-Year Vision Presentation: Riya outlined our goal of establishing a Migrant Center in Woodside, Queens, enhancing accessibility for members!
Resolutions: The General Assembly passed resolutions proposed by Riya, including holding a special Board election later in the year and adjusting the Board composition for a balanced representation of workers, allies, and the Executive Director.
Community Bonding: We celebrated birthdays, enjoyed Filipino cuisine, and bonded through karaoke, reinforcing our organization's cohesion! Socializing strengthens our organization and is a way for our workers who toil for their families in the Philippines to take a break and enjoy with community!
Overall, our event underscored Damayan’s commitment to democracy, transparency, and member empowerment. Join us for our next gathering on July 13th, the Damayan Annual Summer Socialization at Flushing Meadows Park, 11am-4pm!