by VFM
A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about some awards I received from the Association for Asian American Studies. I couldn’t thank everyone I wanted to but here’s a list of folks who stood behind my nomination. And I want to thank you all here:
Michael J. Viola, Associate Professor of Justice, Community, & Leadership, Saint Mary’s College of California
Faith R. Kares, Associate Director, Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago
Ethel Tungohan, Canada Research Chair in Canadian Migration Policy, Impacts and Activism and Assistant Professor, York University, Toronto, Ontario
Joy Sales, Postdoctoral Fellow in Immigration, Cultures, and Law, Washington University in St. Louis
Conely de Leon, Assistant Professor, Sociology, Ryerson University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tracy Lachica Buenavista, Professor, Asian American Studies, California State University, Northridge
Lorenzo Perillo, Assistant Professor, Global Asian Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago
Armand Gutierrez, Doctoral Candidate, Sociology, University of California San Diego
Melissa-Ann Nievera-Lozano, Faculty, Evergreen Valley College
Marcy Quiason, Ph.D. Candidate in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at the University of Kansas
Pahole Sookkasikon, Ph.D., American Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Josen Masangkay Diaz, Assistant Professor, University of San Diego
Nerissa S. Balce, Associate Professor, State University of New York at Stony Brook
Alma M.O. Trinidad, Associate Professor, School of Social Work, Portland State University
Paulina Abustan, Doctoral Candidate, WSU Cultural Studies and Social Thought in Education; Instructor, WSU Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Washington State University (WSU)
Katherine Achacoso, Doctoral Student, American Studies, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Katherine Nasol, Doctoral Student, Cultural Studies, University of California, Davis
Russell Jeung, Chair, Asian American Studies, San Francisco State University
Robyn Magalit Rodriguez, Professor and Chair, Asian American Studies, UC Davis and Founding Director, Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies
Catherine Ceniza Choy, Professor of Ethnic Studies, UC Berkeley
Paul Michael Leonardoa Atienza, Doctoral Candidate in Anthropology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Trung PQ Nguyen, Doctoral Candidate in History of Consciousness, University of California, Santa Cruz
Faye Caronan, Associate Professor and Chair, Ethnic Studies Department, University of Colorado, Denver
Ray San Diego, Visiting Assistant Professor, Asian American Studies Program, Northwestern University
Edward R. Curammeng, Assistant Professor, College of Education, California State University, Dominguez Hills
Jonathan Magat, PhD Candidate, Department of Performance Studies, Northwestern University
Sherwin Mendoza, Faculty in English and Intercultural Studies, De Anza College
Amanda Solomon Amorao, PhD, Assistant Teaching Professor and Director, Dimensions of Culture Program, UC San Diego
Jewel Pereyra, PhD Student, American Studies, Harvard University
MT Vallarta, PhD Candidate, Ethnic Studies, University of California, Riverside
Emmanuel David, Associate Professor of Women and Gender Studies, University of Colorado Boulder
Sarita Echavez See, Professor of Media and Cultural Studies, U of California Riverside
Dale Dagar Maglalang, PhD Candidate, Social Work, Boston College
Jan M. Padios, Associate Professor of American Studies, University of Maryland, College Park
Stefanie J. Lira, Ph.D. Candidate, History, University of California, Irvine
Sarah Raymundo, Assistant Professor and Director, Center for International Studies University of the Philippines-Diliman
James Zarsadiaz, Assistant Professor of History & Director of the Yuchengco Philippine Studies Program, University of San Francisco
Ruth Silver Taube, Adjunct Professor, Santa Clara University School of Law; Supervising Attorney, Workers’ Rights, Katharine & George Alexander Community Law Center, Santa Clara University School of Law
Christian Aniciete, Social Media Manager, Corporate Communications; Founding Chair, Asian and Pacific Islander Employee Resource Group, Port of Portland
Dawn Lee Tu, PhD, Faculty Director, Faculty Professional Development, De Anza College and Faculty in Sociology and Interdisciplinary Social Studies, San Jose State University
Anthony Ocampo, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, Cal Poly Pomona
Vanessa Banta, PhD Candidate, Department of Geography, University of British Columbia
Fatima Chrifi Alaoui, Assistant Professor, Department of Communication Studies, San Francisco State University
Thomas X. Sarmiento, Assistant Professor of English, Kansas State University
Karen Buenavista Hanna, Assistant Professor, Department of Gender, Sexuality, and Intersectionality Studies, Connecticut College
Jennifer L. Sta.Ana, Esq., Vice-President, Filipino Bar Association of Northern California
My acceptance speeches are below–as my daughter, Aya, would say, “Please like and subscribe!”
VFM 
Valerie Francisco, you are fierce and fabulous. I love you so very much and am so proud of you regarding all that you’ve accomplished and will continue to accomplish! Most of all, as you succeed academically and professionally you continue to model self-care, cultivate and prioritize community, and show up consistently as a loving mother, partner, sister, daughter, friend, mentor, professor, colleague, aktibista… the list goes on. Thank you for being such a brilliant beam of light in this world we inhabit. You make it better with your presence ❤