Seattle Filipino Community Center Ribbon-Cutting

May 30, 2008

*As Written*

Good morning, and thank you Nolette (Sera) for that kind introduction.

I very happy to be here today.

Today is not just about a new community building.

It�s also about community building!

A lot of people put in a lot of hard work and a whole lot of years to make this day a reality. I�m very pleased that we in state government were able to pay a role � the $546,000 we appropriated to help make it happen.

It is money well spent.

You have come a long way since your elders in the Filipino community got tired of trying to hold events in people�s homes, or in affordable rented facilities all over the place.

And you have come a long way since your elders way back in 1965 scraped together enough money to buy the old Empire Bowling Alley and make it a community center.

It was humble, but it was an important home for the community many, many years.

But it wasn�t enough to serve this growing vibrant community. Far from it.

So I�m very pleased to know that the new and greatly improved center, among other things, contains more space for tutoring programs for Filipino-American kids, as well more space for meetings by many organizations, including non-Filipinos.

For instance, I know that the Vietnamese-American community will use this center as well.

I also know that Filipino-American military veterans � a very important presence in the community -- are looking forward to using the center.

And I know that along with others in the community � the veterans will reach out and do more to help children in the community grow up to be strong, successful Washingtonians.

This center � and others like it � are at the heart of our ethnic communities. They provide a physical, social, and cultural venue for learning, recreation, networking, and social change.

Another important purpose of this center will be as a meeting place for Filipino military veterans, one of the most vibrant

I know you�re all excited that with this new center, you are able to host the National Federation of Filipino-Americans Association in September.

This will be the place where Filipino-American organizations from across the United States will come to discuss issues that are important to Filipino Americans -- from immigration to trafficking of humans.

Finally, lest I forget, this center also comes with a dance floor! I am well aware of the Filipino love of dancing � so this may be one of the centers most important features.

Maybe Mike and I will come sometime to dance here!

Again, congratulations to everybody on the realization of a dream � a new cultural center.

Thank You