Welcome back to Filipino Fridays! We have a powerful episode featuring MLA, Mable Elmore. Mable joins us to talk about her career as the first MLA of Filipino heritage, representing the Vancouver-Kensington electoral district. A passionate advocate for social justice and human rights, Mable has been active with human rights campaigns ever since her teens. With a deep love of being of service to the community, Mable ran for office and currently serving her fourth term in the provincial government. We discuss the growing population of Filipinos in British Columbia and the context of the Filipinos being the largest global community in the diaspora. But despite our populous numbers, Filipinos are still underrepresented in senior leadership positions. We speak with Mable on the reality of structural and institutionalized racism in Canada and a foundation based on white supremacy, which have become major structural barriers that have impacted the Filipino and other racialized communities. We talk about how to be better allies with the BIPOC community by first understanding the history and impact of colonization in Canada. We speak at length about our role as settlers and what we can do to participate in meaningful dialogue regarding systemic racism, to be in genuine solidarity with other marginalized communities. We also talk about how Filipinos have been at the forefront of the healthcare system and bearing the brunt disproportionately during the pandemic. We discuss about human and workers' rights of temporary foreign workers - with many Filipinos finding themselves in complex working conditions in order to support their families. Lastly, Mable shares with us on changing our cultural understanding -  being assertive and knowing what our rights are; taking a step forward in empowerment to see the Filipino community make an impact collectively. By raising our civic literacy, increasing the understanding and awareness in our community, Mable believes in the Filipino community as a collective going to power.
With the large population full of talent and expertise, it's time that Filipinos translate the numbers into power and use it as a leverage for representation by being active in enacting change.  

ABOUT MABLE ELMORE 

Mable Elmore was first elected MLA for Vancouver-Kensington in 2009, when she made history by becoming the first MLA of Filipino heritage. Mable was re-elected in May 2013, May 2017, and October 2020. She serves as the Parliamentary Secretary for Seniors Services and Long Term Care and previous served as Parliamentary Secretary for Poverty Reduction. She is also a member of the Cabinet Working Group on Mental Health, Addictions and Homelessness.

Mable previously served as the Official Opposition spokesperson for ICBC, and the deputy spokesperson for Finance.

Mable is passionate about building community engagement and connecting people around issues that matter to them. She is dedicated to doing whatever she can to make the lives of people in her community – and across B.C. – better.

Mable has been an active member in the peace movement, and has worked tirelessly on a wide range of immigrant, social justice, and workers’ rights issues.

Thank you to our partner CiTR 101.9 FM for supporting this podcast. Follow Filipino Fridays Podcast on Instagram: @FilipinoFridaysPodcast Email us at [email protected]. Music: Hot Coffee by Patrick Patrikios