KAPISANAN History: Passing the baton.
KAPISANAN was started in the late 1980s, later incorporated in 1989, by members of the Filipino-Canadian community who felt a need to establish a multi-purpose facility which would serve their needs, including preserving the community’s history and cultural heritage. A needs-assessment and feasibility study was initiated early on, followed by fundraising initiatives aimed at having a physical centre within which to conduct activities. Among KAPISANAN’s key accomplishments are a research on problem gambling within the community and a series of workshops on violence against women.
In late 2003, KAPISANAN was approached by two vibrant, young, professional arts organizations, Carlos Bulosan Theatre (CBT) and The Digital Sweatshop Inc. (DS), to address the gap in services for the youth community. Nadine Villasin (CBT) and Caroline Mangosing (DS) proposed a new concept for the multi-purpose facility that was already being planned. CBT and DS’s experience and enthusiasm to create a creative hub where young people can explore their history and identity, made it clear to the elders that there is a tangible need for a youth-focused centre. Once they saw this need, they also saw it fit that the organizational leadership reflect the youth target, and this is what catalyzed the transition.
By 2005, the trio of organizations solidified a partnership and launched its 3500 sq.ft. facility in the Kensington Market community, an ideal ‘downtown’ hub for outreach and cultural exposure to a broader public.
KAPISANAN History: Passing the baton.
KAPISANAN was started in the late 1980s, later incorporated in 1989, by members of the Filipino-Canadian community who felt a need to establish a multi-purpose facility which would serve their needs, including preserving the community’s history and cultural heritage. A needs-assessment and feasibility study was initiated early on, followed by fundraising initiatives aimed at having a physical centre within which to conduct activities. Among KAPISANAN’s key accomplishments are a research on problem gambling within the community and a series of workshops on violence against women.
In late 2003, KAPISANAN was approached by two vibrant, young, professional arts organizations, Carlos Bulosan Theatre (CBT) and The Digital Sweatshop Inc. (DS), to address the gap in services for the youth community. Nadine Villasin (CBT) and Caroline Mangosing (DS) proposed a new concept for the multi-purpose facility that was already being planned. CBT and DS’s experience and enthusiasm to create a creative hub where young people can explore their history and identity, made it clear to the elders that there is a tangible need for a youth-focused centre. Once they saw this need, they also saw it fit that the organizational leadership reflect the youth target, and this is what catalyzed the transition.
By 2005, the trio of organizations solidified a partnership and launched its 3500 sq.ft. facility in the Kensington Market community, an ideal ‘downtown’ hub for outreach and cultural exposure to a broader public.