The wedding ceremony was hosted on the front lawn, overlooking the beautiful Silicon Valley. It was picture-Esque watching the wedding party walk down the aisle and see the bride and groom share their love in front of the majestic tree. ​

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography
(Left) Astralogik  |  (Right) Porras Solutions

The wedding party’s boutonnieres and bouquets were all lovingly hand-made by Michael with help from his family and friends. The opening prayer was led by Adelina Tancioco, a friend of Mer’s who partnered with her in June 2020 to host a 7-day virtual Pop Up Healing Center. Roderick Bersamina, a long-time friend of Mer's, recited spoken word poetry written just for the occasion. ​

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography
Succulent bouquets by Michael Nuñez

​After the couple said “I do,” guests were ushered to the back patio for the cocktail hour. The lumpia and empanadas were tasty and the sangria and wine were flowing. It was the perfect start to the evening as the emcee Susan Ramsey, host of The Sansu Show and long-time family friend of the Currys, introduced the wedding party and the married couple. 

​The reception was hosted back on the front lawn just as the sun was setting. The handmade, local vibes continued as the dinner tables and gathering spaces were decorated with the wedding favors: succulent arrangements by Michael and his mother Rose, mini canvas paintings by Michael’s dad Ray and his uncle Richard, and lemon-scented custom candles by Michael’s aunt Ramona Cresci. Mer’s friends Alerie Flandez and Amparo Diaz graced the event with their own creative stylings, from Alerie’s gorgeous gift card box to Amparo’s crocheted ring pillow and flower child baskets. You could tell just by looking all around you from the tables to the decorations that everything was thoughtfully created. Thanks to Miguel Ozuna Photography, every beautiful moment from the rehearsal dinner to the wedding day was captured.

​

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography
Centerpieces by Michael Nuñez, Rose & Ray Nuñez, and Ramona Cresci

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography
(Bottom left) Ring pillow by Apple's Handmade Creations

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography

Credit: Miguel Ozuna Photography

Credit: Logo by Angel Trazo

     We are not separate from each other. If we take a simple product, such as a scented candle - note that the wax, wick, and essential oils are manufactured in different parts of the world; the global political economy connects us all. In the community organizing circles I’ve been a part of in San Jose, CA the fantasy vision is an international working class revolution. Similarly to the candle, creating wide-spread change cannot happen without intention, hard work, and of course, time. One cannot decide who or what comprises a community, but it takes strategy, commitment, and honestly, all of us working together to protect the most vulnerable. A splendid example is the work being done by Filipino organizers in Santa Clara County on the Philippine Human Rights Act (PHRA).

    In September 2020, Susan Wild (D-PA-7) introduced The Philippine Human Rights Act (H.R. 8313) to the United States House of Representatives. In essence, the act suspends U.S. military aid to the Philippines until the Philippine Government addresses and responds to the human rights violations. The original cosponsors of the bill are local Santa Clara County representatives, congressional representative Ro Khanna (D-CA-17) and congressional representative Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19). Over 90,000 Filipinos are living in Santa Clara County, many of them with families and friends still living in the Philippines. 
​
    Recently, Santa Clara County’s Human Rights Commission (HRC) hosted a public hearing on whether or not to pass a resolution supporting the PHRA. On October 27, a warm pandemic Tuesday evening, Santa Clara County’s HRC voted unanimously in passing a resolution to support the PHRA; California State Assembly members Ash Kalra (CA-27) and Rob Bonta (CA-18) announced their support of the resolution and the PHRA. Community organizers from LEAD Filipino, Mayla Movement South Bay, and Kabataan Alliance initially approached Santa Clara County Board President, Supervisor Cindy Chavez to ask for her support of the PHRA. The collective worked with Dr. Justin Boren, the chair of Santa Clara County’s HRC for its next steps in writing and presenting a resolution to the commission for consideration.  The pieces needed for the resolution to be written, PHRA created, and relationships mobilized is rooted in years of intention and work by activists in the United States and internationally. 

    ​Most activists understand on one level or another, they are putting their bodies and lives on the line each time they take action in building momentum against an established government regime, even overseas. President Duterte’s Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 allows for the Duterte’s Administration’s  Anti-Terror Council to designate individuals as terrorists and publish their names on government websites and newspapers. Under The ATL’s implementing rules and regulations, there is an inclusion on extraterritorial application that has led to a practice called “terror tagging” or “red tagging”. Shortly after the Santa Clara HRC’s public hearing, panelist and expert witness Adrian Bonifacio, chairperson of Anakbayan-USA, was terror tagged by the Facebook Page, “For the Global Public” (listen more in an interview at PFA 94.1 at 43:45 here). Anyone attempting to publicly criticize the Duterte Administration is labeled a communist terrorist and subject to defamation and targeting by the Philippine Government. As a Black and Filipina woman, Meredith Curry, owner of AdvancED Consulting has concerns that this article, written in partnership and in friendship with myself, will put unwanted attention on us and our loved ones. Because you don’t actually have to be Filipino to be in danger, as proven by countless victims including Brandon Lee, a Bay Area native who was critically injured after an attempted assassination in 2016.
​
    Duterte’s regime has targeted more well-known Filipinos as well, such as the red-tagging of Miss Universe 2018, Catriona Gray, and Santa Clara-born actress, Liza Soberano. If you read the linked article, you’ll see that threats of violence were made towards women who were taking part in an online discussion advocating for the rights of women and girls.  General Parlade stated to Liza Soberano, a participant in the online discussion, “There’s still a chance to abdicate that group” otherwise she would “suffer the same fate” as Josephine Ann Lapira, a young activist killed in a 2017 battle between the military and the Communist Rebels, The New People’s Army (Oct 2020). According to Malaya Arevalo, the National Secretariat of the Malaya Movement and expert witness at the Santa Clara HRC public hearing, 13 human rights workers, 17 journalists, 50 lawyers and judges, 113 environmental activists, and 259 farmers have been killed since Duterte took office - without counting the 30,000 casualties with Duterte’s war on drugs. ​

    ​During the Santa Clara County HRC public hearing, a member of the committee asked how the PHRA would affect the lives of Filipino-Americans. There were several answers to this, one being that it would be safer for undocumented Filipinos to seek help without fear of being deported. Another would be freedom of speech, a right protected in America and yet unavailable to its brothers and sisters living in another country. America has long touted its reasons for military presence and occupation of other countries as defending democracy and freedom, but we won’t get into that here. The point is, the PHRA is in alignment with the American values of freedom, liberty, and justice, without needing to use its military force. The United States is a powerful country, not only because of their military resources but also because of its wealth and influence; it would be unpatriotic to witness the suffering of other Americans, their friends and family, without stepping in and supporting a non-violent response to stop a violent situation.   

    The red tagging/terror tagging of other Americans without a response of support from the United States is a precedence we do not want to set. The Philippine sovereignty needs to be accountable to its people, especially if it is an ally of the United States as a defender of freedom; we should work together to make the world better for citizens living in both countries. The letter Susan Wild (D-PA-7) used to gather support for the PHRA from her peers succinctly gives information about the PHRA and how it will work, as well as previous legislative efforts made by Barbara Boxer, a previous California Senator. 

    Effective community organizing involves everyone in the community. The diasporic Filipinx community has included in its organizing, all levels of government in the United States in conjunction with the national and international efforts of International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), GABRIELA, LEAD Filipino, Mayla Movement,  Kabataan Alliance, amongst the many others involved. Much of the movement is fueled by the passion of student activists and young people who care deeply about families, communities, and true freedom. I identify as Vietnamese American and look to these folks as an example of unity and resilience as they continue to fight for their people despite the barriers and dangers of organizing against the Duterte Regime. 

​I have so far invested over three years to my practice and it has been the best investment of my life.

I've met the most extraordinary professionals who have practiced 5+ years, 10+ years, and 20+ years, all very much human, all very much benefiting in their own ways from their own unique practices.

I didn't just try mindfulness meditation, or any kind of meditation. My best friend Lara recommended the mobile app Calm to me during a stressful time of my life, and for me it's made all the difference. I know friends and colleagues who've tried all kinds of different meditation apps, websites, YouTube channels, etc. This article will highlight the resources I or my trusted allies have used and vetted, so that you can choose for yourself what is right for you.  Whenever possible I like to try all the different options, because from day to day I never know what will speak to me, so I keep my mind and heart open. 
​
There are options for you that are free or require monthly or annual subscriptions. I am not being paid to push any of these products, I just get a lot of questions about what I use or what I know is useful, so this is where I document my findings. I hope you find something here that speaks to you, but if not, it doesn't hurt to give something new a try! 

​Yesterday (Sunday, August 30, 2020), I hit 1,000 days of daily meditation practice, using the mobile app Calm!

This is just one of what I hope to be many huge milestones for me as I pursue personal well-being, clarity, fulfillment, and most importantly, appreciation for my life as it is, in this moment.

I've had the Calm app since December 14, 2016. At this point in the game, I have to admit I am a champion of Calm. Whether or not I'm a formal affiliate (in the works), I am definitely an admirer and evangelist. Not just because it's a great app whether you use the free version or the subscription version, but because they also facilitate a fantastic Facebook community and YouTube channel, all for free-zies! They help millions! 

In this review, I'll explain what I used, why I used it, and how I think it helped me in real life. 
​

So what has it done for me?

Mindfulness meditation is now the undercurrent to every waking, conscious moment. It manifests itself in the following ways and this isn't a comprehensive list:
​

• I am more present with people, and perhaps more importantly, with myself when I'm alone.
• When I am present to myself and what's happening in my mind, I am able to observe it and realize that my thinking is not reality - it's just thought.
• If I realize my thoughts are unhelpful, such as the all-too-familiar bouts of negative self-talk, I can pause, recognize that it's negative self-talk, offer myself silent words of affirmation, and direct love to self in the same way I would direct it to a friend if she was beating herself up for something.
• I recognize my self-worth and accept myself, and not despite my flaws and imperfections, but because of my flaws and imperfections. They are what make me, me. They are what differentiate me from you. They are what give me room to grow and explore my perception of imperfection, and at the end of that journey, find acceptance and appreciation for that which makes me, me.
• I recognize the worth and capabilities of others. I see them more as who they are, rather than what I might wish them to be. 
• I can let go of attachment to outcome. Rather than doing something with an expectation it will look like XYZ at the end, I put 100% into the doing, allowing the result to be what it is. I tap into gratitude for what it is, not what I thought it was supposed to be.
• I see the world clearer. I practice beginner's mind daily and find awe in the beauty of the garden my partner tends to, the singing and fluttering of the hummingbirds, the gorgeous blueness of our California skies.
• I see the day for what it is - an opportunity to live the best life I can right now. And I embrace that opportunity with gratitude and joy.
• Even in this very tumultuous time, when I understandably must fight bouts of depression, doubt, anger, disappointment, and frustration, I can tap into my practice. I know that these feelings are like warm lava in my belly, short-fast breathing, tension in my head. I can recognize these sensations in my body, pause, take deep breaths (in for 4-pause for 4-out for 8), and make myself feel better. This doesn't mean the issues and problems of the world are solved. But it does mean I'm in a calmer, more peaceful place to respond to the world around me. 

​Whether you are just starting out with meditation or have been doing it for awhile, continue your practice! It can only bring greater peace to your life, no matter how much time you can dedicate to it.

You are making an investment in YOU. No one else can do that for you.

Music and Meditations

​Music for all times of the day​
Music isn't for everyone, but it is 100% for me. I've been singing, dancing, and listening to music since the womb. I love using Calm's instrumental music as background noise while I work, shower, meditate, stretch, and more. Check out this 30-minute Relax piece on YouTube.

​Meditations for what ails ya' 
​What I appreciate most about Calm is the thoughtfulness and intentionality in the narrator, Tamara, and her messages.The writing really speaks to you and is relatable, no matter what you're going through in life. For just a taste, check out this Mindfulness Meditation on Santosha (11:16) on YouTube. 

Are there other apps out there to consider?
Of course there are! 

​One of them is InsightTimer. This I use when I'm not using Calm.

Are you a gifted meditation teacher?
InsightTimer is looking for you! "Make a difference. Add an income." Become a teacher!

3 MIN READ
​

​Colleague Lara Fox, Senior Advisor at the Marin Community Foundation who served prior to that as the Founding Executive Director of uAspire Bay Area, has this advice for us adult allies and educators:​

​To colleges and university financial aid officers and advocates, thank you for keeping students at the center. Please continue to do so.

Our colleges will also need to support families, now more than ever, so that they can advocate for the best deals that will lead to less debt and more degrees.

The Community College League of California Financial Aid Office Operations Taskforce released the report “Increasing Student Access, Success and Equity: California Community College Student Focused Financial Aid Policies February 2020” with the following guidance. Though written for community colleges, they bear consideration for all higher education institutions.
​

• “It is important for trustee boards to establish policies and procedures that strike a balance: reducing artificial barriers that prevent low-income students from receipt of their awards, while ensuring that the college remains compliant with federal and state law. A financial aid office should feel empowered to make decisions in the student’s best interest wherever possible.”
• “While it is important to minimize student debt, it is critical that our students be given the choice to determine what debt level is appropriate for them. Without borrowing, our low-income students will either need to work more rather than take additional classes or take out expensive private loans. Thus, the subsidized loan borrowing rate can have direct implications on the success of him or her at your college. Prospective students should be given all of the information they need to make an informed choice on whether or not borrowing is right for them.”
• “Financial aid administrators have the ability to use professional judgment to replace the prior-prior year data with current year estimated income data, so that student eligibility is determined by their actual income while they are going to college. Aid administrators also have the ability to provide a “Dependency Status Override” for students under the age of 24 with special circumstances that prevent them from supplying parental income and asset information. Aid offices also have great flexibility in designing Satisfactory Academic Progress policies, and related appeal policies. CEOs should encourage financial aid administrators to design student-friendly processes and policies if this is the case at your college.”
• “To help students through the confusion and jargon, work with your financial aid leadership to create and support a culture where financial aid staff help students to navigate the ins-and-outs of a complex system. While this is not an easy shift due to time and staffing limits, we lose too many students who are not able to complete these processes.”

​

Step #1: Choose a tool to analyze your student’s award letters. 

In the first article in this series, "Financial Aid, College Choice, and COVID-19," I introduce you to partner Moneythink. I recommend Moneythink’s coaching tool that you can download to Excel. It pre-populates information from most colleges that have public direct and indirect costs data and all you need to do is override it with any actuals your colleges provide in their letters! 

Why does Moneythink pre-populate information when other tools don’t? Because this highlights one of the main issues with financial aid award letters: they often have incomplete or misleading information. This could be in the form of information that is literally missing, like no reference to personal expenses or transportation, or no specific mention of PLUS loans though they are included in the package.

Step #2: Have your financial aid advocates at the ready. 

Connect with your high school guidance counselor or college advisor. If you work with a college access organization you can reach out to your advisors and let them know you’re looking for help.

Take advantage of free webinars like Moneythink’s Financial Aid Award Compare Webinars scheduled on April 21 for Advisors and April 23, 28, and 29 for Students & Families. ​

Step #3: Collect and compare those awards! 

You don’t have to review all of your award letters at once. In fact, you should review them as you get them so that you can advocate as soon as possible when you need to! The sooner that you appeal when it is the right move, the better. 

As you get the awards, compare them.

Did College B offer you a better package (comparing gift aid to direct costs) than your first choice, College A? Get your appeal package together and let College A know about College B’s offer. See if they’ll budge!

​For more tips on appeals, check out SwiftStudent which helps you write your financial aid appeal letters for free.​

Acknowledgments
 
I thank the partners of AdvancED Consulting, the Santa Clara County Commission on the Status of Women, the Santa Clara County Office of Women’s Policy, and the many local and statewide college, career, nonprofit, civic, and social justice advocates who shared contacts, made introductions, and dedicated time to provide all of the wonderful information listed in this guide.
 
A big shout out goes to Amparo Diaz, Annie Do, and Michael Nuñez, all AdvancED Consulting partners, who supported the design and organization of content in this guide. Shout out to Kyra Young who designed all of the affirmation stickers and other AdvancED graphics you see throughout this guide and the AdvancED website and social media.
 
Thank you to my partner (in life and career) Michael who supports me in all things and empowers me to be of service however I can as my authentic self.

Thank you to my mother Helena Curry who instilled in me a strong work ethic, grit, and drive and paved the way by showing me what it means to be a true grassroots community leader and social justice advocate.

Thank you to my cousins Janella Parucha, Justin Parucha, Melinda Parucha, and Evita Dupitas who inspire me to be myself and love myself.

​Thank you to my aunt Hedy Parucha and uncle Ben Parucha for their constant love and support.

Thank you to mentors like Dwayne, Claudia, Coleetta, Sr. Susan, Gloria, Allison, Tessa, MB, Trisha, Dr. London, Masai, Elroy, Eric, Kevin and so many more for your wisdom, selfless coaching, and well-intentioned feedback.

​Thank you to great friends and colleagues like Lara, Gina, Erin, Meo, Serei, SJ, Alerie, Rod, Kadar, Matt, Meghann, Andrea, and Anthony for the strength you give me, each other, and the world, with all of your unique gifts and strengths.

There is actually a third question, since there is a financial component to both questions. That question is ​

4 MIN READ​

The power of “friendraising” has never been more real than in a recent introduction by a local education advocate which led to a podcast interview. I’m here to tell a story that starts with education colleagues making connections, and ends with the power of student resilience and choice.

In this series, I start first with the alchemy of networking and friendraising because as adults, as students, as human beings, if we’re going to get through COVID-19, it will be together. Thus, I start with a Tale of Six Colleagues. 

As I continue the series, I wish for high school seniors, transfer students, parents, educators, and their allies to know that when it comes to financial aid and college choice, we face a Financial Aid Conundrum that is persistent, systemic, fraught with pitfalls ready to take advantage of families, and overbearingly complex to tackle.​

I then want to take a hopeful stance by talking about the Power of Student Resilience and Choice. I want students, and all of your allies, to understand that in your hands is the power to choose the best fit college for you based on what’s both affordable and a strong match. 

Lastly, I will close with how we can all support students through this, whether you are a student or an ally. Supporting Students & Families through the Conundrum means securing the futures of our communities, our cities, our counties, our states, our nation, and our world. Again, we are all in this together. 

Let’s begin with why networking matters.
If you already know why networking matters, you can skip ahead to the meat of this series with the Financial Aid Conundrum.

A Tale of Six Colleagues

It started with me (Colleague #1) reaching out to Todd Hicks (Colleague #2), Director of University Access and Success at Cristo Rey San Jose. Thanks to my career development and college access related projects with partners Management Leadership for Tomorrow and Moneythink, and general volunteer work across Santa Clara County, I had more than one reason to sit down with this local educator. Cristo Rey San Jose is a member of the Cristo Rey Network which has 37 schools across 24 states.

At the time I was in conversations with Todd about how to best support first gen students, I was in the planning stages of financial aid award review webinars with CEO Joshua Lachs (Colleague #3) of Moneythink. Moneythink empowers students to invest in the future by building technology that clarifies college finances. Thanks to Joshua’s leadership and his star-studded team at Moneythink, we were planning to host financial aid webinars in late April to support graduating high school seniors across the country through a crucial date that is fast-approaching: College Decision Day.​

One conversation in Todd's well-organized office turned into multiple emails, text, and phone calls excitedly charged around the topics of educational equity, access, and student success. In our most recent insightful encounter, Todd introduced me to Christian Sherrill (Colleague #4), Director of Business Development and Advocacy at Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF). Appreciating every opportunity to meet a Teach for America Corps Member continuing to do great work for underserved populations, I eagerly scheduled our chat. 

Reaching more than 2 million students nationally by serving 25,000 middle and high school teachers, I was thrilled to learn more about their free personal finance curriculum and professional development offerings. Christian shared that NGPF’s mission “is to revolutionize the teaching of personal finance in all schools and to improve the financial lives of the next generation of Americans.”  ​

This wonderful chat with Christian in March turned into an introduction to NGPF Co-Founder Tim Ranzetta (Colleague #5) who also runs a “Tim Talks To…” Podcast. I was thrilled to listen to some of the episodes, such as Demetria Gallegos of WSJ on 9 Myths About Credit Scores from January 10, 2020 and Melissa Santoyo on the importance of financial education for first-gen students from November 29, 2019. Listening to Melissa’s podcast got me super excited for my chat with Tim because something she said really struck me:
​​